It is then and only then that you truly become conscious of the unrelenting passage of time. From the moment the sun’s flaming crown appears to skim the surface of the water on the horizon to the moment when it vanishes from view, time seems to speed up. No matter how many sunsets I have seen, disappearing behind mountain tops or into the distant waves, behind city buildings or country roads, they all carry within their beauty the fleeting sorrow of yet another day coming to an irretrievable end. That indeterminable feeling of awe at aesthetic perfection and melancholy combined is something I experience each time I view a sunset. Everywhere except here. From the pool area of the Mykonos Grand, perched above the beach of Ayios Yiannis, opposite sacred Delos. In this small corner of the globe,  where as newlyweds we gazed out at our first sunset on our magical Mykonos honeymoon, melancholy becomes warmth, hope for what’s to come, joy for the night that has just begun, anticipation for the bright light of the next day’s sun. It is here that I long to return. Again and again. To relive the romance of our Mykonos honeymoon. To be able to seize the day without hesitation. To take pleasure in whatever nature puts forward without being weighed down by heavy thoughts. To taste both day and night and immerse myself in all they have to offer. This summer I will do just that, in this Mykonos luxury hotel once again. And this time I will capture the moment and take it home with me. The Mykonos Grand sunset contest is my joyful incentive. And if I win, well then my joy will be even greater. To participate in the Mykonos Sunset contest, like the Mykonos Grand facebook page: Contest Rules:

• - Photos must be taken within the hotel premises, including the hotel beach and should include a part of our resort during sunset.
• - The photographer must have stayed at the hotel.
• - The competition runs from March 1 to December 10, 2013. On November 25 we will announce the Top 10 photos and on December 15 we will announce the winner on our Facebook site.
• - Guests may enter their photo by November 15, but remember, the sooner you enter, the longer you have to gain votes!
• - The best photo will be judged based on: 1) Τhe inspiring background of the resort, 2)Photographic technique
• - Software editing of photographs is not permitted
• - The topic should be evident in the photograph
• - Creative approaches are welcome
• - Guests may post only 1 picture (a single image) – [Posts with more than 1 pic will be disqualified]
• - The top 10 photos will be selected according to the ones with the most likes. The winning photo will be selected by a 2-member committee consisting of Mr. George Lizardos, a top Greek photographer, Mr. Costas Charbilas, a well-known graphic designer.

The winner will be awarded a “Shirley Valentine” package. This exciting package makes you the “actors” of your own “movie”, just like the one that was filmed on our hotel beach, and includes:

• - 3 nights accommodation for two in a luxurious Superior Sea View room with SPA Bathrooms: egg-shaped deep soaking tub, separate walk-in rain shower and a relaxing steam cabin
• - 3 extra days (6 days in total)
• - Daily Champagne American buffet breakfast
• - Transportation upon arrival and departure
• - A 4-course sunset dinner on the beach with bonfire
• - A bottle of French Champagne during the dinner on the beach
• - A rose petal turndown service after the dinner on the beach
• - A DVD of the movie as a memory to last

Total value of above package is 3,000 Euros Valid dates: 25 April – 6 June & 24 September – 15 October 2014 (upon availability) Participants must provide the following information when submitting their photo entry:

• Photo Title, check-in date at our resort, name under which their reservation was made, room number they stayed at, an email address.

Last but not least: Don’t forget to share with your friends so they can vote for you! Hope you enjoy the contest and can’t wait to see your sunset photos! PS: The hotel reserves the right to disqualify any photo if entrants did not stay at the hotel or if photos are not decent/respectful. The hotel reserves the right to amend official competition rules and to permanently disqualify any individual it believes has intentionally violated said rules.

A country wracked by an unprecedented financial crisis. A generation experiencing a “war” that never in their wildest dreams had they imagined they would witness. An entire country taking a good, hard look in the mirror and wondering if what was staring back at them was an accurate reflection or a dreadful nightmare they would eventually wake up from.

