Luxury Villas in Greece: Mykonos or Chania for Your Stay?
Two islands, two very different holidays. We compare Mykonos and Chania on access, beaches, evenings and the villas themselves, so you can choose the right base for your stay in Greece.
IN THIS GUIDE
Choose Mykonos if you want a compact Cycladic island where beach clubs, late dinners and a lively town are all a short drive from your villa. Choose Chania, on Crete, if you want more space, mountains, a Venetian old town and a slower rhythm. Our luxury villas in Mykonos run from three to eleven bedrooms, while our villas in Chania range from four to eight.
Two very different islands
Mykonos and Chania are both popular choices for a luxury villa in Greece, yet they offer almost opposite holidays. Mykonos belongs to the Cyclades in the Aegean: a rugged granite island of about 85 square kilometres, according to Britannica. Crete is the largest island in Greece, at around 8,340 square kilometres by the Greek National Tourism Organisation's figures, which makes it nearly 100 times the size of Mykonos.
Scale shapes everything else. On Mykonos, town, beaches and villa are never far apart, and the island is known above all for its social life. Chania lies on the north-west coast of Crete, a city backed by high mountains, with a long Venetian and Ottoman past. The Venetians took Chania in 1252 and, apart from a brief Genoese period, held it until 1645, and their walls and harbour still frame the old town.
Our private villa collection has 10 selected residences on each island, so the real question is which one suits the way you like to holiday. The essentials, side by side:
| Mykonos | Chania (Crete) | |
|---|---|---|
| Island group | Cyclades, Aegean Sea | Crete, the largest Greek island |
| Island area | About 85.5 km² | Crete: about 8,340 km² |
| Airport | Mykonos Airport | Chania Airport, on the Akrotiri peninsula just east of the city |
| Flight from Athens | About 45 minutes | About 55 minutes |
| Main ferry port | New Port at Tourlos, about 2 km from town, with ferries from Piraeus and Rafina | Souda, about 6.5 km south-east of town, with conventional ferries from Piraeus |
| Signature sights | Little Venice, the windmills, Delos (UNESCO, 1990) | Venetian harbour and lighthouse, old town, Samaria Gorge, Balos, Elafonisi |
| Character | Cosmopolitan, beach clubs, late nights | Historic city, mountains, Cretan food, a slower pace |
| Our villas | 10 villas, 3 to 11 bedrooms | 10 villas, 4 to 8 bedrooms |
Source: Visit Greece (2026); Britannica; UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Greeka (2026); Truman Collection villa pages.
Getting there and getting around
Mykonos
Mykonos Airport is about 45 minutes by air from Athens International Airport. By sea, ferries sail from Piraeus and Rafina, the two Athens ports with routes to Mykonos, and arrive at the New Port in the Tourlos area, about 2 km from the main town. Distances on the island are short: our villa pages place Mykonos Town between 3.5 km (Villa Aegeas in Ornos) and 11 km (Villa Blue Diamond at Kalo Livadi) away. Roads are narrow and busy in August, so allow extra time in high season.
Chania
Chania Airport sits just east of the city on the Akrotiri peninsula, and the flight from Athens takes about 55 minutes. Conventional ferries from Piraeus sail to Souda, the port of Chania, about 6.5 km south-east of town; the crossing takes roughly 8.5 hours, with overnight sailings. Because Crete is so large, having a car or a driver matters more here than on Mykonos. Seven of our ten Chania villas are in Akrotiri, where the villa pages list the airport between 2 and 5 km away, which keeps arrival day short.
On Mykonos, our chauffeur and car rental service has drivers at your disposal around the clock, and in Chania our concierge team arranges transport as part of its service.
Beaches and landscape
Mykonos is a rugged granite island, with sandy bays along its coast. Each part of the island has its own mood: Psarou and Agios Lazaros sit above the best known beach clubs, Ornos and Kanalia are calmer, Aleomandra and Fanari face west for open sunsets, and Elia and Kalo Livadi are quieter, with wide sandy beaches. Our area-by-area guide to where to stay in Mykonos goes through each one in detail.
