History at your doorstep!

Delos is the mystical island of Greece.  Once the center of commerce and religion, it was a bustling island of trade in ancient times.  Delos is positioned in the center of the ring of islands known as the Cyclades.   It has been said that a similar constellation can be found above Delos in the summer months; a star with a ring of stars around it, precisely above the islands.  Old fishermen in the port will tell you that this is a mystical, magnetic pull between the moon, the sea, the stars and the islands.  Many locals believe that this creates a balance of both positive and negative energies.  A visit to Delos will prove that something strange is going on, as you spend hours walking around in the hot sun and somehow return to nearby Mykonos feeling completely refreshed and full of energy. It is, in any case, the island with the most brilliant light in the Mediterranean, the best place for the god of light, Apollo, to be born here.

Delos is uninhabited today and is comprised of the ancient ruins dating back from the Neolithic to the Roman periods.  Key attractions include the Temple of Apollo, the Temple of Artemis, the Marble Lions, the Sanctuary of the 12 Gods, the Theater Quarters, the House of Cleopatra, the Trident House Delos Theater, the House of Masks, the House of Dolphins and the Roman baths.

The Sacred Harbor, the Sanctuary and the Gymnasium are well preserved and the Sacred Way is flanked by the famous stone lions which leads to 3 temples dedicated to Apollo and Artemis. The only modern buildings are the museum and a pavilion for visitors that serves drinks and snacks.

Any visit to Delos requires seeing the impressive mosaic tile floor from the house of Dolphins, the House of Dionysos with its majestic mosaic floor and a climb to the highest peak, Kynthos (where the name Cynthia derives from). Once up there, on a clear day you can see up to 7 nearby islands. Photographs from this point are extraordinary.

As mentioned previously, Delos was believed to be the birth place of Apollo and a profound religious center. As a result of a Katharsis (cleansing) imposed by the Athenians, no one was allowed to be born or to fall sick and die on the island. Rhenia, or Greater Delos, is the closest island nearby.  It is also uninhabited and it was used by the people of Delos as a necropolis and as a place of refuge for women about to give birth.

Delos is about a 30 minute boat ride from Mykonos and is less than 6 kilometers long and one kilometer wide.  The island is open to visitors daily from 9-3 and closed on Mondays.

Book your Delos Island Tour today and when you it visit Apollo will be whispering in your ear while Artemis  will be sharing her strength with all of us.

If you have a vivid imagination, please participate to our Virtual Guided Tour of the Archaeological site of Delos. You are very welcome!

To help you we have available to you a Photo Album with photos of the Delos Archaeological Site and Museum; please be our guests!
 

Daily Guided Tour (except Mondays) departing from Mykonos Old Port. All tours guided in the language of your choice (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish), and the tours are usually monolingual. Other languages on request.