Ftelia Beach Club

Ftelia Beach Club occupies a stretch of Ftelia Bay on Mykonos's exposed northern coast, a shore that behaves quite differently from the calm, crowded beaches on the island's southern side. The bay curves into a broad arc of coarse sand backed by low dunes, and the meltemi wind — a strong, dry northerly that picks up predictably each summer afternoon — keeps the air moving even when the rest of the island swelters. That wind also kicks up regular surf, which is why Ftelia has long attracted windsurfers and kitesurfers alongside the sunbed crowd.

The club's positioning on this beach is deliberate. Where the southern clubs chase the megastar DJ format, Ftelia Beach Club leans into the rawness of the setting. The tagline circulating on its own social channels — "raw, unpretentious, elegant" — is an unusual pitch for a Mykonos venue, and the beach itself makes it credible. The bay is never fully quiet in peak season, but it draws a different type of visitor than Psarou or Paradise: people who prefer wind in their hair to VIP rope lines.

With a 4.2 rating across 286 Google reviews, the club has built a consistent reputation. That's a solid score for a beach bar on an island where opinions tend to be polarized between rapturous and disappointed.

What to Expect

The setup at Ftelia Beach Club follows the familiar Mykonian beach-club template — sunbeds and umbrellas arranged along the sand, a bar and food service running through the day — but the atmosphere skews more relaxed than the island's headline venues. The beach itself is the main event. Ftelia's sand is coarser and darker than the fine white sand at Ornos or Agios Ioannis, and the water, while clear, has more movement than sheltered southern bays. Waves are consistent rather than dramatic, making paddling and casual swimming easy but discouraging the flat-calm floating that other beaches offer.

The wind is constant enough that you'll want a sarong or light layer handy for long afternoon sessions. Umbrellas here earn their hire fee in a way they don't at calmer spots. On days when the meltemi is at full force — which typically means afternoons from late June through August — the beach takes on an almost surreal energy: whitecaps on turquoise water, sand skimming along the surface, and the club's fabric shading billowing against a bleached sky.

Food and drinks service runs from the club's bar and kitchen, though without a current menu on record, the specifics are best confirmed on arrival or by calling ahead. The general Mykonos beach-club format leans toward mezze-style sharing plates, grilled seafood, and a long cocktail list. The vibe through midday is relatively laid-back; later afternoon tends to bring music up and the bar crowd in.

The phone number on file is +30 2289 071400, and the venue maintains an active Facebook presence at facebook.com/fteliabeachclub and Instagram at @fteliaclubmykonos — both useful for checking current programming or seasonal opening dates before your trip.

How to Get There

Ftelia Beach sits on the northeastern edge of Mykonos, roughly 8 kilometers from Mykonos Town (Chora). The road runs northeast from Ano Mera, the island's main inland village, and the bay is signposted from the main road. By car or scooter the drive from Chora takes around 15–20 minutes depending on traffic; from Ano Mera it's under 10 minutes.

There is a parking area near the beach access point, which is essential since the northern coast has no public transport that reliably reaches Ftelia. The island's KTEL bus network does not serve this bay directly; the nearest stop would require a walk of well over a kilometer. A rental car, scooter, quad, or taxi is the practical choice for this beach.

Taxis can be booked through the Mykonos taxi rank in Chora or via the Mykonos Taxi app. Agree on a fare or confirm the meter before departure, and note that returning from Ftelia in peak season may require booking a pick-up in advance rather than flagging down a passing cab — there are none passing on that stretch of road.

Best Time to Visit

Ftelia is a summer-only venue operating through the main Mykonos season, broadly May through October, with the core crowd concentrated from late June to early September. Morning visits — arriving before noon — offer the calmest water, lighter winds, and uncrowded sunbeds. The meltemi typically builds through the afternoon, often peaking between 2 and 6 pm, which gives the beach its energetic, breezy character but can make extended sunbathing uncomfortable if you're not prepared for it.

For the beach club atmosphere, mid-afternoon into early evening is the social peak: the wind adds drama rather than inconvenience, and the light on the water through late afternoon is striking. September is worth considering — the meltemi softens, the sea is at its warmest, and the volume of visitors drops noticeably compared to August.

Winter is off the table. The northern coast is exposed and largely deserted from November onward, and beach operations close well before then.

Tips for Visiting

• Call ahead before your first visit. Without published opening hours, the safest move is a quick call to +30 2289 071400 to confirm they're operational, especially if you're visiting in shoulder season (May or October).
• Bring a windproof layer. Even on hot days, the meltemi on Ftelia's north-facing shore is strong enough to make a light shirt or sarong worthwhile, particularly if you're planning to stay through the afternoon.
• Rent transport, don't rely on taxis or buses. No reliable public bus reaches Ftelia. A car, scooter, or quad rented in Chora gives you full flexibility; trying to arrange a taxi return from this beach in late afternoon during August is genuinely difficult.
• Arrive before noon for sunbeds. The club's beds fill up on busy summer days. If you have a specific spot in mind or plan to stay all day, earlier is significantly better.
• Check the sea state before swimming. On high-meltemi days the bay develops a reasonable shore break. Strong swimmers will find it fine; inexperienced or young swimmers should check conditions before getting in.
• Follow the club on Instagram before you go. The @fteliaclubmykonos account posts updates on events, DJ sessions, and seasonal news that won't appear anywhere else in advance.
• Windsurfers and kitesurfers: Ftelia Bay has a long-standing association with wind sports. If you're interested in hiring equipment or lessons, check locally — the conditions here are among the most consistent on the island for those activities.
• Ano Mera is nearby. If you want a proper sit-down Greek lunch away from beach-club pricing, the village of Ano Mera, less than 10 minutes by road, has traditional tavernas around its central square that offer a very different experience.

History and Context

Ftelia Bay has been known to Mykonians for generations as one of the island's more exposed and character-filled northern beaches. The name Ftelia (sometimes spelled Fteliá) refers to a type of elm tree historically found in the area, though the current landscape is predominantly low scrub, dunes, and open sky. Unlike the island's southern coves, which were developed for mass beach tourism relatively early, the northern shore remained quieter for longer precisely because the wind made it less immediately appealing to casual sunbathers.

The beach's association with wind sports brought a different crowd, and the eventual development of a beach club concept here was a natural progression — positioning a venue not as a party destination exploiting flat-calm water, but as something that leans into the coast's wilder character. The social media presence the club has built, with nearly 4,000 Facebook followers and regular Instagram content, suggests a deliberate effort to reach travelers looking for something beyond the standard Mykonos beach-club script. Whether that translates consistently to the on-the-ground experience is, as always on Mykonos, worth arriving with an open mind to find out.