Mykonos, the most famous of the islands in Greece and one of the world's most popular holiday resorts has been welcoming visitors for over half a century.

Mykonos is a grand example of unique cycladic（基克拉迪群岛的）architecture set around a picturesque（独特的）fishing-village bay. Totally whitewashed（涂成白色的）organic cube-like buildings fit closely together to form a kind of haphazard¹ maze（曲径，迷宫）of narrow alley² ways and streets. The earthen colors of the bare hills which surround the town's gleaming whiteness is set between the aura（光环，气氛）of an incredibly blue sky and even deeper blue sparkling（闪闪发光的）sea. Its many well preserved windmills（风车，风车房）and hundreds of tiny red-roofed churches adds a flavor of culture and custom to the scene, enhanced even further by many museums and the historical ancient site of nearby Delos（得洛斯岛）. Together with being friendly and open people, the locals have a healthy understanding of what it means to have a good time. Put this together with all the island's other qualities and it is no wonder Mykonos has been often named "the jewel" of the Aegean Sea（爱琴海）.

As with any famous location, sensationalism（追求轰动效应） by the press often distorts the facts. Some of the recent publicity³ Mykonos received for being very expensive, full of gays and even a drug capital is in fact far from accurate. Efforts made by the local police force to curb⁴ drug abuse have kept this common tourist-resort problem under control through the introduction of a well-organized undercover network. The modern gay society exists in every corner of the world but only gravitates to locations that are uniquely beautiful and socially tolerant. As the island does have a long established gay scene this clearly suggests Mykonos is both. The fact of the matter is, the majority of visitors to the island are non-gay.

Expense as we know is a relative thing, different to each individual. In relation to the rest of Greece, Mykonos can be one of the more expensive places to visit. In actual fact to supply the needs of the rich as well as the budget holidayer（度假者）, a complete range of accommodation and eating facilities are available to make it possible for just about anyone to enjoy the island. In relation to other holiday resorts in Europe and North America, Mykonos is not only on a par（同等）but often cheaper in comparison.

As well as catering⁵ to the demands of its summer guests with an infrastructure⁶ that has been well developed over the years, an off-season tourist industry has also emerged making it possible to visit in comfort during the non-summer months. Frequent air and sea connections together with heated rooms and good tavernas（希腊酒馆） in and around the main town, allow the adventurous⁷ traveler to properly experience the island's natural beauty. When the crowds have departed, it is then that Mykonos can best be enjoyed as the tiny cycladic fishing village it has always been.