Monastery of Tourliani

The Monastery of Tourliani sits at the center of Ano Mera, the only substantial inland village on Mykonos, roughly 8 kilometers east of Mykonos Town. Founded in 1542 by two monks from the island, Laurentios and Frangiskou Zyphos, it remains an active place of Orthodox worship and is the single most significant ecclesiastical monument on the island. Its white-washed courtyard walls, baroque marble bell tower, and carved wooden iconostasis set it apart from the small whitewashed chapels that dot the hillsides elsewhere on Mykonos.

For most visitors, Mykonos means the port, the windmills, and the beaches. Ano Mera offers a counterpoint — a quieter, more grounded side of the island where daily life continues largely apart from the summer crowds. The monastery anchors the village square and gives the journey inland a clear purpose beyond the drive itself.

The dedication is to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (Koimisis tis Theotokou), one of the most important feasts in the Orthodox calendar, celebrated on 15 August. On that date and in the days surrounding it, the monastery draws worshippers and visitors from across the island and beyond.

What to Expect

Entering through the main gate, you step into a colonnaded courtyard that feels removed from the heat and noise outside. The central church, rebuilt substantially in the 18th century, is the focus of the complex. Its most celebrated feature is the carved and gilded wooden iconostasis, an elaborate screen separating the nave from the sanctuary. The woodwork is considered among the finest examples of post-Byzantine craftsmanship in the Cyclades, with intricate floral and figural carving covering nearly every surface.

The monastery also houses a small collection of ecclesiastical artifacts — vestments, silver-decorated icons, embroideries, and liturgical objects accumulated over nearly five centuries. Many of these items were donated by Mykonian families or brought from other islands, and together they represent a record of local Orthodox devotion that no beach or viewpoint can provide.

The exterior bell tower is a visual landmark in its own right. Built in a Florentine baroque style that sits somewhat unexpectedly on a Cycladic monastery, it was added in the 18th century and has become one of the most photographed architectural details on Mykonos outside of the main town.

Dress code applies: shoulders and knees must be covered. Wraps are sometimes available at the entrance, but it is more reliable to bring your own. Photography inside the church may be restricted; ask before raising your camera.

How to Get There

Ano Mera is served by a regular bus route from Mykonos Town (Fabrika bus station). Buses run several times daily during the summer season, and the journey takes approximately 20 minutes. The monastery is visible from the main village square — you cannot miss it once you step off the bus.

By car or scooter, Ano Mera is a straightforward drive east on the main island road. Parking is available near the village square. Taxis from Mykonos Town are readily available and the fare is modest given the short distance. There is no boat access to Ano Mera; all routes are overland.

The entrance to the monastery courtyard is accessible on foot from the square with no significant steps at the gate, though the interior of the church has a threshold step. The site is not fully wheelchair accessible but the courtyard itself is manageable for most visitors.

Best Time to Visit

The monastery is open every day of the week, with a midday break from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Morning visits — arriving when the doors open at 9:00 AM — offer the most peaceful experience, before tour groups arrive from the port. Late afternoon, after 4:00 PM, is also relatively calm and the light inside the church is warmer.

August is the busiest month on Mykonos, and the Feast of the Dormition on 15 August brings the largest crowds of the year to the monastery. If you want to observe or participate in a major Orthodox liturgical celebration, this is the occasion; if you prefer a quieter visit, avoid that week. Shoulder season — May, June, September, and early October — combines good weather with noticeably fewer visitors both in Ano Mera and at the monastery itself.

The site is open year-round, including winter, though opening hours may vary outside the main tourist season. If you are visiting between November and March, it is worth confirming hours locally before making the trip.

Tips for Visiting

• Cover shoulders and knees before arriving. A light scarf or sarong takes up no space and avoids the awkwardness of being turned away at the gate.
• Arrive at or just after 9:00 AM to have the courtyard largely to yourself before the first bus groups appear.
• The monastery is 50 meters from the main square in Ano Mera, where several traditional tavernas serve lunch. Combining the visit with a meal here makes for a full half-day away from the beaches.
• Allow at least 30–45 minutes inside the monastery complex if you want to look closely at the iconostasis and the small museum collection, not just pass through.
• Photography rules inside the church are at the discretion of whoever is present. A polite question before you take out your camera is always the right approach in an active place of worship.
• The 15 August feast day liturgy typically begins in the late evening of 14 August and continues into the early hours of the 15th. If you attend, arrive early for a place inside the church.
• Ano Mera has no ATM immediately adjacent to the monastery; if you plan to make a donation or purchase a candle, bring small cash.
• The village square around the monastery is a good place to sit and observe everyday Mykonian life — the kafeneion (traditional coffee house) opposite is frequented by locals year-round, not only tourists.

History and Context

The Monastery of Tourliani was established in 1542, placing its founding in the period of Venetian influence over the Cyclades, when Mykonos was part of the Duchy of the Archipelago. The name Tourliani is thought to derive from a toponym associated with the area around Ano Mera, though the exact etymology is debated among local historians.

The original 16th-century structure was rebuilt and expanded in the 18th century, which accounts for the predominantly post-Byzantine character of the church interior. The baroque bell tower, an architectural anomaly in a Cycladic context, dates from this same period of reconstruction and reflects the layered European influences that shaped religious architecture across the Aegean under Venetian and later Ottoman rule.

Over the centuries the monastery accumulated a substantial collection of religious art and objects. The carved wooden iconostasis, believed to have been produced by craftsmen from Crete or possibly mainland workshops, is considered the artistic centerpiece of the complex. It dates to the 18th century and survived intact through the various political upheavals that affected the Cyclades from the Ottoman period through Greek independence in the 19th century.

The monastery's dedication to the Dormition of the Virgin places it within a widespread tradition of Marian devotion in the Aegean. Dozens of islands celebrate the Feast of the Dormition on 15 August as a major religious and communal event, but on Mykonos the Tourliani monastery is the focal point of that observance, drawing the island's permanent Orthodox community together in a way that the more tourist-oriented chapels of Mykonos Town do not.

Today the monastery functions as both an active place of worship and one of the principal cultural sites on Mykonos. Its 4.5-star rating from over 2,100 Google reviews reflects consistent positive impressions from a wide range of visitors, including those who arrive primarily as tourists rather than pilgrims.