Delos

Hours: Open Tue – Sun, 8:30am - 3pm
Admission: Adults: € 5

ATTRACTION Keywords:
Ruin - Ancient

Archaeological buffs and lovers of legends mustn’t miss the trip to the sacred island of Delos. On Delos, the archaeological jewel of the Cyclades, you can see firsthand where the ancients lived and clamber over the ruins they left behind. Held sacred as the mythological birthplace of Apollo, Delos was at the heart of the ancient world as an important religious and commercial center, reaching its zenith in the Hellenic period around the 5th century BC.

The huge site sprawls along the island’s west coast, from the stadium in the north to the old trading warehouses to the south. Standouts include the Sanctuary of Apollo temples and the Terrace of the Lions. The remains of private houses surround the semicircular Theatre, and the site includes several agoras, monuments, sanctuaries and temples. You can see finds from the excavations at the site museum, including the original lions from the much-photographed Terrace of the Lions. Another must-do is the climb up nearby Mt Kythnos for views over the island, sea and site.

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All Delos Reviews

Review by Stephen R N, July 2010
Doing what: 4-Day Mykonos Excursion

I am beginning to see just how awesome the Hermes en Grece tour folks are. When I first saw the Petasos Beach Resort, my thoughts were OK, interesting, could be better. The resort is very nicely done, modern, stone floors, plenty of room, our patio has an ocean view. However, after traveling today through Mykonos, I see how nice our location is. We do not have the best room in the hotel, our patio has a view of the ocean, but it is limited, that is what happens when you book with a tour service, but they saved us hundreds of Euros over direct booking, a very fair trade and it is a fine room. The bathroom has a deep tub and a huge glass window looking into the bedroom. Anyway, plenty of space, anything that you need. Breakfast was wonderful. It is self service, many of the tables are oceanfront, fresh fruit, cereals, eggs and meats, pastries, a very fine breakfast. After breakfast, we caught the water taxi to Elina, 7 Euros a piece. I loved the boat ride, but wanted a bit more ride. It is apparently a nude beach, but we did not hang around to find out. We had a nice coffee at the one taverna on the beach and a taxi drove up so we took advantage of that and headed into Mykonos town.

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Review by Gina R, USA, July 2010
Doing what: 4-Day Mykonos Excursion

We were extremely happy with the accommodations and the travel arrangements. There was a threat of a transportation strike on the day of our return so thjey contacted us a couple of days before to arrange for an alternate plan as a natural worrier, this was very helpful for me. The one portion of the tour with which we were not happy, was the tour. It was horribly inefficient in its management late departure times, overcrowded boats, no clear instructions on procedures. However, we survived the short excursion with pleasant thoughts of the resort pool and beaches. Five stars for overall trip and one star for day trip.

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Practical Info

Delos lies a 30-minute sail southwest of Mykonos, only 5km (less than 1 mile) away. You can take an organized tour to Delos, or catch a boat from Chora Mykonos. Factoring in the return boat trips, stays on Delos are a maximum of six or seven hours.

You can’t stay overnight on Delos, which has been uninhabited since 478 BC. Facilities are limited, so pack a picnic and bring all the essentials, including a sunhat and walking shoes.

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