Mykonos is a small Greek island and large tourist destination renowned for its cosmopolitan character and festive nightlife. There are 10,000 inhabitants most of whom live in the largest city, Mykonos, made up of white stone houses with blue doors and shutters on small winding streets.

The nearby island of Delos is one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites in Greece. The excavations on the island are among the most extensive in the Mediterranean.

A small island, only 4 miles by 1 mile in size, Delos held a position in ancient Greece as a holy sanctuary. Delos was considered the mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. For a millennium it attracted huge numbers of followers, not unlike like Jerusalem and Mecca do today.

As the birthplace of Apollo, the important Olympic deity recognized as a god of light and sun, Delos population grew to over 250,000. After the rise of Christianity, worship of pagan gods declined and Delos was abandoned leaving a wealth of historical material behind.

In 1990, UNESCO inscribed Delos on the World Heritage List, citing it as the "exceptionally extensive and rich" archaeological site.