A Romantic Getaway Turned Disappointing: The Reality of Visiting Mykonos in October
A British couple recently shared their experience of what they described as a “disappointing” romantic trip to Greece, highlighting the challenges of visiting the island of Mykonos during the off-season. Leah Williams and her partner, Joshua Scully, had planned a five-day getaway in October, expecting a peaceful and scenic escape. However, the reality of their trip turned out to be far from what they had imagined.
Leah and Joshua were excited about their trip, which was a rare opportunity for them to take a break with their children. They chose to visit Mykonos on 19 October, unaware that Joshua had secretly planned to propose on the final night of their stay. Leah said, “We’ve got children, so it’s rare we get a chance to go away. We were given a few dates we could go in October. I knew it was off-season and everyone was saying it was shutting at the end of October, so we decided to book it.”
Upon arrival in Platis Gialos, the couple was met with less than ideal conditions. The skies were overcast, and there were frequent downpours and strong winds. Additionally, many shops and bars around their hotel appeared to have their shutters closed, creating an atmosphere of emptiness and disconnection from the local environment.
The couple had made reservations at several restaurants and bars before their trip, but most of these bookings were canceled just days before their arrival. Leah explained, “The week before traveling, a lot of them sent us emails to cancel our bookings because they decided to shut for the season.” This left the couple with limited options, forcing them to rely solely on the hotel’s restaurant for meals.
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We had confirmation from all of the places. If we wanted a drink outside of those times, we just couldn’t get one because there was nowhere. We walked for about half an hour and walked to all the shops around us and they were all shut.”
The situation worsened when the sunset boat tour that Joshua had booked as part of his proposal was canceled on the second day of their trip. Leah recalled, “He had booked a boat on the last night in Mykonos and they canceled, and that was his last straw… he didn’t want to do it in the hotel room. He was so stressed, and afterwards I knew why.”
Frustrated by the lack of activities and the poor weather, the couple decided to cut their holiday short. They ended up spending £110 on flights and £600 on a new hotel in Cyprus, where the weather was much more favorable, and everything was open.
Joshua eventually proposed during a sunset boat trip in Paphos, which left the couple “over the moon.” Leah shared their experience online, warning other travelers not to believe everything they see on social media. She posted footage of deserted, rain-soaked streets in Mykonos, advising others to avoid the island in October.
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Don’t come to Mykonos in October. Packed bikinis and beach cover-ups. All the shops and bars shut and raining all day.”
Leah also claimed that some venues post old photos from the summer season on social media to attract tourists during the autumn and winter months. She noted, “I had looked at things on TikTok and Instagram, and places in Mykonos were posting on their Instagram stories photos of sunny days and sunsets. This one place posted a really nice sunset, and we were there, and it was dark and miserable. They are probably posting pictures from summer and make you think that’s what you’re going to get.”
Despite Leah and Joshua’s detailed planning, some social media users questioned their decision to visit Mykonos in October. Comments ranged from “I had the same disappointment when I went skiing in June to the Alps” to “Why on earth would you go to Mykonos in October or Greece?” Others suggested that they should have done more research before booking their trip.
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Did you not research before you went? Not being mean, genuine question. I always research for weeks before booking anywhere.”
While the couple’s experience highlights the challenges of visiting popular tourist destinations during the off-season, it also serves as a reminder to travelers to carefully consider the timing of their trips and to verify information from multiple sources before making plans.