Cyclades - Greece - page 784

through the Propylaia , to a compound of magnificent temples and treasuries.
Three were dedicated to Apollo: Temple of the Delians (or Great Temple),
Temple of the Athenians and Poros Temple of Apollo . The Sanctuary also
housed the Classical treasuries and the Artemision , a sanctuary of Artemis.
North of the Sanctuary is the much- photographed Terrace of the Lions .
These marble beasts (originally thought to number 16) were offerings from the
people of Naxos, presented to Delos in the 7th century BC to guard the sacred
area. To the northeast, the Sacred Lake (drained in 1925 to prevent malarial
mosquito-breeding) is where Leto gave birth to Apollo and Artemis.
Head south to the Theatre Quarter , where the wealthiest inhabitants lived.
These houses had peristyle courtyards, with intricate, colourful mosaics. The most
lavish were the House of Dionysos , named after a mosaic depicting the wine
god riding a panther, and the House of Cleopatra . The theatre dates from
300 BC; its large cistern supplied much of the town's water.
The House of the Masks also has a mosaic of Dionysos resplendently astride
a panther between two centaurs. The extraordinary mosaic at the House of the
Dolphins incorporates lions, griffins and dolphins.
Mt Kynthos (113m) rises to the southeast of the harbour. It's worth the steep
climb: on clear days there are terrific views of the encircling islands. It also has
monuments such as the Sanctuaries of Zeus Kynthios and Athena Kynthia and the
Temple of Hera.
MILOS ΜΗΛΟΣ
POP 4960
Volcanic Milos arches around a central caldera and is ringed with dramatic coastal land-
scapes of colourful and surreal rock formations. The island's most celebrated export, the
iconic Venus de Milo, is far away in the Louvre but hot springs, the most beaches of any
Cycladic island and a series of quaint villages populated by friendly people add to its
current, compelling, attractions.
Capital Plaka and stunning Klima are just two of the little villages worth visiting and
Filakopi, an ancient Minoan city in the island's northeast, was one of the earliest settle-
ments in the Cyclades.
The island has a fascinating history of mineral extraction dating from the Neolithic
period when obsidian was exported to the Minoan world of Crete. Today Milos is the
biggest bentonite and perlite centre in the EU.
Visit www.mymilos.gr and www.milos.gr for more island information.