Villa Hero is located on the hillside of the village of Tourlos, on the jet-set island of Mykonos, part of the Cyclades, in the heart of the Aegean Sea. The exclusive island of Mykonos measures only ten kilometres long by fifteen kilometres wide, so wherever you want to go it’s only a short drive away. The villa is just six kilometres from Mykonos airport, which is served by both local and international flight operators. If you are island hopping, then nearby Naxos and Syros also have their own airports. The coastal village of Tourlos is on the North East side of the island, and is fabulously cosmopolitan, with celebrity-spotting seafront bars and traditional tavernas, and local mini-marts to cater for all your holiday catering.
The coastline is populated with many beautiful golden sandy beaches, take your pick from nearby Tourlos to the family-friendly favourite of Agios Stephanos, or party, party, party all day long on hedonistic Paradise Beach, with its crystal clear waters, restaurants, bars, and clubs with resident DJs. During daylight hours play penance in one of the eight hundred churches that populate the island, most notably Paraportiani, which is a unique construction combining four styles of architecture, or nearby the church of St George Spilinnos, uniquely built into the cavity of the rocks. Take a visit to Mykonos old town, known locally as Chora, and only five kilometres from the villa. Here you can wander the maze of streets with the colourful Cycladic houses, and do some serious designer shopping in one of the many luxury label boutiques. Choose a table at a seafront restaurant and enjoy a dish of freshly caught seafood, whilst sipping ouzo, and watching the beautiful people pass by.
Find out the island’s history and culture at the Archaeological Museum, the Folk Museum, and the Maritime Museum, and go out slightly of town to Lena’s House to discover how the islanders lived. Take a walk up to the landmark windmills, or as they are known locally, Kato Mili, where once the wheat was ground to make bread and is now a mini museum and residencies. Walk along the waterfront to Little Venice, where the original and colourful merchant houses overhang the sea, and is now home to cafes, bars, restaurants, and galleries, best enjoyed as the sun sets with a retsina or two. Admire the Armenistis lighthouse, still fully functioning and an essential asset of Mykonos’ maritime history.
No visit to Mykonos is complete without a day at sea, join a catamaran jolly and snorkel in the sea, or charter your own yacht complete with a captain, and discover secret coves and hidden bays and beaches. For the romantics, nothing beats a sunset cruise, cocktail in hand as the sun sets over the horizon. Hop aboard a ferry for a day trip to the adjacent island of Tinos, visit the landmark Renaissance-style Church of Panagia Evangelistria, tilt at windmills, visit the fifty villages, walk the ancient fortifications, and coo at the famous dovecotes. Further afield the uninhabited island of Delos is well worth a visit, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the birthplace of Zeus and Leto, go with a group or arrange your own private tour. And of course, you can always island hop from the new port of Mykonos, where the Aegean Sea is your oyster.