Travelers and wander lusters fell in love with Mykonos in the ‘60s, when it became a favorite spot for lovers of art and of nature from, mainly, Europe. Soon, more and more people heard about it. The ‘60s was when the visionary founder of the Myconian Collection Hotels & Resorts, Mykonos native, George Daktylides started taking care of visitor to the island too, via bus service and later the first MC hotel. Just a stone’s throw from world-famous Mykonos, Delos was once the center of commerce in the Mediterranean and a multicultural, vibrant community. Completely uninhabited today in order to preserve its spectacular antiquities, it is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
According to Hesychios, Mykonos derives from the word Mykon, meaning heap and themonia.
Mykonos was part of the free Greek State since the first day of its independence in 1830. Sailors and merchants quickly revived the island’s economy, consolidating trade relations with South Russia, Moldavia and Wallachia. However, after the opening of the Corinth Canal in 1904 and with the beginning of the First World War, Mykonos’ well-developed economy started to decline and, consequently, many locals left to find work in mainland Greece or abroad – especially in the United States.
Archaeological finds on Mykonos indicate the existence of a significant civilization on the island, dating back to to the Late Neolithic period.
Yet, it wasn’t long before tourism rose as the answer to the problems of the local economy, starting with significant archaeological excavations taking place in Delos in 1873, which brought fascinating Ancient Greek artefacts and structures to light. As a result, lovers of Greek history and mythology began taking an interest in the region and, along with the ancient ruins, started to explore the island of Mykonos and partake in the celebrated Greek hospitality. In the 1930s, Mykonos started to become a popular destination for famous artists, politicians and wealthy Europeans, who had already noticed the island. Those were the first days of Mykonos as a hotspot for the international jet-set. After the dark years of World War II, Mykonos came back to life to blossom into the stunning cosmopolitan destination of the rich and famous – and not only – that we know it as today.
