Day Trip to the Archaeological Site of Delos

The island of Delos lies about half an hour boat trip away from Mykonos. The entire island is an archaeological site and is also considered to be the mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.

Day Trip from Mykonos - is it worth it?

Delos might not be as well preserved as other similar attractions around Europe, such as Pompeii, but it’s one of the most important archaeological sites of its kind in Europe. For this reason, I think it’s worth accommodating a half-day trip to Delos into your Mykonos itinerary. A visit to Delos is an opportunity to embrace the culture of ancient Greeks and add a layer of history to your stay in Mykonos, by walking freely through the remains of this city. It is also a change of scenery and pace from Mykonos’s party and beach offering - a good way to balance out your holiday for a well-rounded experience of the Cyclades.

Getting there

The boat to Delos departs from the old port of Mykonos. Look for “Delos Tours” on Google Maps, right next to the long narrow pier.

Delos is an uninhabited island, so boat transfers are mostly targeted towards tourism, which is why they don’t run during winter. Daily return journeys are scheduled between April 1st and October 31st. The ferry crossing takes about 30 minutes.

Several departure times are available throughout the day. You can check the timetablehere.

Departures from Mykonos:

Monday: 10:00, 17:00
Tuesday - Wednesday: 09:00, 10:00, 11:30, 17:00

Departures from Delos:

Monday: 13:30, 20:00
Tuesday - Sunday: 12:00, 13:30, 15:00, 20:00

During selected weeks in September and October, there may be more departures scheduled for the second half of the day (unsure why). There is always a return scheduled for any ferry that leaves Mykonos, to make sure everyone can get back, since it is not possible to spend the night in Delos.

You can also visit Delos from Naxos and Paros during high season, when tours are also running from other Cyclades islands nearby.

Entrance fee

Return tickets for the transfer alone are 22€. This does not include the admission fee, which is another 12€ and paid on arrival in Delos. This means that a self-guided tour would cost 34€ per person. You also get an informative map of Delos to help you navigate on your own. There can be a bit of a queue at the ticket counter, so you make sure to leave the boat earlier than the maojority if you want to avoid that.

Guided tours are available for the price of 60€ per person including transfer and admission . Tours in English operate twice daily, for the boats departing at 10:00 and 17:00 from Mykonos. Other languages are also an option on selected days.

The boats are the size of a small ferry, so they can accommodate really large numbers. From my experience, you don’t need to buy the ferry tickets in advance even in high season, but there is the option to book online here. Otherwise, you can get them on the day from a kiosk in the pier, though it would be best to arrive some time earlier in order to secure a spot.

When to visit

Delos is a very dry island, exposed to the scorching sun for most of the day. It can get really hot around midday, so that might be something to consider when planning your day trip. I would avoid the 11:30 to 15:30 slot, as you’d be getting the worst of the heat in a place with very little shade. Keep in mind that aside from a small shop at the ticket office, there are no food facilities on the island, so best to bring some snacks and plan your journey around lunch.

The scheduled times come in pairs and are meant to allow about 3h on the island in the morning, and 2h in the evening. I would say that 3-4h is ideal to take in all the major sights at a relaxed pace. Anything more than that is probably too long. Even though you buy your return ticket in Mykonos, note that this isn’t timed, so you are allowed to return on any ferry. For example, if you left at 09:00, you don’t have to get back on the 12:00 (though most people probably do) and could stay until 13:30 if you wanted to. This is not an option in the evening when there is only one return ferry.

I would personally recommend taking the first morning ferry which means less crowds (at least until 10:30 when the guided tours arrive) and gives you the most flexibility. Alternatively 17:00 to 20:00 is also a good option, though you get slightly less time to explore.

Always keep an eye on the time. You don’t want to be stuck in Delos for another few hours after you’ve already visited everything.

What to bring

comfortable shoes | especially if you plan on heading up to Mount Kynthos
suncream and maybe a hat | you will be in direct sunlight for several hours
snacks | limited food facilities on the island
water | though you can also get more from the boat and ticket office

Things to see

You can follow a circular route around the island, which covers all the highlights. 3 hours should be enough to accommodate everything, including the short hike to Mount Kynthos. I’ve marked this route on my map of Mykonos.

House of Dionysus

This is the first landmark that you will come across on the trail. As you make your way through the ancient ruins, there are a number of other similar house ruins with floor mosaics depicting various motifs. The clue is usually in the name, for example this one depicts the Greek god Dionysus riding a tiger.

House of Cleopatra

This does not belong to *that* Cleopatra, but a former resident of Delos. It stands out from the others as it also features two headless statues of Cleopatra and her husband.

Ancient Theatre of Delos

Temple of Isis

The House of the Lake

House of the Trident

House of the Dolphins

House of the Masks

Mount Kynthos

This is the highest point in Delos, and it takes about 20 minutes to go up. From the top, you can see all of Delos, as well as the neighbouring island of Reneia and all the way to Mykonos.

The Archaeological Museum of Delos

At the time of writing, the museum remains closed for restoration, however the toilets remain open. Normally, this would be a great stop along the way, as some of the artefacts found around Delos would be on display there.

Chapel of Dionysos

Don’t miss the broken phallic statues awaiting at the entrance to these ruins dedicated to Dionysos, god of fertility.

Terrace of the Lions

A row of lion statues dating back to 600 BC are lining the path towards the northern side of the archaeological complex. Originally there were 12 lions, today only 4 remain on the avenue and one is displayed in the museum.