Three square kilometres set in the heart of the Cyclades, just thirty minutes from Mykonos. At its peak in the 2nd century BC, Delos was home to 25,000 people and served as a major trading hub for the entire Mediterranean. Today, only around twenty people remain. All of them are site wardens or employees of the archaeological complex.
The ferry arrives at around 10 a.m. It departs again at 3 p.m. during the low season and at 8 p.m. in summer. In between, visitors have only a few hours to explore one of the best-preserved ancient sites in Greece—and indeed in the Mediterranean as a whole. Missing the last boat is not an option: there is nowhere to stay and nowhere to eat. Ancient customs imposed the rules, and UNESCO has preserved them.
An open-air museum
The entire island has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. Visitors wander among the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo, the 5,500-seat theatre carved into the hillside, the Agora of the Italians where slaves were once traded, the House of Dionysus with its remarkably intact mosaics, and the Temple of Isis perched on Mount Cynthus.
The famous Terrace of the Lions, an offering from the people of Naxos in the 7th century BC, originally featured between nine and sixteen white marble lions facing the Sacred Lake, which has since dried up. Five remain standing today. These are replicas installed in 1999 to protect the originals, which had been eroded by salt and are now housed in the museum.
150 years of French excavations
The small, air-conditioned archaeological museum houses sculptures, everyday objects and fragments of frescoes. Visitors encounter a Naxian sphinx, funerary stelae and dozens of amphorae.
The French School at Athens obtained responsibility for Delos in the late 19th century. Since 1872, its archaeologists have uncovered entire districts hidden beneath the island’s scrubland: peristyle houses, cisterns, shops and warehouses. The mosaics of the House of the Dolphins and the House of the Masks are considered among the finest examples of the Hellenistic period.
The centre of the Greek world
At its height in the 2nd century BC, Delos was home to 25,000 inhabitants and handled trade from across the Mediterranean. According to Greek mythology, it was here that Leto, pregnant by Zeus and fleeing Hera’s jealousy, gave birth to Apollo and Artemis.
The island was considered so sacred that it was forbidden both to be born and to die there. Pregnant women and the dying were taken to the neighbouring island of Rhenia. The Cyclades owe their name to Delos, as they form a circle (kyklos) around the sacred island. This ritual 'purification' explains why Delos never needed defensive walls: Apollo’s divine protection was deemed sufficient—until 88 BC, when Mithridates, King of Pontus, sacked the city.
A visit that must be done in a day
The entire island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. There are no hotels, no holiday rentals and no overnight accommodation of any kind. The island’s only residents are the guardians and staff responsible for the archaeological site.
Visitors should bring water, a hat and sturdy footwear: there is virtually no shade, and the sun beats down relentlessly on the white stone. Allow at least two hours to see everything, including the ruins, the museum and the climb to Mount Cynthus, the island’s highest point at 113 metres. The panoramic view over the Cyclades is well worth the effort.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrELEbg2-sU
Are you planning a trip to Greece? Find out more in these articles:
- In mainland Greece, 5 charming seaside towns that are little known and free of clichés (but steeped in history)
- In Greece, this secret paradise island is home to hundreds of seals sunbathing on wild beaches washed
- In Greece, this paradise island in the Dodecanese offers breathtaking views, sunny beaches and turquoise waters
- This wild and little-known island in the Cyclades is home to the most beautiful beaches in Greece
- These 5 spectacular beaches prove the Dodecanese hide some of Greece’s most beautiful shores
