Greece is composed of two parts – the mainland and the islands. One of these islands is probably unknown to you, but plenty of others have already discovered it, much to their delight.

We’re talking about Delos, an island that isn’t too far away from Mykonos – the island made famous by “Shirley Valentine”. As with much of Greece and its islands, Delos has been inhabited for a very long time. We can trace its history back to the 3rd Millennium BC, thanks to the discovery of stone huts on the island.

Delos itself is actually uninhabited but you can catch a boat to the island from Mykonos and it is well worth the trip. The island is known for its archaeological past. Not only are the stone huts on the island but you will also find temples and many other structures worth looking at. Some have called Delos a huge open air museum and there is really no better description of the island than this.

It is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and as such you cannot stay here overnight. A night spent on the island would no doubt make you feel as if you were living in ancient times, but in fact this is impossible to do. The island is cleared of those visiting it at the end of the day, encouraging you to explore the lively possibilities of the Mykonos nightlife scene instead.

The Sanctuary of Apollo is one of the biggest sights on the island of Delos. Apollo, the Greek God, was apparently born here according to the myth, so it is reasonable that you would see links to the god on the island. But there is more to see as well so make sure you go with decent walking shoes and plenty of provisions. You will want to make the most of the day you spend there before catching a boat back to Mykonos again.

Delos may not receive the attention it deserves purely because you cannot stay on this uninhabited island. But as you can see it is well worth a closer look.