Last summer, I embarked on an unforgettable journey through the sun-drenched Cyclades, visiting eight distinct Greek islands across two separate cruises with Star Clippers and Royal Caribbean. Over six glorious weeks, I navigated the iconic sights: jostling for the perfect photograph in front of Santorini's famed blue domes, admiring the classic white windmills of Mykonos, and enjoying a horse-drawn carriage ride through the car-free, 18th-century streets of Spetses.
The adventures continued as I sailed through history, surrounded by playful dolphins, explored the sacred caves and chapels of Patmos and Amorgos linked to John and the Virgin Mary, and swam in the crystal-clear waters of Rhodes and Argostoli. Yet, amidst all this splendour, one destination left an indelible mark—the remarkable, uninhabited island of Delos.
A World Away from the Crowds
Just a thirty-minute ferry ride from the bustling party hub of Mykonos, Delos offers a stark and welcome contrast. Despite ferries running four times daily between April and November, and our visit coinciding with two other large cruise ships in port, the island felt remarkably tranquil. Unlike other major archaeological sites in the region, such as the Acropolis or Ephesus, the crowds here are virtually non-existent.
This profound sense of solitude is by design. The entire island is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, a status that mandates a permanent population of zero. Aside from a handful of small structures used occasionally by archaeological teams working on excavations, there are no dwellings, no souvenir shops hawking trinkets, and no restaurants enticing visitors with gyros. The sole refreshment available on land is a water vending machine, making a pre-visit snack and drink on the ferry a wise recommendation.
The Beating Heart of Ancient Greece
What Delos lacks in modern amenities, it more than compensates for with sheer historical wonder. Dating back to the 3rd century BC, this island was once the vibrant epicentre of ancient Greek culture and commerce. According to Homer, it was the legendary birthplace of the gods Apollo and Artemis, serving as a major religious centre before evolving into a crucial commercial port under Roman rule. Its importance waned after attacks in 88 and 69 BC led to its eventual abandonment.
Approaching by ferry, Delos initially appears as a distant pile of rubble—an impression reinforced by the pier itself, constructed from excavation debris. Yet, upon landing, you step into a landscape that feels freshly unearthed. Systematic archaeological work only began here in 1872, centuries after excavations started at sites like Pompeii.
Walking Through Ancient Life
Wandering the restored streets and squares, signs of ancient life are everywhere. The sun-bleached Agora of the Competaliasts, once a bustling marketplace centred around a memorial to Hermes, the god of commerce, feels eerily pristine—as if awaiting the next delivery. Nearby, the ruins of majestic Eurasian lion statues stand guard over platforms that once hosted shrines to Apollo and Artemis. Our guide revealed that sixteen of these statues originally protected this sacred spot.
The island reveals its past wealth through remarkably preserved mosaic floors and towering marble columns framing ornate courtyards, seemingly frozen in time. At the island's heart, the stone seats of the Ancient Theatre of Delos, with a capacity for 6,000 spectators, hint at its role as a primordial cultural hub, an early forerunner to theatres like the Apollo.
Preserving History Against the Tide
Many of the island's treasures are housed in the on-site Archaeological Museum of Delos, where visitors can admire more lion remains and an ancient Greek mural, dating to around 100 BC, depicting a boxing match. However, our guide shared a sobering insight: thousands of years of history likely remain buried, with much of the island still unexcavated. This work faces a growing threat from climate change. A recent study by geoscientist Enes Zengin warns that rising sea levels could submerge significant portions of Delos within decades, making future discoveries a race against time.
How to Experience Delos
For those wishing to explore this unique site, major cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Star Clippers often include Delos as an excursion, typically during stops in Mykonos. While ferries are also available from islands like Paros and Naxos, the journey can take up to two hours, making Mykonos the most practical departure point for cruise passengers.
A typical cruise ship excursion to Delos costs between £80 and £100 per person, usually covering the round-trip ferry and a guided tour on the island. For independent travellers, a return ferry ticket from Mykonos costs around £25, with an additional £10 entry fee to access the archaeological site.
As more of Delos's secrets are slowly revealed to archaeologists, one can only hope that both nature and perhaps the ancient gods themselves will conspire to preserve this unparalleled window into the past for generations to come.