Times of crisis, like an unwelcome illness, are met in different ways by different people. Sickness often brings out the worst in “weak” people and the best in “strong”. This crisis unveiled all our “weaknesses”, and together with it, a lot of “strengths”. Indeed. There were people who, frustrated and indignant, flooded the streets in protest. They leveled their resounding voices against the fear of poverty and their despair over past futile reactions. And then there were those whose simmering rage, not at this crisis or any particular reason per se, erupted violently and vandalized, knocked down and distorted and corrupted the noble cause that others were fighting for. And finally there were those, the majority at that, who, nonplussed and numb, pondered their responsibility in all this mess, cleared their thoughts and made a valiant effort to regroup.

While the world’s media zoomed in on the Greek Parliament and the frequent protests taking place in adjacent Syntagma Square, hundreds of thousands of Greeks went about their daily lives, heads held high, focused on those things that would keep them standing in the face of it all: their family, friends, strength, whatever they could do, and do it well.

In the countless statements made by experts and non- trenchantly predicting the country’s “imminent” bankruptcy and subsequent blacklisting from all European activity, the vast majority of my compatriots plotted their course hand in hand with that unique brand of optimism born of the Greek light, that is so inherent and inextricably linked to our culture. And while mass-circulation newspapers and magazines across Europe and the United States were busy wounding our “philotimo”, our national pride –a word untranslatable in any other language which expresses dignity, pride, reciprocity, the value of honor and its preservation-  hundreds of thousands of Greeks were focusing on more important things-mind and soul- with perseverance and tenacity.

This spring Mykonos is fully ready, just like every other year, to welcome its unique visitors,not affected by any protests or reactions . Spotless, whitewashed, lively, optimistic, dazzling, luxurious, genuine, unique. And just like every year for decades now, it opens its welcoming embrace to the thousands of visitors from around the world who bathe in its light, stroll its cobblestone alleys, immerse themselves in its crystal-clear waters, taste its delectable treats, dance the nights away under starry skies, are mystified by its beauty. And when the first autumn breezes reach its shores, Mykonos will bid farewell to its last guests and embark upon its annual journey towards the next summer season. Because far from the thousands of media cameras, Mykonos welcomes each and every new day while aiming for a new chance at a better future. And awaiting you.

To experience a Mykonos luxury holiday, book one of our Mykonos Grand packages.

…

Ancient Athenian Agora, 2,500 years ago. Classical Athens masterminds, gives birth to and shapes the idea of the THEATER, a spectacle for the people, an extraordinary and unparalleled social event, organized and offered by the state just twice a year as part of two separate Dionysian festivals: one in the dead of winter (late December-early January), and one at the dawn of spring (late March-early April). Performances last three days in winter, five in spring.  Throngs of eager spectators assemble to enjoy the “drama” that will unfold before their eyes -tragedy, satire, comedy. Greeks and “barbarians” from the far reaches of civilization participate and merge with that which the cult of Dionysus has selected and developed into a superior art form, into a product for the people, so generously and publicly offered.

The stone-built amphitheatre at Mykonos Grand, faithful to its forerunners’ architectural norms, is a constant reminder of the grandeur of the people who lived and created here, in this corner of the world blessed by the gods from time immemorial.

Whatever your reasons for seeking a unique event venue, the Mykonos Grand amphitheatre could be just the space you have been looking for. With this miniature jewel of a structure as a backdrop, any event is enveloped in the majesty of simplicity. The Mykonos architecture merges harmoniously with that of the theater, as if it was born of the land itself. The staff of Mykonos Grand will effortlessly transform the space to suit event needs, having, as always, a constant ally in its superb location opposite the sacred island of Delos.

Wedding receptions, birthday parties, award ceremonies, theatrical performances, concerts, corporate presentations, cocktail parties, gala dinners, become one of a kind events that will forever remain in the memories of all who attended. And for guests’ wellbeing, Yoga and Pilates sessions are held here, an ideal setting in which they can wholly express their philosophy: the training of mind, body and soul.

For an extraordinary event, contact us for assistance or suggestions. Some photos of previous successfully organized events can be found on Pinterest.

