Daytrip to Delos
We knew we would only go to Greece once in our lifetime so we wanted to hit as many islands as possible while on our honeymoon! Having been warned a lot about the party life on Mykonos we decided to see what islands we could get to from Mykonos. This way we got to see Mykonos but weren’t tied down if the vibe wasn’t what we were looking for. Turns out there’s a lot of options near by! Our Costco Travel rep gave us the recommendation for this one: Delos!
This nearby island is about a 30 minute boat ride from the Mykonos Port. This island is non-inhabitable and is completely preserved as an archeological site. On our tour with Aegean Outdoors we took a yacht with 5 other guests out to the island arriving 10:30 am. We were given strict instructions to be back to the boat at noon but other than that, free to explore!
At the time of our visit, to the left when you arrive there are hundreds of pieces unearthed and arranged for viewing: pieces of statues, pillars, etc. To the right, follow the path through the remains of residential homes. The House of Dionysus and the amphitheater are also along the way. We were particularly amazed at the underground aqueduct across from the amphitheater, be sure to check that out! Continue up the hillside to the Temple of Isis. We had to rush through some things to get there and back on schedule but this is a MUST SEE. The remaining structure is so impressive and its crowning jewel- the statue of Isis inside- is so beautiful, I would say in worthy contention to a lot of what we saw in Athens.
On the way back down don’t miss the hidden turn off to The House of Masks. Inside the gated rooms surrounding the courtyard you can see the most incredible mosaic floors. The time put into creating these images, it’s such a masterpiece. Very easy, however, to miss. Put that one on your list so you’re sure to find it.
When it was time to head back to the boat, we turned down the hill just in time to see THEM coming! Tour boat after tour boat after tour boat, filing in one after another. Where we had previously been experiencing the island essentially by ourselves with our five boat mates, we now were being crammed through the gate unable to get OUT as all the tour groups were shoving IN! No wonder our guides told us to be back on time! If you intend to go I’d highly recommend Aegean Outdoors, they knew we needed to get there early and because of that we had such an enjoyable time immersing ourselves in some unbelievable history without the crowds.
On the way back to Mykonos we stopped off the shore of the island Rhenia. Enjoy a fantastic lunch and a swim off the side of the boat. As mentioned in other posts, Greece in May is not necessarily HOT and is very windy. So jumping into the water was too chilly for me. But Michael enjoyed an Aegean swim even with his chattering teeth.
When we booked our trip to Greece I certainly wouldn’t have said that we were necessarily “history people”. Which maybe makes all these experiences more powerful? Walking into it with no expectation and being blown away by what we are seeing!! Whether you consider yourself to be “into history” or not, check it out! Maybe you’ll be surprised to find you love it more than you thought!
