Thank you for your insights. We like to sight-see, relax on the beach, photography, some shopping. Night life more for dining than late night partying--though we do like to have a few drinks, we are in our 50's. I think we will definitely consider several nights on each island and do some more research on how long on each. Thanks again for taking time to respond.

I went to both islands on my honeymoon last year. In my opinion, Santorini is by far the best island. We first stayed 4 days on Mykonos and then 5 days on Santorini. If I could do it again, I would have stayed the entire time in Santorini. If you do choose to split the time, I highly recommend staying on Santorini last. It is so beautiful that the next place you go will pale in comparison.

Consider flying into Mykonos and then taking the ferry to Santorini the next afternoon (its a great view coming into port). Spend the next 5 nights in Santorini. Make sure your Santorini hotel room has a Caldara view.

This is interesting information. Can you tell me more specifically what you preferred about Santorini? I have seen photos of each island, but it's also about the feeling or vibe. Was Mykonos too touristy, too trendy, (as in trying too hard to be hip?) too much partying? Architecture and views far inferior? I am seriously considering your advice, but want to know on what you base your thoughts. We are in our young fifties--very hip for our age (hope that doesn't sound weird, but we are not old and stuffy and don't look, act, or feel old) we don't go 'clubbing' but we enjoy fine dining and drinks and having a good time. Also like photography, exploring back streets, shopping, relaxing on the beach with a cocktail.....Would love to hear more from you, and thanks!

Hey and welcome mbenveniste:-) Bear in mind that Santorini is not a real 'beach' isle in the sense of spectacular white sands, etc.. Being a vocanic isle, it's reflected in it's beaches being more black ash/grit..but with spectacular waters, of course:-) Unless I missed it here somewhere, you don't mention *when* you are going since both isles will be teeming from about June through Sept! Having said that, Oia in Santorini is my fav..albeit perched on high with no 'walk out of the door' beach so to speak! Mykonos will certainly give you the beaches so plan according to your interests if 'beaching' is a priority:-) The shopping, great restaurants, etc.. can readily be had on both isles! Happy planning..and Enjoy!

I'm not sure who you are asking, but imho, the view and scenery in Santorini can not be duplicated on Mykonos (or anywhere else, I'm guessing).

There is only one caldera and it's in the middle of Santorini and Thirsasia (the little island on the other side of the caldera). Have you looked at photos? It's hard to describe until you are actually there and can see it for yourself, but it has a mystical otherwordly beauty imho.

As I said, I also thought Mykonos town was adorable, but the streets are soooo tiny and the crowds can be sooo overwhelming that it just got to be too much for me. Great dining and cocktails can be had on either island, but the crowds and throbbing techo music was starting to grate on day 3. The beaches were prettier on Mykonos, though, if that's what you want.

Another benefit of visiting Mykonos is day tripping over to Delos, which I really enjoyed. You can't spend the night there so it can only be visited by day trips from nearby islands.

On Santorini, the cruise ship crowd was almost as bad in Fira, but the streets aren't quite so tiny and it didn't seem to be quite as bad. Plus, I loved staying in Oia and the crowds were nearly nonexistent there, except for the hour right before and after sunset, and even then, the crowd is so packed in to the kastro area, the prime sunset viewing spot (which I found fairly ridiculous but I won't get into that so as not to offend the Oia chamber of commerce). The rest of the time it was crowd-free (this was in May, I'm sure it's much worse in August).

Most people on this forum will tell you to choose either Mykonos or Santorini but not both, because they are both so highly touristed by the cruise ship crowds and thus fairly similar with their abundance of jewelry stores and souvenir shops. I enjoyed visiting Naxos, a much quieter island that didn't have nearly the crowds of Mykonos and Santorini and a totally different look and feel.

Given the description of what the two of you would like to do and see, I think you would enjoy both islands, and my advice would be to split your time between Mykonos and Santorini evenly. These two islands are equally "touristy," so I don't think you should give that factor too much weight in arriving at a decision.

But when will you be travelling? That is an important factor that could well influence the advice you would receive here. If you're going to be visiting during the peak tourist season of late July through August, I think you might find Mykonos Town frenetic and overcrowded, and so limiting your visit to just two days at that time might be a good idea (especially if you don't like crowds). If you're travelling outside peak season, though, I think you'll find Mykonos quite comfortable, especially if it's during May, June or September.

