Little Venice in Mykonos is a romantic waterfront quarter of Chora, a row of 18th-century sea captains’ houses with colourful balconies jutting over the water, and the island’s most famous sunset spot. This guide covers what it is, the history, the bars and restaurants, the sunset, how to photograph it, what is nearby, what to expect and tips for visiting.
Little Venice is one of the most charming corners of the Mykonos travel guide. It sits on the western edge of Chora. The sections below cover it in full.
What is Little Venice in Mykonos?
Little Venice, or Alefkandra, is a historic waterfront neighbourhood on the western edge of Mykonos Town, where elegant 18th-century houses rise straight from the sea with brightly painted wooden balconies hanging over the water. Now full of bars and restaurants, it is the island’s most romantic and famous sunset spot.
Little Venice, known in Greek as Alefkandra, is one of Mykonos’s most beautiful and atmospheric sights. On the western edge of Chora, a row of grand old mansions rises directly out of the sea, their colourful red and blue wooden balconies projecting over the waves so the water laps at the walls below. Once the homes of wealthy sea captains and merchants, they earned the neighbourhood its Venetian-inspired name. Today these historic buildings house cocktail bars, cafes, restaurants and small galleries whose seafront terraces look straight out to the open sea, the sunset and the row of windmills on the hill nearby, making Little Venice the most romantic quarter of the town. By day it is a pretty, photogenic corner to wander; by evening it becomes the beating heart of the island’s sunset and bar scene, set within the wider Mykonos Town. Its history is tied to the sea.
What is the history of Little Venice?
Little Venice’s mansions were built in the 18th century by wealthy merchants and sea captains, who placed them right on the water so they could load and unload goods, and according to legend smuggled cargo, directly from boats. Once called the kapetaneika, the captains’ houses, they recall Mykonos’s rich maritime past.
Little Venice grew out of Mykonos’s seafaring history. From the medieval period the island was an important stop on Venetian trade routes, and that influence lingered even after the Ottomans took control in the 18th century. During that era, prosperous merchants and sea captains built these distinctive mansions right at the water’s edge, with arches and colourful facades echoing the Italian city of Venice, and positioned so that goods could be moved straight between the houses and the boats below, useful for trade and, local lore insists, for the occasional smuggled or pirated cargo. Once known as the kapetaneika, the sea captains’ houses, they were a sign of the wealth and power that seafaring brought the island. Today, restored and repurposed as bars and restaurants, they stand as proud, beautiful reminders of that maritime golden age, and their setting right on the sea remains the source of their magic, set out alongside the guide to the Mykonos windmills. The bars are the great draw.
What are the bars and restaurants like?
Little Venice is lined with cocktail bars, cafes and restaurants set in the old seafront houses, with terraces and balconies right over the water. Famous spots like Caprice and Galleraki are renowned for sunset cocktails, and the area buzzes from afternoon drinks through to late-night music and dancing.
The historic houses of Little Venice have been transformed into some of the island’s most atmospheric places for a drink or a meal. Cocktail bars, cafes and restaurants spill onto seafront terraces and balconies hanging over the waves, making it the perfect place to sip a cocktail as the sun goes down with the spray almost reaching your table. Long-established bars such as Caprice and Galleraki are island institutions, famous for their sunset views, strong cocktails and lively atmosphere, while others offer Greek food, fresh seafood and relaxed dining by the water. Prices are high, reflecting the prime location and the glamour, so expect to pay a premium for that sea-level sunset seat. As evening turns to night the area buzzes, with music and dancing in many of the bars carrying on into the early hours, blending romance and nightlife in one unforgettable spot, set out alongside the guide to Mykonos nightlife. Sunset is the magic hour.
When should you visit for the sunset?
You should visit Little Venice for the sunset, its most magical moment, arriving an hour or so before to claim a seat at a waterfront bar, as it gets very busy. The sun sets behind the sea and the windmills, and the seafront terraces give the best views, so book or arrive early in peak season.
Sunset is when Little Venice is at its most enchanting and most crowded. The quarter faces west across the open sea towards the row of windmills, so the sun sinks directly into the water in front of the seafront bars, bathing the old houses in golden light, the classic Mykonos sunset scene. Because it is so popular, the waterfront terraces fill quickly, so arrive an hour or more before sunset to secure a table, or reserve ahead at the well-known bars in the busy July and August season. Even if you cannot get a prime seat, the public walkway and the small square of Alefkandra offer lovely free views, and the crowd itself is part of the lively atmosphere. Afterwards, stay on for dinner and drinks as the area comes alive, turning a romantic sunset into a full evening out, set out alongside the guides to a Mykonos itinerary and the best time to visit. Photographers love it here.
How do you photograph Little Venice?
You photograph Little Venice best from the public waterfront walkway, capturing the colourful balconies rising from the sea, and from beside the windmills looking back across the bay. Sunset and the blue hour just after give the most beautiful light, while early morning offers the same scene without the crowds.
Little Venice is one of the most photogenic spots in Greece, and a few vantage points capture it best. The classic shot of the colourful balconied houses rising straight from the waves is taken from the public walkway that runs along the waterfront and from the small Alefkandra square, where you can frame the mansions against the sea. For the wider, postcard view, walk the short distance up to the row of windmills and look back across the little bay, with the houses, the church domes and the town behind. The finest light comes at sunset and during the blue hour just after, when the sky deepens and the bar lights glow over the water, while early morning offers the same beautiful scene bathed in soft light and almost free of crowds, ideal for clean, peaceful photographs. A little patience for the waves and the light pays off, set out alongside the guide to things to do in Mykonos. There is plenty nearby.
