Mykonos, Greece - Alemagou Beach Club

The most secluded, relaxing and hippy-chic beach club we went to while in Mykonos was Alemagou. Located at the end of a long dirt road, there are very few beach beds, which means you can relax without feeling like people are on top of you, and reservations are absolutely essential. The little swimming beach has see-through clear blue water and is perfect for swimming.

Even if you are not into sun worshipping all day, the restaurant at Alemagou is definitely worth a visit. You can sit at the bar and enjoy a cold drink while looking out to the sea, or dine at a proper table and enjoy some fresh seafood and local Greek specialities. The DJs at Alemagou are some of the best around, so it goes without saying that your meal will be accompanied by some chill beats.

In between swimming, sunbathing and snoozing on our beach beds, we lunched on fresh bread and Greek olives, spinach risotto, and chicken burgers with yogurt/dill sauce and Greek salad; washed down with some ice cold rose wine, naturally!

Alemagou is also a great place for sundowners: grab a drink and a couch and watch as the day fades into evening:

Once a summer they hold a huge party with special guest DJs on a big stage set up on the beach. People come from all over the island to dance the night away. Rest assured though, this is the only time Alemagou sees a crowd. Otherwise it is the definition of rest and relaxation: just how summer holidays should be. 

Mykonos, Greece - Scorpios Beach Club

The newest addition to the beach club scene, and the most talked about this summer, is Scorpios Mykonos. The property blends perfectly into the surrounding landscape, with indoor and outdoor spaces flowing seamlessly from the main house to the restaurant, beach terrace, and wide open view of the Aegean Sea.

At the heart of the property is the 200-seat rustic chic restaurant, which was always jam packed and buzzing on the two occasions I visited. The food centers around healthy dishes with Greek influences and included fresh salads, homemade pastas with seafood, and large cuts of meat.

Scorpios offers so many interesting spots to escape to, from a hammock hung by the bar in the main house, to different cabanas and sun beds on various terraces, and couches dotted in both shade and sunlight, all with their own unique views. 

Having woken up at 2:30am for a 6:00am flight from London to Mykonos, as soon as I arrived at Scorpios I planted myself in this outdoor hammock. Rocking back and forth thanks to the wind that day, I slipped in and out of consciousness as the boats bobbed by on a turquoise blue sea below while chill music piped in from a speaker somewhere behind me: perfection!

Come 8pm the sunset ritual begins at Scorpios. People fill the terrace to watch the sun go down over the sea, cocktail in hand, and live music or well-known DJs perform for all to dance well into the night.

If you're going to be in Mykonos, Scorpios is not to be missed. You can laze away an entire day here and then stay for dancing and dining in the evening. It really is a fabulous addition to the island.

Mykonos, Greece - Spilia Restaurant

One of the most picturesque seaside dining spots has got to be Spilia Restaurant located at the Anastasia Village Hotel on Agia Anna Beach in Kalafatis on the island of Mykonos. It is built inside a cave ('spilia' means cave) and accessed by a wooden plank set over the edge of the rocks on the side of the beach. 

The view over the azure blue Aegean Sea, the salty breeze, and the occasional boat passing by are the backdrop for one truly special dining location.

As you can imagine, the specialty here is seafood, and it doesn't get much fresher than this! Menu highlights include pasta (in red or white wine sauce) with seafood (clams, mussels, shrimp), whole fish (catch of the day), lobster, octopus, and of course your token Greek salad. 

From hanging on a rope to table side, we couldn't help but try some very fresh octopus salad:

Pasta in white wine sauce with sea urchin:

Pasta in tomato sauce with mixed seafood:

Some local Greek white wine:

Spilia is an absolutely beautiful and unique spot for quintessential summer beachside dining. All you need after lunch is a swim in the turquoise waters of Agia Anna Beach: