Mykonos or Zakynthos?

Both islands are excellent for beaches, but they suit different moods. On Mykonos the south coast is the scene: sheltered Ornos and Agios Ioannis near town, groomed sunbed rows at Psarou and Platis Gialos, and party beaches at Paradise and Super Paradise. When the meltemi blows, the wilder north coast is mostly ruled out.

Zakynthos offers more varied scenery. There is the long sandy sweep of Laganas Bay, turtle-nesting Gerakas and Dafni left undeveloped, gentle shallows at Tsilivi and Alykes, and rocky west-coast inlets like Porto Limnionas. Navagio and the Blue Caves are boat outings rather than places to lay a towel.

Neither island is a reason to travel for food, and they fall short in different ways. Mykonos is about setting and spending: grilled octopus by the water in Little Venice, sushi and celebrity-chef tables, and kopanisti cheese and louza worth seeking out, with the more local tavernas at Ano Mera.

Zakynthos is plainer and more rooted in the village taverna. Skordostoumbi, ladotyri and a glass of Verdea taste best inland around Keri, while the resort strips lean towards full English breakfasts.

Mykonos has the stronger draw by a distance. Delos, the sacred island of Apollo, is a short boat ride away and fills a morning with lion statues, mosaic floors and sanctuaries. Back on the island, Chora's windmills, Little Venice and Paraportiani church round out two or three good days.

Zakynthos lost most of its Venetian capital in the 1953 earthquake, and the rebuilt town offers the Byzantine Museum, the Solomos museum and the castle on Bochali hill. That is a pleasant half day, not a theme for the trip.

Mykonos is the far bigger night out. Afternoon sessions at Paradise and Super Paradise lead into sunset drinks, cocktail and dance bars in Chora's lanes, a long-standing gay scene and clubs with international DJs until sunrise. It is glamorous and very late.

Zakynthos puts nearly all its nightlife on one strip at Laganas: promoters, foam parties and cheap drinks for young British groups. Elsewhere the island winds down early, with waterfront cafés in town and taverna evenings in the villages.

Zakynthos is far richer outdoors. High white cliffs line the west and north, the Keri headland and the clifftop above Navagio make grand viewpoints, and Laganas Bay is a marine park where loggerhead turtles nest. Kayaking, diving off the Keri caves and village walks towards Mount Vrachionas add to it.

Mykonos is low, bare and brown, beautiful for its light rather than its landscape. Its real asset is the wind, which makes Korfos Bay and Kalafatis good for kitesurfing and windsurfing.

Mykonos sits in the middle of the Cyclades, so outings are easy and varied. Tinos is about half an hour away for its pilgrimage church and marble villages, and Syros, about an hour away, has the neoclassical port of Ermoupoli. Fast boats reach Paros and Naxos too, though the meltemi can upset the timetable.

Zakynthos is more cut off. A summer ferry crosses to southern Kefalonia, and from Kyllini on the mainland the castle of Chlemoutsi and ancient Olympia make a long full day. Most visitors simply tour their own island instead.

Zakynthos is clearly the better family island. The north-east coast around Tsilivi, Planos and Alykes has gently shelving sand and hotels with kids' clubs, there is a large water park, and turtle and sea-cave boat trips delight children. The midsummer heat and the steep paths to some beaches are the drawbacks.

Mykonos can work at a calm south-coast bay such as Agios Stefanos or Ornos, but its identity is adult nightlife, and Chora gets loud and packed late into summer evenings.

Mykonos is the easier island to get about without a car. Chora is entirely on foot, buses reach the main south-coast beaches and Ano Mera, and sea taxis hop between the southern bays. The catch is the shortage of taxis and the summer traffic around town.

Zakynthos is larger at about 40km long, and its buses only link town with the main resorts. Taxis are easy to find, but the western cliffs, villages and viewpoints really need a car or scooter on narrow, winding roads.

Mykonos is the place to buy a beach wardrobe. The boutiques of Matoyianni Street and the lanes around it sell designer resort wear, linen, swimwear and fine Greek jewellery late into the evening, though the range is narrow and mostly seasonal.

Zakynthos has no fashion shopping to speak of. Its best buys are edible, such as mantolato nougat, thyme honey, olive oil and Verdea wine, plus village lace and weaving around Volimes.

The gap here is wide. In season Mykonos charges luxury prices for rooms, sunbeds, cocktails and car hire. Staying inland or at Ano Mera, eating gyros and taking buses only softens the cost.

Zakynthos is a mid-priced package island, where resort rooms and taverna meals stay reasonable through summer. Boat trips and car hire add up over a week, and quiet coves cost more in August, but the overall bill is far lower.

Neither island is worth visiting for performances, but Zakynthos has a living tradition of its own. Groups of male voices sing kantades and arekia serenades with guitar and mandolin in tavernas, an old philharmonic band plays at feasts, and villagers stage omilies street theatre at carnival. On Mykonos the music is the DJ sets of its clubs, plus the occasional village festival.

Both offer rest more through quiet corners than through any spa culture. On Mykonos that means the upmarket hotel spas and the calmer bays around Agios Sostis, Ftelia and beyond Kalafatis, away from the party rhythm. Zakynthos adds the cool sulphur springs at Xigia and slow evenings in hill villages around Keri and Agios Leon.