Kato Mili windmills above Little Venice in Mykonos
Published on 09/04/2026 at 09:20 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Kato Mili is the name given to the whitewashed windmills that rise above the waterfront quarter known as Little Venice in Mykonos Town on the island of Mykonos in Greece. Their forms date back to the sixteenth century, when Mykonos lay under Venetian influence and grain milling was a central part of the local economy, and they remain one of the clearest surviving pieces of that era in the Cyclades.
Windmills on a hill between town and sea
The Kato Mili windmills stand on a low hill at the southern edge of Mykonos Town, between the harbour area of Alefkandra and the Neochori neighbourhood, overlooking the Aegean Sea and the houses of Little Venice below.Situated on a small hill the rise forms a viewing platform across the bay and towards the broader townscape of Chora, as locals call the main settlement. From the hill the view reaches across the harbour and out towards the open water of the central Aegean.
Seven cylindrical windmill structures are preserved in this Kato Mili cluster, forming a line along the ridge above the sea and the waterfront tavern?lined lanes below.Seven windmills are located in the area of Kato Mili Their white plastered walls and simple caps rise against the blue of sea and sky, and the hill sits within easy walking reach of the narrow streets of Chora.
From Venetian grain trade to preserved heritage
Most of the windmills on Mykonos were constructed during the sixteenth century, when the island formed part of the maritime sphere of Venice.Most of the windmills in Mykonos were constructed by the Venetians at some point during the 16th century Their primary function was milling grain, particularly wheat, at a time when Mykonos was an important trading stop for passing sailing ships in the Aegean Sea.Their function was milling grain on a trading stop in the Aegean
At the height of this activity, windmills operated across the island; sources record that in the nineteenth century more than twenty mills worked the north winds of the Cyclades.At the end of the 18th century until the middle of the 19th century, 28 windmills were operating in Mykonos Ten mills formed the original Kato Mili complex, though fewer stand today.Ten of these were part of the complex called Kato Mili As steam and electric milling spread in the early twentieth century, the traditional mills ceased operation and the surviving structures were retained as historic landmarks.
Form, materials and the landscape around Kato Mili
The windmills of Kato Mili share a characteristic Cycladic form: compact, cylindrical towers built in stone and finished with white plaster, topped by simple roofs and surrounded by bare rock and low vegetation on the hillside.The Mykonos windmills are a row of whitewashed cylindrical stone towers Their presence above Little Venice ties the human?made landscape of Chora to the open sea, with the clustered houses below giving way to the line of mills and then to the horizon.
Across Mykonos, sixteen windmills are preserved and renovated, and the seven at Kato Mili form the most concentrated grouping on the island.Out of 16 preserved and renovated windmills in Mykonos today, 7 are located in the area of Kato Mili Seen from the water, this row frames the skyline of Chora, and from the hill itself the view returns across the harbour, the houses of Little Venice and the wider Cycladic archipelago.
Visiting Kato Mili: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Kato Mili stands on a low hill at the southern edge of Mykonos Town, between the Alefkandra harbour area and Neochori, above the waterfront quarter known as Little Venice.
- The approach from the town centre involves cobbled lanes and a short uphill stretch to the windmills, with uneven stone underfoot on the hillside itself.
- Mykonos is part of Greece, where the official language is Greek and the currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Kato Mili
Where is Kato Mili located on Mykonos?
Kato Mili stands on a small hill at the southern edge of Mykonos Town, between Alefkandra and Neochori, above the waterfront quarter known as Little Venice.
What can visitors expect when they reach the windmills?
Visitors find a line of whitewashed cylindrical windmills on open ground, with stone surfaces underfoot and wide views across the harbour, Little Venice and the surrounding sea.
What makes Kato Mili distinctive among Mykonos landmarks?
The preserved row of seven historic windmills, dating from the sixteenth century and crowning the hill above Little Venice, shapes one of the most recognisable profiles of Mykonos Town.
