What does the word “Mykonos” mean to you?

[podcarst]

What image is conjured up?
What connotations does it have?

If you said “Salou” to me, I’d think brits abroad package holiday. (I’ve actually been and really enjoyed!!)

or “Faliraki” I’d think cheap party destination for 18 year olds

It conjures up exactly the same to me as does to you. I’d previously thought of it as a nice, more grown up holiday destination, but I currently have a hard partying 18 year old, and this is one of her ‘places’.

Sorry, as Faliraki does to you, I mean.

Expensive

Greek Ibiza. High end clubs and bars and beautiful people.

Windmills; pretty; expensive; overcrowded when the cruise ships are in.

Overpriced Rip off, full of people from cruise ships.

Yes the town is gorgeous but so are those on Paros, Naxos, Skiathos Town, Astypalea etc.

Absolutely nothing - never heard of it.

Beer?

Lindsey Lohan had a beach club there and filmed some reality show in it I believe.

I thought it was a Greek island where lots of gay blokes go?

Makes me want to watch men behaving badly - luckily it’s now on Netflix

Greek Island

tries to remember if I've been to faliraki

The song....

I lived in Mykonos for a while and was always surprised how many visitors thought it was "the gay island". It really wasn't. Yes, there are a handful of obviously gay-friendly destinations, but I think it is the fact that there are any at all - in contrast with most of the rest of socially conservative Greece - that gives people that idea.

Party, clubbing island. Expensive and busy, bit more upmarket than Ibiza.

Popular with social influencers. 'The' place to be seen in the summer.

Shirley Valentine

18-25 clubbing, drinking, fishbowls, inbetweeners on tour....!

Gay blokes partying.

It was known as a gay holiday destination in the 1980s - I remember a couple I knew then going and not realising and reporting back. It sounded fun.
Never known anyone else go but that's how I remember it.

In any of these places you can get away from the more commercial, touristy areas in a few mins....explore the rest of the island, spend money in locally owned places, read up on the history, use walking trails rather than stay on the main strip and get up early to enjoy the beaches etc in peace (party goers don't surface until lunchtime)...you can get back on the plane having had a completely different holiday to the passengers sitting next to you!

I don't need to conjure up an image as I've been. It was full of Essex boys and girls trying to look sophisticated by drinking champagne on posh beach loungers and putting it on Instagram.

A Mykonos beach bum.

High end male gay party vibe.