Chora

The Chora of Mykonos, unlike other “choras” which are built on a hilltop, is built in an amphitheatre on the edge of the sea. The charm of this town lies in its total lack of urban planning, as well as in its popular architecture, the result of the ingenuity of the Mykonian craftsman, who was able to take advantage of all the local materials and adapt them to the particular climatic conditions: strong winds, lots of sunshine.
The town of Mykonos, which underwent its greatest expansion after the Second World War, grew up around the “kastro” district. The kastro consisted of the outer facades of the houses, which formed a rampart.
Chora – MykonosThe impression given by Chora is that of a compact group of houses built close together, linked in an inextricable labyrinth of small paved streets.
Almost all the houses are two-storey.
Access to the second floor is always via an outside staircase adorned with brightly-colored flowerpots, and leading to a balcony. In the past, rooms were built above the street between two houses to save space. Today, there aren’t many of these. However, the “voltas” (vaults) that supported them remain.

The houses all look alike. What sets them apart is the bright color of the railings, gates, windows and doors, and the variety of chimneys: The poorest is a kind of clay jar pierced with irregular holes, others have only a pointed cap made of two tiles that meet at the top, but the most numerous are real edifices, openwork from bottom to top, topped with a small dome and sometimes even a weathervane.
Despite the multitude of stores, restaurants and bars, the town retains a picturesque and attractive character.

Chora – Mykonos best-known districts are :
-the Kastro district with the Paraportianni church – built in Byzantine times

-the Alefkandra district, which includes Little Venice and the Windmills.
The houses of “Little Venice”, the oldest of which date back to the mid-18th century, belonged to wealthy merchants and captains, and differ markedly from the other buildings on Chora. They are generally taller, with three storeys and spacious interiors. Another distinctive feature was that they had sea-facing doors leading directly, or via courtyards, to underground warehouses – once used to hide the spoils of piracy. As for the famous windmills, erected on a promontory, they are the delight of tourists who flock there to admire the sunset.Chora – Mykonos

– the old port of Mykonos, remains a lively district with its fish market (early in the morning) and quays lined with cafés, restaurants and boutiques.
It’s from here that departures to visit Delos take place.

Today, the town of Mykonos continues to spread out over the hills.