Mykonos; a haven for celebrities!

“Greece is a haven and a healing place,” said Oscar winner actor and Hollywood’s super star Tom Hanks to the Press, after being presented with the Cecil B. DeMille award for his “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment”. He added: “I’ve been around the world, to beautiful places… none of them tops Greece. The land, the sky, the water, it’s good for the soul; it’s a healing place. Particularly if you get into that fabulous, fabulous Greek schedule of sleeping until noon, staying up until 3 o’clock in the morning, and arguing in a taverna until 3 a.m. It’s just the best life one can have!” And while Hanks has built his summer home in the same neighborhood of the central Aegean archipelago but on a smaller island, Mykonos remains the dream destination for millions of people around the world and the hottest spot for international celebrities who crowd every year this beautiful sunny gem, with the breathtaking golden beaches, the turquoise waters and the explosive energy. This unique “je ne sais quoi” in the air along with the delicious food, exclusive shopping, luxury services, spectacular sunsets and all-night-long parties make Mykonos the “it” place for Hollywood stars, members of royal families, world-class sports champions and legendary tycoons.

How celebrities’ “invasion” began

The celebrities’ “invasion” started back in the early ‘50s, when the post-war Athenian upper class society discovered their summer haven on a small island in the eastern Cyclades, just a few hours away from the Greek mainland. Back then, Mykonos was a fishermen island untouched by human presence other than this of the locals. Gradually, those first visitors that included personalities like Onassis, Niarchos and other prominent Greek ship-owners, started bringing over their rich and famous friends from all over the world and thus the legend begun.
During the ‘60s, the opening of the 9 Muses discotheque was the official password that made Mykonos a must-go for international celebrities and recognized it as a top member of the exclusive club of the international jet-set’s “golden destinations shortlist”. So, with its permanent residents learning fast the art of Oscar-winning hospitality, the amazingly beautiful island soon became a popular place for celebrities like Aga Khan, Grace Kelly, Richard Burton, Marlon Brando, Elisabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Rita Heyworth, Mick Jagger and so many others – not to mention presidents and chiefs of states, fashion designers, music stars and an ever-growing list of the people who set the trends for what luxurious fine living really means.