Chora Food & Culture Walk, Mykonos

Your Greek food and history adventure begins at the Manto Mavrogenous Statue overlooking the Venetian Port in Chora. Meet your local guide here for a stroll through the town's labyrinthine streets, where cascading bougainvillea pops against the sun-bleached walls. There's plenty of history to uncover; according to archaeological findings, ancient Greek Ionians settled in Chora from Athens, and the island was later ruled by the Venetians. Highlights include the 16th-century Venetian Windmills of Mykonos and Little Venice, a collection of traditional Mykonian houses jutting precariously out over the water.

As you stroll through the town, you may pass other historic landmarks, such as the 15th-century Panagia Paraportiani Church, which is made up of five smaller churches merged together. As your appetite builds, you'll stop at a local bakery that's home to the island's oldest working bread oven. Here, you can try spanakopita (spinach pie) or other savory filo-wrapped pies. Make sure you save room for more, though, as you'll stop for a gyro (sliced meat wrapped in pita) and Greece's famous souvlaki (grilled meat skewer). 

Continue wandering around Chora, ending your experience at a dessert spot where you can try Greece's answer to the doughnut, loukoumades (fried dough balls with honey and cinnamon), and the multi-layered, syrupy pastry treat, baklava. After getting your fill of Mykonos' flavors and history, return to the Venetian Port, where you're free to continue exploring the island independently.