Rhenea or Rineia Island

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Rhenea or Rineia

Rineia or Rhenea is a small island in the Cyclades lying right next to Delos and the cosmopolitan island of Mykonos. The island has rich history linked to the neighboring island of Delos. Despite the fact that Rineia is four time the size of Delos, it has always been in the shadows of the latter. It belongs to complex of islands that include the rocky islands of Mikros (Little) and Megalos (Big) Rematiaris, Delos, Tragonisi and Chtapodia. The locals still identify the islands as one, and call them by the name of “Deles”. Although it is right next to the glamour island of Mykonos, Rineia is one of the lesser-known islands in the Aegean, even to Greeks. The island is separated from Delos by merely 1 km of water, where the two rocky islands Mikros and Megalos Rematiaris are located. On these two rocky islands you will find the ruins of an ancient Greek temple and a Christian church. The total length of Rhenia is 8 km and the coastline’s length are 42 km.

Rineia History

The lovely deserted island used to have a small population until the 1980s. Today, it is considered an archaeological site with no permanent residents. Locals from Mykonos use it for farming and to keep cattle while protecting it. However, the island was inhabited 7,000 years ago when Delos was an important spiritual center of the Aegean Sea. In ancient times, the island was conquered by a tyrant called Polycrates who dedicated the place to Delian Apollo, the Olympian God of poetry and music. During the Peloponnesian War, the Athenians decided to perform a catharsis on Delos and turned it into their sacred island. They removed all the tombs from Delos and prohibited any future births or burials on the island. Moreover, every regnant woman should be carried over to the island of Rineia in order to deliver. All the graves from Delos were transferred to Rineia and placed into a huge hole, turning it into a necropolis of Delos. In the late 1900s, archaeologists discovered the “purification pit” full of urns with bodies’ ashes and vessels of offerings. At the same time, a hospital was set u at Rineia to treat those that got sick in Delos.

What to do in Rineia Island

This beautiful island is home to amazing beaches with crystal-clear waters. Glyfada, Stena, Lia and Ampelia are just some oof the most known beaches on the island, but the most famous is Skinos Beach, a lovely beach with golden sand and turquoise waters on the west part of the island. The incredibly clear and emerald-colored water is unpolluted because of no exploitation from tourists. Apart from swimming in the blue turquoise waters, one can see ancient ruins, and graves of warriors from a few millennia ago. There are also a few Cycladic houses and some small chapels including a 20^th-century chapel dedicated to Agia Triada with a breathtaking view of the sea and the rest of the Cyclades.

How to get to Rineia Island

The only way to reach Rineia is either by boat from Mykonos or yacht. There are many organized tours to take you to Delos and Rineia. These tour cruises can range last from 5 to 8 hours and cost around 70-90 euros per person. People who have visited Rineia admit falling in love with this little paradise in the Cyclades. Take your camera along as it is an opportunity to see the ruins of the ancient temples in their natural landscape. A short trip to Rineia is a must-do while in Mykonos. Note, that living or staying on Rineia is prohibited, however this does not mean you cannot explore the island and discover its hidden beauties.

Photo: Spyros Priovolos