Chania's landscape works on another scale. The White Mountains rise behind the city, with peaks above 2,000 metres, and some of Crete's best-known places, Balos, Elafonisi and the Samaria Gorge, are reached from Chania. Closer to the villas, Akrotiri has beaches of its own, such as Kalathas, Loutraki and Marathi.
Mykonos beaches near our villas
- Kalo Livadi: 300 m from Villa Blue Diamond
- Ornos: 1 km from Villa Aegeas
- Agios Stefanos: 1.6 km from the Paradisia villas
- Agia Anna: 1.8 km from the Kalafatis villas
- Platis Gialos: 2.9 km from Villa Casa del Lupo
Chania beaches near our villas
- Kalathas: 300 m from Villa Shant
- Loutraki: 350 m from Villa Only View
- Agios Onoufrios: 1 km from Villa Blue
- Agia Marina: 1 km from Villa Aro
- Almyrida: 1.7 km from Villa Thrysus
Worth a day out
- Delos, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990, reached from Mykonos
- Balos and Elafonisi, reached from Chania
- The Samaria Gorge, reached from Chania
Nightlife, dining and pace
Mykonos gets up late and goes to bed late. Visit Greece describes the island as synonymous with cosmopolitanism and luxurious holidays, and it lists beach clubs and an intense nightlife among the island’s highlights. Little Venice, where houses with colourful wooden balconies are built right against the sea, sits beside the windmills in town.
Chania's heart is its old town. The Venetian harbour with its Egyptian lighthouse, the historic quarters of Topanas, Splantzia, Ovraiki and Kasteli, and the Municipal Market give the city a character of its own. Cretan cooking is a reason to go on its own, and dakos, kalitsounia and gamopilafo are among the island's traditional dishes.
For evenings in, our private chef and culinary team arranges a chef who cooks in the villa, plus workshops and farm visits outside it. Put simply, Mykonos brings the social scene to your door; Chania lets you set the pace.
Villa styles and sizes
The two collections reflect their islands. In Mykonos, our ten villas are spread across Ornos, Kanalia, Paradisia near Tourlos, Kalafatis, Kalo Livadi, Elia and Lino near Platis Gialos. They range from three bedrooms (Villa Casa del Lupo, six guests) to eleven (Villa Aegeas, 22 guests), each with its own pool. Many pair a main house with guest suites that have their own entrances.
In Chania, seven of our ten villas are in Akrotiri, with the others in Pithari, Pazinos and Agia Marina (listed on our pages as Saint Marina). They range from four bedrooms (Villa Blue in Akrotiri, eight guests) to eight (Villa Bay in Pazinos, 16 guests). Several stand on hilltops above the city or Souda Bay; others are a few hundred metres from a beach.
| Villa | Area | Bedrooms / guests | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villa Aegeas | Ornos, Mykonos | 11 / 22 | 150 m² infinity pool, outdoor gym, dining for 22 |
| Villa Blue Diamond | Kalo Livadi, Mykonos | 9 / 18 | 300 m from the beach, security guard at night |
| Villa Kiya | Kanalia, Mykonos | 6 / 15 | Three detached suites with private Jacuzzis, a sandy beach 150 m away |
| Villa Bay | Pazinos, Chania | 8 / 16 | 540 m² over three levels, two independent living levels, fenced 5,000 m² plot |
| Villa Cavo | Akrotiri, Chania | 6 / 12 | Two pools, private spa with sauna and hammam, gym, children's play area |
| Villa Only View | Akrotiri, Chania | 6 / 12 | Spa and hammam, bowling alley, home theatre, 350 m from Loutraki beach |
| Villa Aro | Agia Marina, Chania | 6 / 12 | Two private pools, a short stroll to the beach, shops and restaurants |
Source: Truman Collection villa pages (2026).
Beyond the villas shown online, Mykonos guests can also enquire about a 7-bedroom and a 5-bedroom villa in Kanalia and a 10-bedroom villa in Ornos, and in both destinations some houses are listed privately with us and shared only on request.
Villas in Mykonos
Residences in Ornos, Kanalia, Lino, Elia, Kalafatis, Kalo Livadi and Tourlos, from three bedrooms to eleven.
Villas in Chania
Residences on the Akrotiri peninsula and in Pithari, Pazinos and Agia Marina, from four bedrooms to eight.
