Despite the high winds of Tuesday morning, we managed to get an early start on the sacred island of Delos, delighting in the splendid isolation of our early morning visit. Birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis, the island is now uninhabited but for archaeologists and an assortment of local fauna. The famed lizards of Delos were spotted here and there, while some caught a glimpse of one of the island’s snakes, others a curious feline, and others still a white dove that managed to find its way to the Hellenistic residential district.
The island of Delos was a hub of commercial activity in the later Hellenistic period, attracting wealthy merchants from around the Mediterranean. As a result, Delos boasts some of the best-preserved private houses of the ancient world, many having a colonnaded courtyard with elaborate mosaic decoration. Littered with fragments of ancient architecture, this archaeological site has been under almost continual excavation since the late 19th century. Our Greek guides, Stella and Laura, truly brought the site to life, weaving together Greek mythology and local history into an intricate tapestry.
After a full morning of exploring this exceptional island, we returned to the Sea Cloud for lunch on the lido deck and a relaxing afternoon of sailing the sparkling blue Aegean. With favorable winds, we set a comfortable pace of 6.5 knots, eventually anchoring off the island of Tinos for another spectacular Aegean sunset.
