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Quick answer
Delos is its own island in the Cyclades, not a part of the island of Mykonos. Hellenic Heritage and the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades both say it has been a World Heritage Site since 1990, and both tell the myth that Leto gave birth to Apollo and Artemis there. Hellenic Heritage describes it as reached by boat from Mykonos and as a living museum, and lists one ticket for the archaeological site and the Archaeological Museum of Delos, where the original lions are kept. XTOUR treats Mykonos as the base for Delos, states no boat times or timetables, and has not read how Delos is administered.
The short answer
Delos is a small island, and a visit there is a visit to its archaeological site and museum, for which Hellenic Heritage lists a single ticket. It lies in the Cyclades, and both Hellenic Heritage and the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades say it has been a World Heritage Site since 1990. Both tell the Greek myth that Leto gave birth to Apollo and Artemis there.[2][1]
It is not part of the island of Mykonos. Hellenic Heritage describes Delos as reached by boat from Mykonos.[1] For that reason XTOUR treats Mykonos as the base for a Delos visit, the place a traveller stays and sets out from, and never as the place Delos is in.
Why Delos is not "in" Mykonos
Two islands are two places. Delos has its own archaeological site and its own museum, presented together by the Ephorate.[2] Mykonos has a separate archaeological museum of its own, listed by the same Ephorate, whose construction began in 1899 and which holds finds from the necropolis on the neighbouring island of Rheneia.[3]
Wikidata places both the island of Delos and its archaeological site in Mykonos Municipality,[4] so Delos shares a municipality with Mykonos but not an island. The distinction that matters on a map is geographic: Hellenic Heritage's page has the boat to Delos coming from Mykonos, and Delos is a different island.[1]
What the island was
Delos was a sanctuary. Hellenic Heritage says the sanctuary of Apollo stretched over 20,000 square metres, and that the island also held sanctuaries to gods outside the traditional Greek pantheon, from Phrygia and Mysia or Syria and Egypt.[1]
It was also a busy place. Hellenic Heritage says about 30,000 people lived on Delos in 90 BC, against fewer than 25 today, mainly staff at the site.[1] The Ephorate gives the same estimate for the period after the port was made tax-free and attracted merchants and bankers.[2] XTOUR's reading is that Delos was at once a holy island and, at that time, home to a large population. Hellenic Heritage calls the island a living museum.[1]
The museum and the lions
The lions show the split between site and museum most clearly. According to the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, the originals were moved inside the Archaeological Museum of Delos in 2000 to protect them from the island's weather.[2] Hellenic Heritage's page says the figures standing on the Avenue of the Lions today are copies.[1]
The Ephorate says construction of the museum began in 1904 to house finds from the French School of Athens excavations, and describes it as having nine main rooms and two more for temporary exhibitions. Its page also lists upgrading projects for the site and the museum.[2] Hellenic Heritage lists a single ticket giving access to both the archaeological site and the museum.[1]
What XTOUR does not tell you
XTOUR does not publish boat times, timetables, departure points or crossing times between Mykonos and Delos. Hellenic Heritage's page gives an approximate crossing time, but XTOUR has read no boat operator's timetable and does not repeat it. XTOUR does not publish ticket prices, opening hours, seasonal closures or accessibility for the site; Hellenic Heritage's page publishes the hours, closures and prices. It does not say whether visitors can stay on the island overnight, because it has not read an official statement on that.
For the island base, see the Mykonos destination page; for the country as a whole, the Greece travel guide.
Sources & references
- [1]Hellenic Heritage (hh.gr, operated by ODAP), 'Delos: A living museum': a tiny island, about 5 km long, beside 'the neighboring Mykonos', with fewer than 25 residents today (mainly site staff), inhabited by about 30,000 people in 90 BC; myth of Leto giving birth to Apollo and Artemis there; the Romans declared it a free port; the sanctuary of Apollo stretched over 20,000 m2, near sanctuaries of gods outside the traditional Greek pantheon, from Phrygia and Mysia or Syria and Egypt; of the 16 lions only five survive, and those on the Avenue of the Lions are copies, the originals in the Archaeological Museum of Delos; 'Delos has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990'; reached by boat from Mykonos (an approximate time is given and not restated); ticket listed as 'Access to: Archaeological Site and Archaeological Museum of Delos'; contacts the Archaeological Museum of Delos and the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades. Read 2026-10-09
- [2]Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades (cyclades.culture.gov.gr), 'The Archaeological Site and Museum of Delos': Leto gave birth to Apollo and Artemis on the island; the Delian League had its headquarters there; population estimated to have risen to about 30,000 when the port was made tax-free; museum construction began in 1904 to house finds of the French School of Athens excavations (from 1873), extended 1931-1935 and 1972-1976; nine main rooms and two for temporary exhibitions; the Lions (room IV) moved inside the museum in 2000 to protect them from the island's extreme weather; 'Delos, a World Heritage Site since 1990'; lists projects titled 'DELOS - OPEN MUSEUM. Upgrading interventions at the archaeological site and the museum - phase 2'. Read 2026-10-09
- [3]Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades (cyclades.culture.gov.gr), 'The Archaeological Museum of Mykonos': construction began in 1899, making it one of the oldest museums in Greece; it houses antiquities kept in houses on Mykonos and finds from the Archaeological Service's excavations on Rheneia, the burial place of the Delians; the Ephorate and the Municipality of Mykonos have initiated its further expansion. Read 2026-10-09
- [4]Wikidata Q173148 'Delos', 'island in Greece with famous Apollo sanctuary': P131 includes Mykonos Municipality (Q20379355); and Q131911880 'Archaeological site of Delos', 'organized site encompassing the island of Delos, Greece': P131 Mykonos Municipality, P706 Delos. Read 2026-10-09 through the Wikidata API (wbgetentities)
Frequently asked questions
Good to know
Are the lions on Delos the originals?
No. According to the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, the lions were moved inside the Archaeological Museum of Delos in 2000 to protect them from the island's extreme weather. Hellenic Heritage's page says that of the sixteen lions only five survive, and that the figures on the Avenue of the Lions today are copies, with the originals in the museum.
How long is the boat from Mykonos to Delos?
XTOUR does not publish a crossing time. Hellenic Heritage's Delos page gives an approximate figure, but XTOUR has read no boat operator's timetable and does not repeat it.