Which island for couples, families and groups
Mykonos for the scene, Chania for quiet
For couples who want dinners in town and beach clubs, a smaller Mykonos villa keeps things intimate: Villa Casa del Lupo has three suites and sits 3.7 km from Mykonos Town. For a quieter stay, the hilltop houses of Akrotiri suit better, such as Villa Soho, which looks over the city and bay of Chania.
Best for: Mykonos for a social trip, Chania for a slower one.
Chania for space, Mykonos for calm corners
Villa Aro has two bedrooms that connect, Villa Cavo has its own children's play area, and Villa Bay's two independent levels suit several generations. On Mykonos, Ornos and Kanalia are the calmer areas that are still quick to reach town. Our children's activities service arranges horseback riding, swimming lessons, kayaking and more.
Best for: Chania for multi-generation stays, Mykonos for families who want town close by.
Mykonos for the largest houses
For big celebrations, Mykonos has our largest villas: Villa Aegeas sleeps 22 and Villa Blue Diamond 18, and several houses split into suites with their own entrances. In Chania, Villa Bay sleeps 16 and Villa Menia 14, with a 350 m² pool terrace above an olive grove.
Best for: Mykonos for groups of up to 22, Chania for groups of up to 16.
Our concierge team offers 5 Star, 6 Star and 7 Star service levels on both islands. Still torn? Tell us how you plan to spend your days through our villa enquiry form, and we will match the island and villa to the trip.
Frequently asked questions
Is Crete or Mykonos better?
Neither is better overall; they suit different trips. Mykonos is a small Cycladic island of about 85.5 km² known for beach clubs, nightlife and a cosmopolitan town, all close to your villa. Crete is the largest Greek island, and Chania adds a Venetian old town, the White Mountains and Cretan food. Choose Mykonos for a social holiday and Chania for space and a slower pace.
Which Greek island is best for luxury?
It depends on the kind of luxury you want. Visit Greece describes Mykonos as synonymous with cosmopolitanism and luxurious holidays, and the island pairs beach clubs and luxury shopping with large private villas. Chania, on Crete, offers a quieter kind of luxury: hilltop villas with sea and mountain views, private spas and room to explore. Truman Collection has 10 villas on each island.
Where is the best place to get a villa in Greece?
Choose the place where the villa and the destination fit your plans. Mykonos suits guests who want beaches, restaurants and nightlife within a short drive, with Ornos, Kanalia and Kalo Livadi as calmer bases. Chania suits guests who want space and a slower rhythm; seven of our ten Chania villas are in Akrotiri, between 2 and 5 km from Chania Airport.
How much does a villa in Greece cost?
Villa rates in Greece vary with size, location, season and the services included, so a single figure is rarely useful. For our Mykonos and Chania villas, Truman Collection quotes each stay on request: share your dates, group size, preferred number of bedrooms and budget through the villa enquiry form, and a travel designer will come back to you with options that fit.
Where do wealthy people go in Greece?
There is no official answer. Mykonos is the island Visit Greece calls synonymous with cosmopolitanism and luxurious holidays, and Britannica describes its town as renowned for its nightlife. For guests who put privacy first, we can arrange a private villa with a private chef, security or a helicopter transfer around the stay, whether on Mykonos or in Chania.
Sources
- Visit Greece (Greek National Tourism Organisation), Mykonos. https://www.visitgreece.gr/islands/cyclades/mykonos/
- Visit Greece (Greek National Tourism Organisation), Crete. https://www.visitgreece.gr/islands/crete/
- Visit Greece (Greek National Tourism Organisation), Chania. https://www.visitgreece.gr/islands/crete/chania/
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mykonos. https://www.britannica.com/place/Mykonos
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Chania. https://www.britannica.com/place/Chania
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Delos. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/530/
- Greeka, Ferry to Mykonos: Popular Routes. https://www.greeka.com/cyclades/mykonos/ferries/
- Greeka, Chania, Ferry Tickets, Schedules and Info. https://www.greeka.com/crete/chania/ferries/
Tell us about the trip
Fill out this simple, discreet and confidential form and a Truman Collection travel designer will be in contact with you shortly.