*Extract from an article on the ancient amphitheater in thenewspaper “KATHIMERINI”, by VassilisAngelikopoulos. Sunday 25 July, 1999

The tiny island of Delos opposite of Mykonos Island, a center of culture from as early as 2500 BC, well before the Golden Age of Pericles and the Parthenon, is one of Greece’s most important archaeological sites, one that no visitor to the country should miss.

Here, where Leto gave birth to Zeus’s children Apollo and his twin sister Artemis after being mercilessly pursued by jealous Hera, the sun shines bright and illuminates both mind and soul. It is perhaps for this reason, at this second “navel of the Earth” like at its sister site Delphi, that one can truly “see” oneself.

Delos gave birth to Light, the most valued of commodities in Greek civilization,  and it was here that the worship of the light-giving God Apollo was centered, and made this small rock in the middle of the vast sea the most famed and sacred of all places in the known world for three centuries. And when veneration of the sacred gods gave way to the worship of money, Delos was once again at the forefront, as the most important commercial center in the ancient world, a meeting place between East and West, North and South.

Shortly after the new era ushered in by the birth of Christ, Delos is abandoned and over the years becomes deserted save for its occasional new role as shelter to passersby and pirates alike. Yet the deep footprints left by centuries of worship could be erased by neither time nor neglect. Delos unveils itself with each sunrise, its soul unchanged, captivating, sacred; and when the light finally dips back into the sea at the end of the day, it stands alone and proud, softly whispering of its past grandeur.

Those who have walked along the 164-foot-long Avenue of the Lions, with its five Naxian marble beasts crouching on their haunches, forelegs stiffly upright, vigilant guardians of the Sacred Lake, who have gazed at the marble columns of its temples and stood amidst the Agora and the remains of this once cosmopolitan Greek city know why this unique island was named as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Archaeological Museum of Delos houses one of Greece’s most significant collections, including rare exhibits of ancient sculpture, ceramic vessels, epigraphs and wonderful mosaics.

The Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort, just across the straits from the rare beauty of Delos, took inspiration from its architecture and the magnificence of a civilization whose unsurpassed beauty awed all those who bore witness to it. Take advantage and book the unique Delos culture package “Live your Myth” offered by Mykonos Grand, including:

One way transfer to Mykonos Town, boat, museum and guide fees, Delos sightseeing kit (including hats, mineral water, book on Delos, face spritzer to prevent dehydration), two 25min traditional olive oil massages to refresh after the excursion and two coffee cups and saucers inspired by the Delian civilization from the Hotel’s exclusive tableware collection.

“

Where we would stay had already been determined by the invitation itself. At the Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort, of course. You see, I have the good fortune of having a friend in Theodoris, the heart and soul behind this gorgeous Mykonos luxury hotel. But how to get there? By plane? By ferry? Which ferry? What is the fastest, most convenient way to get to heaven on Earth, to the stunning Ayios Yiannis beach hotel with its picture-perfect view of sacred Delos and the blazing sunsets beyond? The “openseas” site provided us with all boat routes, simply and easily, both in English and Greek. As soon as a route has been selected, you can link directly to the ferry site of your choice to confirm your reservation.

And by plane? Your fastest option. Athens to Mykonos and its pure white, stunning Cycladic Architecture in just 20 minutes. It doesn’t get any more tempting than this. Two domestic airlines, Aegean or Olympic Air. Both fantastic.

Luckily, nowadays many airlines fly directly to Mykonos from major European cities including London, Paris, Zurich, Vienna, Barcelona, Milan, Zurich, Frankfurt, Rome…

It took me seconds to decide. I chose the ferry. I adore the destination and I love the getting there as much. The deep Aegean blue whets my appetite even more for the arrival at hand. And that unforgettable image of the port from afar, with its humble, whitewashed houses proudly waiting for the boats to pull in. This alone makes the 3-hour ferry trip worth it.

