The story of Delos supposedly begins with Zeus impregnating a mortal named Leto. When Leto prepared to give birth to her godly twins, she found that Zeus’s ever-jealous wife Hera had forbidden all lands from playing host to her. Eventually, Poseidon took pity, and donated this dollop of land from his underwater kingdom to his faithless brother’s lover, bringing it to the surface of the waves. Delos (which means “seen”) thus became the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, the god of the sun and goddess of the moon. From 900 BCE to 100 CE, the island was the center of cult worship for these two gods, as well as Dionysus (who probably had a much wilder time than anyone can here today).

The island grew into an important commercial and political center. The Delian League—founded in 478 BCE and comprised of 173 Greek city-states banded together against Persian attack—was based here. Greeks, Egyptians, and Phoenicians lived side by side, making this one of the first truly cosmopolitan civilizations. The ruins on Delos are so phenomenal that UNESCO designated the entire island a World Heritage Site in 1990. Only about a fifth of the island has been excavated, but the impressive remains of mansions, plumbing, streets, and temples devoted to Greek gods and foreign deities illustrate a remarkable picture of ancient urban planning and multiculturalism.

Everything possible has been done to preserve Delos as it stands. Admission to the entire island is €5. No hotels are allowed, and there is only one restaurant and one shop (behind the ticket booth). If you’re a picky eater or looking to save money, bag a lunch or plan to eat before and after your day trip. Make sure to wear sturdy, comfortable shoes for stability on rocky terrain, and wear long pants to avoid getting scratched by the brush that has grown around the narrow paths, especially if you plan to hike up the hill.