Is Mykonos "too trendy" or "trying too hard to be hip?" I wouldn't say so; after all, this island was trendy long before most other destinations. I don't think it's trying to be anything, and I don't think it needs to. Are the architecture and views on Mykonos "far inferior?" Not at all. The scenery on the caldera side of Santorini is absolutely spectacular, but there is great scenery on Mykonos, too. Although the cliffside Santorini villages of Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani and Fira are stunning to see, Mykonos Town has its own scenic appeal with its picturesque harbour setting. I am sure you will find yourselves snapping pictures constantly on both islands. Is there too much partying on Mykonos? No. It has a reputation for being a party island, and many people think that means the entire island is throbbing with ear-splitting music and people dancing and drinking in the streets. Although Mykonos Town and some of the beaches do get quite festive, and produce a pronounced party vibe in peak season, the party scene is easy to avoid if you're not interested in it, and there is plenty of opportunity to find places to chill and relax.

You will enjoy Mykonos for exploring back streets and shopping -- getting lost in the maze of narrow streets and alleyways in Mykonos Town is all part of its fun and charm. You can easily shop (and browse) until you drop; stores range from countless kitschy souvenir shops to high-end designer boutiques and everything in between. Dining opportunities are vast, also. And Mykonos is famous for its beaches; Psarou, Platis Gialos, Paradise and Super Paradise are but a few of the major beaches at which you could relax with a cocktail and enjoy the sunshine and views.

In terms of feeling or vibe, Mykonos has a terrific buzz and vitality, and not just in the bars and nightclubs. It's very alive and cosmopolitan, and it's great for people watching. We find the "feeling" on Santorini to be far more romantic, by comparison, and much more mellow -- sort of what you'd expect from a destination that draws a lot of honeymooners and couples to view the sunsets and breathtaking scenery.

In terms of activities/things to do, Santorini has a bit of an edge because it has a few key attractions that Mykonos doesn't: wineries and a volcano island. On the other hand, Mykonos has excursions to Delos island and great beaches. But there is plenty to see and do on both islands, both have great sunsets, and I don't think you would get bored on either.

Our personal travel activities/preferences are very similar to your own: dining, drinks, shop browsing, galleries, hiking, exploring village streets, relaxing, beaches and photography. We always enjoy going back to Mykonos precisely because it offers everything we like to do on a vacation. For a first-time visit to Mykonos, I think three days/nights would pass quickly; anything less, in my opinion, would be too rushed.

I know you've already seen plenty of photos of each island, but here are links to online albums of some of our favourite photos.

For Mykonos pics: travel.webshots.com/album/570502937hDzGoE…

For Santorini photos: travel.webshots.com/album/570295191oMBYYx…

Wow! I am so grateful for so much valuable information. Magnolia, I was specifically responding to BM27, but happy to have posts from anyone with insight. I really appreciate your comments on crowds, you really have to be in the mood for them, and when you're not, know where to escape to. We will be there May 28 to June 3. I do see that the beaches are not the pristine white sands like the Turks and Caicos that we love so much, but then that's the fun of traveling--to explore something different.

Donny, your photographs are amazing! I can see that you have some real skill with composition and light. What a pleasure to see your shots. Hope mine turn out half as well. May I ask where you stayed in Santorini?

Thanks to everyone who took the time to help inform me!

Thanks very much, mbenveniste; glad you enjoyed the photos (and I'm sure yours will be just as nice).

May 28 to June 3 is an ideal time to visit Mykonos and Santorini; it's well before the crowds arrive and is our personal favourite time to visit the islands (in fact, we will be back on Mykonos May 28 - 31). Mykonos Town will get busy, but not wall-to-wall people busy, on evenings when cruise ships are in port. Similarly, parts of Fira and Oia on Santorini will get congested when cruise ships are anchored below Fira. But it's easy enough to avoid the busy areas and you won't have any trouble finding quiet places.

On Santorini we have stayed twice in Firostefani and once in Imerovigli. Firostefani is our favourite location there (so far) because we find it's close to everything Fira has to offer, yet far enough away (roughly 15 minutes' walking distance) to offer a lot of peace and quiet.

I forgot to add that, while the beaches in the Cyclades certainly don't compare to Turks & Caicos in terms of soft white sand and wonderful warm turquoise water, they are still beautiful. The backdrop of the rocky, brown hillsides and mountains -- plus the gorgeous blue Aegean -- gives the Mykonos beaches a dramatic look and feel; we enjoy them just as much as the beach we spent a week on at Provo two years ago. (If only the Aegean, in late May/early June, could be as warm as the winter ocean off T & C!)