For traveling to Mykonos, you may check your options through the following travel sites. And remember to inform the hotel of your arrival details so they can arrange your transportation service and ensure a warm welcome to the resort:

Ferries:

www.openseas.gr (This site is useful for all boats)

www.hellenicseaways.gr

http://seajets.gr/

www.bluestarferries.com

www.aegeanspeedlines.gr

www.ferries.gr/cyclades-fast-ferries

Domestic Flights:

www.olympicair.com/

https://en.aegeanair.com/

International Flights:

www.easyjet.com (From London, Paris, Geneva, Rome, Milan)

www.edelweissair.ch (From Zurich)

www.airberlin.com (From Vienna, Paris)

www.vueling.com/en/ (From Barcelona)

www.jetairfly.com (from Brussels)

www.condor.com (from Frankfurt)

Whenever I look through photos, I travel. When I gaze at them, they stir and bring that particular moment back to life. And then I lose myself in the image. The faces, the figures, the background, the poses, the ambience, the light, the setting; all elements that illuminate the small or great story unravelling around the protagonists, perhaps even something about the location. This is what happened at Mykonos Grand!

We know nothing of their personal story. The woman in the fitted coral-colored dress and the long brown hair. The man, a breezy, summery, fresh air about him. They don’t reveal their faces. They don’t look at the camera. They are leaning towards each other in a soft embrace, two ethereal figures with the simple, timeless beauty of Mykonos island as their backdrop, seemingly unaware of the photographer’s lens, engaged in a gentle and romantic kiss.

The Mykonos Grand kiss was described as “warm, light, friendly, aesthetically perfect, optimistic, spontaneous, natural…” among many other kisses of couples in love who came here in search of the best honeymoon destination in Greece, in search of the perfect spot to start their new lives together. And they found it. At the hotel that gazes at history in the form of the sacred island of Delos across the bay, that hears the last whispers of the setting sun as it slowly dips into the turquoise sea, that is a gracious host to love and passion, that is the witness of dreams coming true, that is the starting point for dozens of couples to embark on their joint journey through life together every year and then return, again and again, to recapture a bit of the magic of those first precious moments.

We thank you for sharing your joy with us.

Contest winners received a “Magic Moments Honeymoon” package valued at €7,000!

-  Four days accommodation for two with Champagne breakfast, taxes included

-  2 extra days (6 days in total)

-  Transportation upon arrival and departure

-  A bottle of Greek wine, a platter of fruits and traditional Greek wedding sugar candies filled with almonds (“koufeta”) upon arrival

-  “Kamasutra Seduction Box” upon arrival

-  A copy of “Τhe Ultimate Guide to a Sensuous Honeymoon”

-  Room service Champagne breakfast on first morning

-  40-minute traditional relief olive oil massage

-  A 4-course candlelit dinner at Dolphins of Delos Restaurant (excluding drinks)

-  A CD anthology of romantic Greek songs

-  One-hour afternoon photo shoot, including 40 printed photos

-  2 MG bathrobes to remind you of your magic moments in Mykonos

For more information on the Mykonos Greatest Kiss contest winner, please visit the Mykonos Grand Facebook page.

The people of Mykonos, finally rested, with doors and hearts wide open, among family, friends and relatives, everyone an acquaintance at least on this tiny island with a huge name, gather to toast to each other’s health, to give thanks for those that the past summer visited Mykonos, and to pray for the coming summers, when their tiny corner of the globe will once again be replete with voices, laughter, music, excitement, life.

All of us at Mykonos Grand raise our red wine-filled glasses, and before the start of yet another season, we pray to God: that we and our loved ones be well; that the people who work with us be strong, those whose pride and love for what they do have helped define the unrivalled Mykonian hospitality year after year. And that you be well, too, all of you who have followed us on our summer journeys, year after year, who have shared your carefree moments with us, who have let yourself be pampered by us, and to you who will return to our welcoming embrace in the years to come; here’s to you!

