Not far from Mykonos lies the island of Delos, the mythical birthplace of the Goddess Artemis and God Apollo - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like Delphi, Delos was a major sanctuary dedicated to Apollo, the Olympian god of prophecy, music, healing and more. Apollo’s sanctuary attracted pilgrims from all over Greece, creating one of the wealthiest and most revered shrines of antiquity.
Here you’ll find traces of Aegean civilizations, from the 3rd millennium B.C. to the palaeo-Christian era. The archaeological site is exceptionally extensive and rich, and conveys the image of a great cosmopolitan Mediterranean port. The island's landscape consists solely of ruins systematically excavated since 1872 and a museum.
After reaching the island by ferry boat, you’ll discover among the ruins, one of the island’s most spectacular relics, the Avenue of the Lions, where perfect replicas of the 7th century Naxian marble beasts crouch in silent vigilance at the sacred lake where Leto gave birth to her twins. Beyond, a path leads to Mt. Kynthos, where Zeus observed the event.