What is near Little Venice?
Little Venice sits right beside the island’s other icons: the row of windmills is a few minutes’ walk up the hill, the Panagia Paraportiani church and the Folklore Museum are next to it, and the maze of Chora’s shopping lanes and the old port spread out behind. It is the perfect base for a sunset stroll.
One of the joys of Little Venice is how close it sits to the rest of Chora’s highlights, making it the natural anchor for an evening walk. A few minutes’ stroll up the gentle hill brings you to the famous Kato Mili windmills, perfectly placed for the same sunset, while right beside Little Venice stand the extraordinary five-in-one Panagia Paraportiani church and the Folklore Museum in its old captain’s house. Behind the waterfront, the whitewashed maze of Chora’s shopping and dining lanes, including the chic Matoyianni street, and the lively old port with its cafes and boat kiosks are all within easy reach. This concentration of sights means you can combine the windmills, the church, the sunset and dinner in one effortless, scenic evening, set out alongside the guides to the windmills and Mykonos Town. It is worth the crowds.
What should you expect with crowds and prices?
Expect Little Venice to be busy and pricey, especially around sunset in peak summer, when the waterfront bars fill and drinks command a premium. It is touristy but genuinely beautiful and worth it. For a calmer experience, visit early in the day or in the shoulder season, or enjoy the free public walkway.
Little Venice is one of the most popular spots on a popular island, so it is worth knowing what to expect. Around sunset in July and August it gets very busy, with the waterfront bars full, queues for the best tables and a lively, shoulder-to-shoulder atmosphere, and the prime sea-level drinks come at glamorous Mykonos prices. Some visitors find it touristy, but the setting, historic houses rising from the sea with the sun sinking behind the windmills, is genuinely stunning and lives up to its fame. To enjoy it more calmly, come early in the day when the lanes and waterfront are quiet and beautiful, visit in the gentler shoulder months of May, June or September, or simply take in the sunset for free from the public walkway rather than a bar terrace. Managed well, it remains a highlight of any trip, set out alongside the guide to the best time to visit Mykonos. A few tips help.
What tips help for visiting Little Venice?
The tips are to arrive an hour before sunset for a seat, or book a table ahead in peak season, to dress smartly as the bars lean glamorous, to combine the visit with the windmills and dinner, and to consider the free walkway if the bars are full. Early morning is best for crowd-free photos.
A little planning makes a Little Venice evening seamless. For a coveted waterfront seat at sunset, arrive at least an hour beforehand, or reserve a table ahead at one of the well-known bars in the busy summer months, as they fill fast. Dress is smart-casual to glamorous, in keeping with Mykonos style, so leave the beachwear behind for the evening. Build the visit into a natural route, drinks in Little Venice, the sunset shared with the windmills a few steps away, then dinner in the lanes of Chora, for a perfect Mykonos evening. If the bars are heaving, the free public walkway still gives a wonderful view, and a quieter daytime or shoulder-season visit rewards photographers with the same beauty minus the crush. Comfortable shoes help on the cobbles, and carrying some cash speeds things along, set out alongside the guides to Mykonos nightlife and a Mykonos itinerary. One more point is worth knowing.
Is Little Venice worth visiting?
Little Venice is well worth visiting, as it is one of the most beautiful and romantic spots in Greece, with historic houses rising from the sea and the island’s best sunset. It is busy and pricey around sunset, but the setting is genuinely stunning, and quieter daytime or shoulder-season visits are lovely.
Despite its fame and the crowds, Little Venice lives up to its reputation and remains a highlight of any Mykonos trip. The sight of the colourful 18th-century captains’ houses standing in the water, the sun sinking behind them and the windmills nearby, is the classic image of the island for good reason, and few places match it for atmosphere and romance. The main caveats are that the waterfront bars get very busy and command high prices around sunset in peak summer, and that some find it touristy. Yet it is easy to enjoy on your own terms: visit in the calm of the morning for beautiful, crowd-free photographs, come in the gentler shoulder months, or simply take in the sunset for free from the public walkway rather than a bar terrace. For its beauty, history and unique sea-level setting, it earns its place at the top of the list, set out alongside the guide to things to do in Mykonos. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Little Venice in Mykonos?
Little Venice, or Alefkandra, is a historic waterfront quarter of Mykonos Town where 18th-century captains’ houses rise from the sea with colourful balconies over the water. Now full of bars and restaurants, it is the island’s most romantic and famous sunset spot, beside the windmills.
Why is it called Little Venice?
It is called Little Venice because its 18th-century mansions were built right on the water by wealthy merchants and sea captains, with arches and colourful facades evoking the Italian city of Venice. Once known as the kapetaneika, the captains’ houses recall Mykonos’s maritime past.
Is Little Venice good for the sunset?
Little Venice is the best sunset spot in Mykonos, as it faces west across the sea towards the windmills, with the sun setting in front of the waterfront bars. It gets very busy, so arrive an hour or more before sunset to claim a seat or reserve ahead in peak season.