Mykonos Overview

Mykonos Info

Make sure you say hello to Petros II, Nikolas or Irene-Irini when you visit Mykonos, as they would be mortally offended if you don’t greet them at least once.  Telling them apart may be a problem, but they don’t seem to mind a little name swapping, and finding them won’t be difficult as three pelicans wandering around a Greek island tend to stand out!

Ever since Petros I’s appearance many years ago when he was nursed back to health after landing, wounded, on the island, the pelican has been Mykonos’ mascot, as much a reason to visit as the beaches, sunsets, windmills and nightlife.  Every island resident knows his story and thanks to their friendliness, they are more than happy to share it, so we won’t ruin it all here.

Petros is an embodiment of what Mykonos is too many people.  A bird can fly anywhere it likes, choosing to land only where everything it needs is plentiful and a Pelican, well, they could certainly be regarded as individual and tend to stand out in a crowd.  People come to Mykonos to be themselves without fear of segregation or ridicule and many return year after year, some even deciding to make the island their home.  The effect Mykonos can have is uncanny, as Petros himself has proved.

Mykonos, much like the other Cycladian islands has come under the rule of Venetian’s, Minoans and Ionians before it played an important role during the Greek revolution in the early 1800’s, thanks to the islands extensive fleet of ships.  After the Second World War, tourism began to become important, as visitors to nearby Delos (with its archeological sites) made the short journey in order to enjoy the beaches.