Greece · Cyclades
Yacht Charter Delos
The birthplace of Apollo, an entire island that is one archaeological site, and nobody sleeps on it.
Delos was the sacred centre of the Aegean and the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and for that reason the ancients ruled that nobody could be born or die on it — in 426 BC they cleared every grave off the island and moved them to Rhenia next door. The whole island is a UNESCO site today and it is still uninhabited: you come for the day from the water and you leave.
The sanctuary
The Terrace of the Lions faced the sacred lake where Leto was said to have given birth. The marble originals are in the museum and weathered replicas stand on the terrace now; the lake itself was drained in 1925 and is marked by a ring of stones and one palm.
Behind the sanctuary the town runs uphill — the House of Dionysus and the House of the Masks still have their floor mosaics in place, and the theatre held five thousand. In the second century BC this was a free port with a population that may have reached thirty thousand.
Kynthos and the water
Mount Kynthos is a hundred and thirteen metres and takes twenty minutes; from the top the whole ring of the Cyclades is laid out, which is what the name Cyclades means — the islands circling Delos.
Mykonos is half an hour east and the strait between them is where the meltemi funnels, so the crossing is chosen by the day rather than the clock. Access to the site is by ticket and within site hours.
Practical notes
- The entire island is a UNESCO archaeological site and is uninhabited
- In antiquity nobody could be born or die here: in 426 BC every grave was moved to Rhenia
- Visits are by ticket and within site hours — the island is a day visit, not an overnight stop
- Mykonos is half an hour east, across a strait where the meltemi funnels
Reached from: Mykonos and the Cyclades
Where to dine
A table by the water
Mykonos side
MykonosDelos has no taverna: the island is a site, so lunch is aboard or back across the strait.
Kiki's
Agios Sostis, MykonosHalf an hour from the strait, no electricity, no telephone, and a grill under a vine.
Spilia
Kalafatis, MykonosCut into the rock at the waterline, with the lobster kept in a sea pool below the tables.
What to do
Anchorages & excursions
The Terrace of the Lions
Marble lions facing the sacred lake where Leto was said to have given birth; the originals are in the museum.
The house mosaics
Floors still in place in the House of Dionysus and the House of the Masks.
The theatre
Built for five thousand, above the town that once held perhaps thirty thousand people.
Mount Kynthos
A hundred and thirteen metres, twenty minutes up, with the whole ring of the Cyclades from the top.
The fleet
Yachts available for Delos
Vessels that operate here, from flagship motor yachts to smaller crewed boats. Every rate is quoted on enquiry.
Good to know
Questions we are asked about Delos
- Why can nobody stay on Delos?
- The ancients purified the island so that no one could be born or die on sacred ground, and it has stayed uninhabited. Today it is a protected archaeological site visited within site hours.
- What is left to see?
- The Terrace of the Lions, the sacred lake, the theatre for five thousand, and houses with their floor mosaics still in place — the House of Dionysus and the House of the Masks among them.
- What does a yacht charter to Delos cost?
- It depends on the yacht, the season and the crew, so we quote on enquiry rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most weeks.
Destinations
Nearby destinations
Charter here
Enquire about a charter on Delos
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are, and we will come back with the right yacht and a full quotation.