Rick Steves Praises This Underrated Island Near Mykonos As One Of The Most Important In Ancient Greece

Travel pro Rick Steves often tells people to skip crowded Mykonos, Greece for other, less famous islands. However, there is one island destination he says is a must-visit, just a 30-minute shuttle boat ride away if you do. The island of Delos is uninhabited in the modern era, though it was once a bustling center of trade and religion, with around 3,000 shops, as well as beautiful temples, statues, and a theater. In his series "Rick Steves' Europe," he tells us, "The island of Delos was one of the most important places in the ancient Greek world with temples honoring the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis. Centuries before Christ, Delos attracted pilgrims from across the Western world." Steves first visited the island back when he was 19-years-old, seeing the ruins, and climbing to the summit of Mount Kynthos, (also spelled Cynthus) where he could see a view of the islands around this famous ancient spot. 

As Steves says, this was the mythological birthplace of Apollo, god of the sun, music, poetry, and prophecy, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, and childbirth. It was also a thriving ancient harbor, full of life and civilization, the ruins of which you can still see on the island today. It was once the center of the Athenian League, (also called the Delian League), a group of city states that allied during the Greco-Persian war. However, an attack around 88 B.C., and later pillaging by pirates, caused its decline and later abandonment. It was excavated in the late 19th century, and now you can explore the remnants of this once great island for yourself. 

Delos is only around 1.3 square miles, but there is a lot to see. There is the famous 7th century B.C. Terrace of the Lions, which has replicas of its lion statues (the real ones are in the museum on the island), and the ancient theater from the 3rd century B.C. that could seat over 5,000. There is the Temple of Isis from the 2nd century B.C. at the bottom of Mount Kynthos, and a beautiful mosaic of Dionysus, the god of wine, riding a tiger in the House of Dionysus. Rick Steves tells us in his show that there are even cisterns on the island that still provide drinkable water. You'll also find the Archaeological Museum of Delos with artifacts, mosaics, and statues from the island, though it's temporarily closed at the time of this writing due to construction. If you decide to scale Mount Kynthos as Steves once did, there are ancient stairs for you to climb. Make sure, however, to wear the right shoes, and bring sunscreen and water. 

There are restrooms and accessibility services on the island, and you can find guided tours there. You can also walk around on your own. Tickets to visit this archaeological site are available on the island for around $14, which includes the Museum when it's open. Make sure to check the hours for the time of year you're visiting. The ferry runs from the Chora in Mykonos, with tickets around $25 round-trip (and from other nearby islands in the summer), however, that is a separate fee. Finally, if you do decide to visit Mykonos, despite the crowds, and travel to Delos from there, Steves says you can escape them for a bit on Mykonos' beautiful Agios Ioannis Beach, which isn't as crowded as the other ones.