Every year, the parade of fashion models, celebrities, billionaires and all of the followers and wanna-be famous people arrive on Mykonos.
A barren rock in the middle of the Aegean Sea, the sun-kissed island boasts numerous sandy beaches and off-the-beaten-track coves — just like the rest of Greece.
It’s dotted with traditional tavernas — just like the rest of Greece — and a quaint “Hora” or main port town filled with romantic alleys and an idyllic port — just like most of coastal Greece.
So, since much of Greece shares the same beauty and opportunity for wonderful holidays, the question remains year after year, headline after headline and celebrity after celebrity that visit the island.
Why Mykonos?
It’s impossible to answer that question with a simple response.
Certainly there are other islands that have the charm and authenticity of Mykonos.
** Side note: Did you know that buildings on the island have to pass the approval of a committee for aesthetics? Rumor has it that locals protect the town ferociously and wouldn’t even let Starbucks open in the quaint alleyways of Chora — Mykonos’ main town.
Certainly there are other places throughout Greece with great beaches and nightlife.
Whatever the answer to the “Why Mykonos?” question, the fact remains that although the “haters” abound and dozens will react to this story in a negative way, Mykonos has remained a jewel in the Aegean Sea.
Since the 1960s, this seemingly minuscule Greek island has served as a mecca for millions of photographers, fashion models, artists and not to mention everyday travelers.
See a compilation of iconic photos from Mykonos over the past century.
Mykonos’ late mascot, Petros the Pelican. 1960.
Windmills of Mykonos. 1961.
Jean Shrimpton and Jeanloup Sieff were photographed by Richard Avedon at the Church of Paraportiani in Mykonos for Vogue Magazine. January 1967.
Jean Shrimpton and Jeanloup Sieff were photographed by Richard Avedon at the Church of Paraportiani in Mykonos for Vogue Magazine. January 1967.
Children at the beach. 1905. (Photo / Mary Paraskeva, Benaki Museum photo archives)
French activist, actress, model and 20th century sex icon Brigitte Bardot in Mykonos. May 1964.
Children in alleyway. 1951. (Photo / David “Chim” Seymour)
Child carrying bucket in alleyway. 1951. (Photo / David “Chim” Seymour)
Ad campaign for Courtaulds featuring model Gunhilda. 1961. (Photo / Norman Parkinson)
Paris Hilton is a regular visitor to the island. She posted this photo of herself on Instagram in July 2016.
Island of Mykonos. 1937. (Photo / Herbert List)
Island of Mykonos. 1937. (Photo / Herbert List)
Mykonos jumped onto the international radar after U.S. First Lady Jackie Kennedy made an official visit in 1960.
Mykonos Harbor. May 1962. (Photo / Dmitri Kessel)
A campaign shot for Vogue Magazine in 1995.
Jackie Kennedy’s sister Lee Radziwill with daughters Caroline and Tina riding donkeys. 1968.
Late opera legend Maria Callas at the Church of Paraportiani.
Theodoris Kiradonis sitting at a small harbor side table while his pet pelican, sitting on a chair beside him, leans down to play with a kitten. May 1962. (Photo / Dmitri Kessel)
Cynthia Harriet Yudelman at Mykonos harbor. 1961.
A screen grab from a British Pathe film about the influx of gays to the island in the 1960s.
Mykonos fisherman catches octopi. 1965. (Photo / Benaki Museum photo archives)
Mykonos. 1970.
Mykonos. 1935.
Once one of the most famous gay bars in the world, Pierros. Circa 1970s.
Once one of the most famous gay bars in the world, Pierros. Circa 1970s.
Once one of the most famous gay bars in the world, Pierros. Circa 1970s.
Boy running. 1957 (Photo / René Burri)
Baptism. 1954 (Photo / Robert McCabe)
Mykonos harbor. 1964.
Mykonos. 1967. (Photo / Constantine Manos)
Magazine shoot for Harper’s Bazaar. 1960. (Photo / Lillian Bassman)
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