A popular stop on many Greek Islands and Mediterranean cruise itineraries, Mykonos is a breathtaking island of beaches, shopping and restaurants, yet still full of ancient history. It has something for everyone. This was our second visit and we have another one scheduled into the future. As a result we were able to choose an activity on this stop without considering what else we were missing out on.
We spent the better part of the day on a ship excursion to the ancient island of Delos. Delos is considered to be the birthplace of the Greek gods Apollo and his twin sister Artemis, children of Zeus and the Titan Leto. In ancient times it remained relevant as the treasury of Athens from around 500 BC.
The island is about a half hour boat ride from the port in Mykonos. As mentioned we used the ship excursion but you can also just walk from the port to the waterfront area where the tours are offered and sign up on your own. The cost is very similar but the opportunity to have a guide was as invaluable here as it is pretty much everywhere else.
Our guide on this trip was a retired archeologist who offered both historical and mythological insights as well as interesting nuggets about the science of archeology. For example, in order to restore a structure or statute they must have at minimum 70% of the original materials. She also pointed out they considered the size of the opening to the street in order to differentiate private homes from businesses, and that the discovery of the statue of a god signifies entry to a sacred site such as a temple. One unit we visited had a window with a sill facing the street and she indicated that was probably a bank. The sill had indents which were probably bars on the window as well.
Another unit, which was determined to be the home of a wealthy citizen, still had beautiful mosaic floors in its outer courtyard and stairs
leading to a second floor. The site also had evidence of an excellent water and cistern system and a theatre. We have done a number of tours to ancient archeological sites and this was the first time we had the opportunity to question an archeologist.
Upon our return to the main city of Mykonos we had time to explore the waterfront, enjoy an excellent lunch at a beachfront restaurant and wander through the narrow streets. I took advantage of a great beach to dip my toes in the Mediterranean. The walk back to the port was easy from the main beach area so on a future visit I will probably pack a suit and enjoy more time in the azure blue waters of the Mediterranean.