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Ninety seconds on Delos
From 1 April to 31 August the site opens from 08:00 to 20:00. It closes at 19:30 from 1 to 15 September, 19:00 from 16 to 30 September, 18:30 from 1 to 15 October and 18:00 from 16 to 31 October. In November the hours are 08:00 to 16:00.
The site closes for the winter from 1 December to 31 March. It is also closed on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday, and 25 and 26 December.
Entry is free on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September and 28 October. It is also free on the first Sunday in November.
The official Hellenic Heritage page for Delos links to online tickets for the site and the Archaeological Museum of Delos. Tickets are also sold at the office on the island after the boat lands.
No. Guided tours are not compulsory on Delos, and arrows on the site mark a walking route for visitors. Guided trips from Mykonos typically bundle the return boat, site entry and the guide.
You get a whole ancient city to walk, its streets, houses and temples spread over an island where fewer than 25 people live today, most of them staff at the excavations.
The Sanctuary of Apollo honours the god that myth says Leto bore here, along with his twin Artemis.
The Terrace of the Lions has five marble lions standing today, all copies. The originals are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Delos, out of the weather.
Around the temples are the streets and houses of a whole town. About 30,000 people lived here in 90 BC, after Rome made the island a free port.
Floor mosaics survive in the houses. The House of the Dolphins is named for its mosaic floor, and another house has a central courtyard paved with Dionysus riding a panther.
Mount Kynthos, the island's highest point at 112 metres, carries the sanctuary of Isis, goddess of sailors. From the top the view takes in the entire excavation and the neighbouring islands of Mykonos and Rhenia.
Boats for Delos leave from the Old Port of Mykonos; check the day's sailing times at the port. The boat ticket does not cover the ruins.
After landing, pay the site entrance at the ticket office. When several boats land at once, that line can take up to half an hour, so check the time of your boat back before you join it.
From the office, turn right for the ancient theatre, then take the steep path up Mount Kynthos. Come down the hill and finish at the Terrace of the Lions on your way back to the landing.
Carry all your water and some snacks. There is no café on Delos and nowhere to buy food or drink.
There is little to no shade, so bring a hat and sunblock. Wear trainers with grip for the climb. Pack a jumper too, as it can get very windy even on a hot day.
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