Eight islands, six weeks, two cruise lines — and the stop that stuck wasn't Mykonos or Santorini, but an island where nobody is allowed to live.
That's the verdict from The Independent's cruise editor after a summer sailing the Cyclades with Star Clippers and Royal Caribbean. Delos, a 30-minute ferry hop from Mykonos, is an entire island designated as a Unesco World Heritage site — which means zero permanent residents, no souvenir stands, no tavernas, just ruins. The only refreshment on the island is a water vending machine, so eat and drink on the ferry (the bar there sells cold beer and ice cream).
What you get in exchange is remarkable. Delos was, according to Homer, the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and by the third century BC it was one of ancient Greece's most important religious and trading hubs under Roman rule. It was abandoned after enemy attacks in 88 and 69BC, and — surprisingly — wasn't excavated until 1872, more than a century after work began at Pompeii. Much of the island is still unexplored.
Walking the site today, highlights include the Agora of the Competaliasts, an ancient marketplace centred on a memorial to Hermes; the terrace where 16 lion statues once guarded a shrine to Apollo (four remain in place, with more fragments in the on-site Archaeological Museum); pristine mosaic floors and marble courtyards from the wealthy merchant era; and the stone seats of a 6,000-capacity ancient theatre. The museum also holds a mural of a boxing match dating to around 100BC. Even with three cruise ships in port on the visit described, crowds were minimal — a stark contrast to selfie queues on Santorini.
There's a time limit on all this, though. A Turkish study published last year warned that rising sea levels could put much of the island underwater within decades, so this is one ancient site to see sooner rather than later.
Practically speaking: ferries run from Mykonos four times a day between April and November. A cruise excursion (offered by Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Variety Cruises and Star Clippers among others) runs roughly £80–£100 per person including the round-trip ferry and a guide. Doing it independently costs £25 return on the ferry from Mykonos plus a £10 island entry ticket. Longer ferries also link Delos to Paros and Naxos, but can take up to two hours. It pairs neatly with a Mykonos or Cyclades trip, or slots into a wider Greek island cruise itinerary.
If your idea of Greece is history without the hassle — ancient streets you can have almost to yourself — Delos should top your list.
Reported by The Independent Travel.
