Delos is a small island in the Cyclades and one of Greece’s most significant archeological and mythical sites. The island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to Greek mythology, this island is the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Delos is an uninhabited island and a popular day trip destination from Mykonos.
How to get to Delos
You can only travel to Delos by ferry from nearby islands, including Mykonos, Paros, and Nexus. Mykonos is its closest island, and it takes around 30-40 mins to get there.
You can book your ferry tickets at the small ticket booth at the old port in Mykonos town. A round-trip ferry ticket costs €20. Once you reach the island, buy the entrance tickets to Delos for €8. The self-guided tour takes 2-3 hours, depending on your interest level. If you don’t want to arrange transportation and tickets on your own, you can also book a guided tour which includes transportation.
We visited in October, and there was a ferry at 10:00 am and another at 4:00 pm. In summer, there are more ferries, and in winter, there are fewer. Check the ferry schedule once you get there.
TIPS: There is no shade on the island, and it gets hot on a sunny day, so bring a hat, sunscreen, and a water bottle. There are no food options on the island, so it is good to pack some snacks. Check the return ferry time and be on time to get on it. There are no accommodations on the island, so don’t miss the return ferry.
Top things to see in Delos
Some of the most impressive landmarks in Delos are:
Temple of Delians
Terrace of the lions This is probably the most famous monument in Delos. It is an impressive path lined with marble lions, built in the 7th century BCE by the inhabitants of Naxos. The lions you see are replicas, as the original statues are displayed in the island’s museum.
Agora of the Italians Italians began settling in Delos in the 3rd century BC. Most were bankers and merchants from south Italy and Sicily. They built the so-called Agora of the Italians, the meeting place for the members of the Italian community.
House of Diadumenos
The Lake House The small but simple Lake house was constructed in the last decade of the 2nd century BC.
The Lake Market In 2002, in the large square in front of lake Palaestra, another ancient city market was excavated, the main market for wine from Italy.
Chapel of Dionysos
Theater Quarter The common feature of all houses on Delos was that they all looked inward, the rooms were built around a central square court from which they get light and air, and there were no external windows on the ground floor. This made the buildings cooler, safer, and quieter and protected the occupants’ privacy.
Here is the list of houses in the Theater Quarter.
The House of Dionysus is one of the largest houses in the theater quarter. In the middle of the house, an exceptional mosaic is created with thousands of tiny pieces to make the image look like a painting.
The God is presented winged, crowned with ivy, and seated on the back of a tiger in the mosaic.
The House of Cleopatra, The house itself is fairly typical of the larger homes in the town’s theater district, with many rooms arranged around two open courtyards.
Its most unique highlights include the Statues of Cleopatra and Dioscorides right opposite the house’s main entrance to impress visitors and passers-by. The original statues were removed and placed in the Delos museum, and in their place cement replicas were put in 1989.
The House with the Trident In the atrium, there is a mosaic with multicolored keys.
On the peristyle floor are a trident adorned with a band and a dolphin curled around an anchor.
Cistern of the Theater It was roped off but can still see from above. Seeing the aqueduct system built at that time to collect rainwater was amazing.
The ancient theater of Delos was initially a wooden construction, and it was replaced by today’s stone one in the 3rd century BCE. The theater could accommodate 6,500 visitors and offered spectacular views of the Aegean.
House of Dolphins preserves beautiful mosaics, including the one depicting dolphins.
Temple of Hercules There were a lot of stairs on the right to get up the hill and reach the temple of Hercules.
Temple of Isis is a Doric Temple located at Mount Kynthos and was built in the 2nd century BCE. It had a beautiful statue of the goddess in the front.
The view of the island and the port.
We can see the House of Hermes in the distance too. There was no path to get closer to it.
View of the island from the top.
There was a stunning Sunset on the way back from Delos island.
Beautiful views of the island of Delos from the ferry.
Mykonos Town looks very beautiful from the ferry at night.
Some of the areas were roped off because of renovation. The Museum of Delos was also closed when we visited.
Is Delos worth visiting?
Absolutely. If you want to learn about history, the Delos tour can be easily done in half day. You can see and admire the scale of the ancient town, which can give you a real idea of what it would have been like at the time.