A great island day trip from Mykonos that our guests love is Rineia. Here’s more about this uninhabited island next to Mykonos.
Rineia Island: Day Trip from Mykonos
Nobody lives on Rineia island these days but it is a great island day trip from Mykonos, a quick boat excursion away. On Rineia, you can discover a few ancient ruins and swim at beautiful secluded beaches. It is a total contrast to the populated and very popular Mykonos, where our villa is located. Here are some fun facts about this island next door to Mykonos.
Photo source: gr-beaches
Where is Rineia?
- Rineia is west of Delos and southwest from Mykonos.
- Rineia is a small island, just 14 km2 (5 sq mi).
- Rineia is separated from Delos by a small area of sea which is 1km wide.
- Two tiny islands (more like skerries) known as Little Rematiaris and Big Rematiaris are both located in this strait of sea.
- On the Rematiaris islands, there are ruins of an ancient temple and a 2,000-year-old Christian church.
Photo credit: Guidora
Rineia Throughout History
- The first inhabitants lived here 7,000 years ago.
- Rineia was under Delos’ shadow when Delos was the spiritual and holy center of the region, even though it is much larger than Delos.
- In 530 B.C., the tyrant named Polycrates of Samos took it over and dedicated the island to the god Apollo of Delos island. That was when the Greek historian Thoukidedes famously said the Polycrates “hooked” Rhenia to Delos with a 1 km long chain.
- With Delos proclaimed as a holy and sacred island, a katharsis went underway which meant that no one should be born or die on the holy island. Athenians opened all the Delian graves and moved the bones into a pit on Rineia turning it into somewhat of a necropolis. The pit was discovered in 1900.
- Rineia had an ancient hospital which served the population from Delos.
What to See in Rineia: Day Trip from Mykonos
Rineia did have a small population until the 1980s but now it is uninhabited. You can rent a boat or yacht to stop by Delos to see the fantastic archaeological site, check out the Rematiaris islands and then move on to explore the coast of Rineia. You can also just head straight for Rineia. The journey is quick and easy.
Source: airphotos.gr
You can also take a walk on the island and see the old Cycladic farmhouses and little churches that once made up the communities on the hilly slopes. It’s a wonderful place for a swim thanks to the beautiful, secluded beaches. Since it isn’t so easily accessible, you can have a peaceful swim – just you and Greek island nature. Rineia is a unique uninhabited island so close to Mykonos.
Have you ever heard of Rineia? Would you like to go during your visit to Mykonos?