Ano Mera, a village in the heart of Mykonos

What a contrast between the ever-crowded streets of Chora, the capital of Mykonos, and the sleepy atmosphere of Ano Mera, the island's second-largest 'agglomeration' with around 1,500 year-round residents! Ano Mera is also the only real Mykonian village. Elsewhere on the island, groups of houses tend to form seaside resorts that lose all activity in winter, which is not the case here.

Ano Mera is a small farming village with a strong attachment to the land, despite the fact that Mykonos is all pebbled. The small country roads around the village run through plots of land that are always bordered by low stone walls, where you might come across a donkey or a few goats. The houses are scattered, as Ano Mera is spread out, occupying the whole central area of the island and in places offering beautiful views of the coastline and the Aegean Sea.

That's why a visit to Ano Mera is a must during your stay in Mykonos, and not just as you pass through the village on the way to the southern beaches, towards Elia or Kalo Livadi. In the heart of Mykonos, you'll find an atmosphere more akin to that of a typical Cycladic village, or 'normal' as we might say (remember: Mykonos in general is definitely out of the ordinary in the archipelago!).

Although the influence of Mykonos' overflowing tourism is palpable (visitors, souvenir shops), Ano Mera offers a moment away from the hustle and bustle that characterises the most popular parts of the island. There are a number of hotels and, above all, studios and holiday homes for rent dotted around the village. A change of scenery and a change of scenery guaranteed!

With houses and buildings scattered all around the village, you might think at first that Ano Mera doesn't really have a centre. In fact, Ano Mera means "the upper part" in Greek, in other words, the central area perched on the central hills of Mykonos.

The heart of Ano Mera is made up of two key elements: the oval-shaped central square and the Panagia Tourliani monastery, standing side by side. A complex that stands right next to the fields!

Many curious visitors stop for a moment in the village to visit the Panagia Tourliani monastery. Along with the chapel of Panagia Paraportiani in Chora, this is the most important religious building on Mykonos. Enclosed by whitewashed walls, the whole of Ano Mera grew up around the monastery founded in the 16th century by monks from Paros.

Inside, the façade of the church is entirely covered in marble. The monastery's rite is Orthodox, as can be seen from the rich Baroque iconostasis closing the nave. One icon in particular catches the eye: that of the Panagia Tourliani, the "Virgin of Tourlos", after which the monastery is named.

Covered in silver and reputed to be miraculous, it was found on the shores of Tourlos, on the site of the new port of Mykonos. Since then, the Panagia Tourliani has been considered the island's protector, and tradition dictates that every Mykonian sailor leaving the island should say a prayer to her! For the curious, the festival of Panagia Tourliani takes place every year on 23 August.

As well as the monastery, the main square is a real eye-catcher: in the evening, it is bustling with traditional tavernas and a typically Greek atmosphere. It's the perfect place to try one of Mykonos' culinary specialities, Kopanisti, a spicy cheese made in Ano Mera.