Leaning into the wind on the deck of a ferry boat bound for Mykonos, I closed my eyes and savored the light mist of salty sea air spraying my face each time a swell broke against the side of the boat. This was the first tangible indication that summer was upon us, laid out in front of me in all its dazzling splendor. My “winter” body however, was also here. I had mercilessly been abusing it for months, through endless hours hunched over a computer screen, squirming in the driver’s seat in countless traffic jams, bent over the stove cooking the meal of the day… It was time for my yearly Mykonos Spa visit.

Finally! My first Mykonos getaway was going to mark the end of this prolonged maltreatment of self and the beginning of a new me. I had worked hard and the time was ripe to purge, both mentally and physically, everything that was weighing my body down.

Arriving at the luxurious Mykonos Grand Hotel and checking in with Roberta, a member of the gracious Guest Experience staff, I always have the sense that I am meeting up with a good old friend who is elated to see me and eager to hear my news. I hurry to our room, get settled in and then gesture to my partner that it’s time for me to make my exit. I walk, almost as if in a trance, towards the Althea Spa Center, famed for its inimitable location gazing across the turquoise straits to the island of Delos, one of the most sun-drenched spots on the planet.

“I have come prepared”, I declare enthusiastically. “I know all about your “well-kept secret”, the new Spa-jet beauty capsule, and I am ready to let it assuage the needs of my much-afflicted body”, I add with a touch of self-deprecating humor. “Now, what else is on the menu?”

“Flowers, fruits, honey and warm sea shells!” is the unexpected answer I receive, and before I have time to contemplate what this curious combination could possibly mean at a spa center, I am presented with the two latest treatments that have been added to the already extensive range of services available at the renowned Althea Spa.

The “Touch of Gaia” treatment uses products containing fruits, flowers, honey and seeds high in anti-oxidants that help eliminate dead skin cells, followed by a massage and application of skin firming and restructuring products that re-hydrate face and body and  permit them to “breathe” .

The “Lava Shells Massage” uses specially selected sea shells from the South Pacific that are naturally heated and emit healing warmth. Highly-trained spa specialists, physical therapists and beauty experts work the Tiger Clam shells over your body, unblocking the circulatory system and granting complete relaxation, stimulation and rejuvenation.

“I want to try them all!” I say determinedly … and they found just the right treatments for my body’s particular needs… and truth be know, there were many! What about yours?

For a thoroughly rejuvenating experience, allow the professional therapists at Mykonos Grand’s Althea Spa Center to suggest a tailor-made day package.

Between the blues of sea and sky, pure white. Mykonos town unfolds before my eyes like a residential sculpture. Mykonos architecture is a grand example of unique Cycladic architecture set around a picturesque fishing-village bay. A primeval architectural model which captures and conveys the very nature responsible for its existence. I read… *”the key to Greek art lies in visually experiencing Greek nature, its landscape”… “it is impossible to truly connect with Greek art, comprehend it, grasp its spiritual dimension and fine creation, when it is outside of Greece […]  For if there exists a correlation between thought and shape for Greeks, it is thanks to the indissoluble link they have with their surrounding natural environment, a link that is a hallow archetype”.

As Mykonos draws nearer on the horizon, the dazzling sun deceives the eye into believing that the island is rising from the surging sea, and its uniquely rare atmosphere of primitive creation is revealed. I devour the words… “Humankind never had anything clearer or purer to admire than this light that illuminates and chisels things in the most sublime of ways “. […] Only by swimming in this light can one truly appreciate Greek works of art. Not to see them as awe-inspiring creations of the human spirit, but as a part of life itself that connects to the entire world “. 

I walk and look eagerly around me, left then right, as if moving through a living museum of contemporary architecture which praises the relationship between man and nature; a connection exemplified in the Greek spirit of the 5^th century BC, where wealth was neither destined for nor limited to individual use, but rather for the benefit of the public, both rich and poor alike. Traditional Mykonos architecture satisfies the basic principles of modern architecture **”because the spirit of the inhabitants has remained clean, while their creative sensibilities have yet to be polluted by ambiguous aesthetic theories “.

