New Port Public Marina

The New Port Public Marina at Tourlos is Mykonos's main working harbour, handling the bulk of the island's ferry arrivals, yacht moorings, and cruise-ship tender operations. It sits roughly 2.5 km north of Mykonos Town (Chora), on a sheltered bay that keeps the prevailing meltemi winds from the open Aegean from making docking difficult. For most visitors to the island, Tourlos is the first piece of Mykonos they ever stand on.

The marina is operated by the Δημοτικό Λιμενικό Ταμείο Μυκόνου — the Municipal Port Fund of Mykonos — which manages both berth reservations and cruise-ship scheduling through mykonosports.gr. A live webcam feed and a real-time vessel arrivals board are available on the official site, making it straightforward to track ferry movements before you head down to meet a boat or board one.

Beyond ferry logistics, the marina accommodates privately owned and charter yachts. Berths can be reserved in advance through the port authority's online booking system, which is worth doing in July and August when available space fills quickly.

What to Expect

The Tourlos waterfront is functional rather than decorative. The quayside is wide and concrete, built to handle the vehicle ramps of large ferries and the foot traffic of several simultaneous arrivals. Large Blue Star Ferries and Hellenic Seaways vessels dock bow- or stern-first at the main pier; smaller high-speed catamarans from Seajet and Minoan use a separate berth area. Cruise ships anchor offshore and send passengers ashore by tender.

Alongside the ferry infrastructure, the marina offers berths for leisure craft, with water and electricity hook-ups at the dock. The surrounding area has basic port-side services — a taxi rank, a bus stop connecting directly to Chora and the island's beaches, and a small cluster of café-style kiosks near the passenger terminal building. The port authority office is on site and open during marina hours.

The views from the quay back toward Mykonos Town are useful orientation: the white cubic buildings of Chora stack up on the hillside to the south, and on a clear day you can see Delos and Rhenia sitting low on the western horizon. Wind conditions are usually manageable in the bay itself, but the approach from the north can get rough during strong meltemi periods in July and August.

The marina holds a Google rating of 4.3 from nearly 4,800 reviews, which is solid for a working port facility.

How to Get There

By bus: KTEL Mykonos runs a frequent service between Tourlos New Port and the South Bus Station in Mykonos Town (Fabrika). Journey time is around 10 minutes. Buses are timed to ferry arrivals and departures during peak season.

By taxi: The taxi rank is directly outside the passenger terminal. Fares to Mykonos Town are metered; the ride is short, but queues after a large ferry disembarkation can be long in summer. Book via the island's taxi app or call ahead if you have luggage.

By car or scooter: The port is accessible via the main coastal road heading north from Mykonos Town. Parking is available at the port, though spaces fill fast when multiple ferries arrive simultaneously. Signage from Chora is clear.

On foot: A dedicated pedestrian path connecting the New Port to the Old Port (near the windmills in Chora) has been planned by the port authority, though completion timelines should be verified locally before relying on it.

Accessibility: The main quayside is flat and wide, suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, though the transition ramps between the passenger area and specific berths vary.

Best Time to Visit

The marina operates year-round, but its character changes dramatically by season. From late June through August, the port is one of the busiest in the Cyclades — ferries arrive and depart throughout the day, and the quay is rarely quiet. If you're collecting or seeing off guests, try to time arrivals during mid-morning lulls rather than the post-lunch rush when several routes converge.

For yacht arrivals, the shoulder seasons — May, early June, and September to October — offer easier berth availability and calmer seas. The meltemi, the strong north wind that sweeps the Aegean in July and August, can complicate approaches for smaller vessels, so monitoring the port authority's weather station data (available on mykonosports.gr) before entering is advisable.

Winter crossings are possible but ferry frequency drops significantly, and some high-speed routes suspend service from November to March.

Tips for Visiting

• Book berths in advance. The port authority's online reservation system at mykonosports.gr handles marina bookings. In high season, don't assume a berth will be available on arrival.
• Check ferry schedules in real time. The port authority provides a live arrivals-and-departures board on its website. Greek ferry schedules are subject to weather cancellations and timing shifts, especially in August.
• Allow extra time for disembarkation. When a large car ferry docks, vehicle offloading happens first, and foot passengers can wait 15–20 minutes before the gangway opens.
• Take the bus rather than a taxi if you're travelling light. The Tourlos–Chora bus is frequent, cheap, and drops you directly at the South Bus Station, from which most beach buses also depart.
• Cruise passengers: Tender service from anchored ships to the marina is operated by the ship's crew. Check your ship's schedule for the last tender time — missing it creates a significant problem on an island where transportation back is limited late at night.
• Store luggage if you have a gap between ferry and check-in. Some businesses near the port and in Chora offer luggage storage; the port terminal itself has limited facilities, so confirm in advance.
• Contact the port authority directly for specific vessel or berth queries: phone +30 2289 028934 or email [email protected]. English is spoken.
• Weather data: The port authority runs a wireless meteorological station whose live data is published on the official website — useful for sailors timing a departure or arrival.

Activities and Facilities

The New Port is primarily a transit and operational hub, but it supports a range of marine activities:

Ferry connections: Mykonos is well-connected to Piraeus (Athens), Rafina, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Heraklion (Crete), Rhodes, and other Cycladic islands. High-speed catamaran routes cut Athens–Mykonos to around 2.5 hours. Conventional ferries on overnight routes are available for those who prefer a cabin crossing.

Yacht and sailing charter: Charter companies operate out of or transit through Tourlos. If you're picking up a bareboat or crewed charter, your handover point is often the New Port. Provisioning stores and fuel are accessible, though the full range of chandlery services is more limited here than in larger marinas elsewhere in Greece.

Cruise itineraries: The port authority publishes a running cruise ship schedule on mykonosports.gr, updated as new data becomes available. Ships calling include lines routing through the Aegean on Eastern Mediterranean itineraries.

Live webcams: The port authority operates live cameras covering the New Port quay, accessible through the official website — handy for watching for your ferry or checking how busy the terminal is before you drive down.