Two-storied, functional, with narrow facades or wide fronts, one-roomed or later on separated into smaller rooms with a graceful arch the defining structural element both uniting and dividing the two spaces; rooms with differing ceiling heights, indication of how as families and needs grew, so did living space, modestly and humbly, simply and austerely, with no need for shows or displays beyond the obvious. With materials taken from a land inextricably linked with the mastery of the Greek builder, who dug and smoothed the simple walls to fit the bare necessities, while decorating the chimneys so elaborately as to express, perhaps out of instinct, the symbolic merger of man’s work with that of nature itself.

I paraphrase… “only in this place, in the Mykonos of blues punctured by dazzling whites, can my soul and thoughts soar… thoughts that leap ahead, hopeful and bright”

In complete harmony with its surrounding environment and in keeping with the architecture of the land that is its host, the 5-star Mykonos Grand Hotel opens its doors outwards towards the Aegean Sea, the light, towards its guests. At Mykonos Grand Beach Resort, luxury emerges from the simple, uncomplicated lines that are the backbone of the island’s architectural heritage. Its adherence to this traditional Mykonos architecture, characterized by cube-shaped, whitewashed structures and cobblestone paths merges seamlessly with the accommodations’ romantic, stylish and restful interior decor, and offers guests the ultimate Greek getaway.

Be our guest and uncover its exquisiteness for yourself!

*Christian Zervos.  Philosopher, editor and art critic. Founder and Director of “Cahiers d’ Art” (“Notes on Art”, 1926-1960) magazine, as well as the corresponding publishing house.

**Panos Tzelepis. Architect

Excerpts from the book: ISLANDS OF THE AEGEAN architecture. Ministry of the Aegean. Publisher MELISSA. Chapter: THE AEGEAN IS MODERN –Panayiotis Tournikiotis.

I cannot recall my first kiss, the one that irreversibly marked the end of my childhood years. But I can clearly remember the first kiss, elusive and awkward, with the person I married and brought two children into this world with. It seems like such a long time ago… I can’t stop myself from smiling each time the image rises to the surface of my memory, always so fresh and playful. An email I received from the famed Mykonos Grand Hotel on Mykonos –our favorite destination then, now and I daresay evermore –helped dust off the cherished memory of that first kiss and posed a lighthearted challenge with their Mykonos Greatest Kiss contest. Could we do it? After almost twelve years of marriage? With two children? With the burden of our responsibilities weighing down on our conversations and postponing the simple joys of togetherness and companionship for another day?…

I surf the net. History’s most famous kiss was immortalized through the lens of the great Alfred Eisenstaedt, who had been searching for that one perfect image that would convey the sentiments abounding on V-J Day, marking the end of World War II.  It was given by a young, anonymous sailor to an equally young, unsuspecting nurse who nonetheless returned the gesture, perhaps instinctively aware that that simple kiss on that historic day would place her in the ranks of iconic immortals. “I just closed my eyes and kissed him”, Edith Shain would tell journalists for decades following the famous impromptu smooch, for which she gained recognition till her dying day at the ripe old age of 91.

The majority of women respond to a kiss with closed eyes, whereas men tend to do so with eyes open; yet more compelling evidence of the chasm that separates our psyches, yet somehow simultaneously manages to bring us so close to one another.

A kiss is just a kiss; a sigh is just a sigh. 
The fundamental things apply
as time goes by….

Moonlight and love songs 
never out of date.
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate. 

I hum along and make my plans. I’ll travel back to the island that has captivated me and calms me; I’ll give myself over to its warm, familiar embrace and reminisce about that first kiss and the ones that followed. The ones full of passion and happiness. There, facing the setting sun as it caresses the undulating hills of the sacred island of Delos opposite, on the beach of Ayios Yiannis, I’ll hold my love close and feel grateful to Mykonos Grand for giving me reason and opportunity to experience and commemorate this magic moment. Because… The world will always welcome lovers… As time goes by

For more information on the Mykonos Greatest Kiss contest, please visit the Mykonos Grand Facebook page. Give your relationship a magical opportunity!

*As time goes by, from the film “Casablanca”