After meeting your tour driver, you will begin your journey to Delphi. Along the way, you will see the plain of Beotia, an agricultural center surrounded by cotton plantations and you will also pass through the city of Thebes, the birthplace of King Oedipus. You will continue towards Mt. Parnassus, making a brief rest stop outside the town of Levadeia.
You will then drive on to Delphi, which dates to the ninth century B.C. and whose allure includes an amazing hillside setting and ruins that will intrigue even the most skeptical among you. Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the Greek world’s most important oracle. The area was also a major site for the worship of the god Apollo after he slew the Python, a deity who protected the navel of the Earth (center of the world) in this location. You will see the Roman Agora, walk along the Sacred Way, and view the monument of the Argive Kings, the Treasury of the Athenians, the Athenian Stoa, the Polygonal Wall, the monument of Platea and the Temple of Apollo where the oracle resided. Above the Temple, you can visit the well preserved 3rd-century Theater. On the lower slope of the mountain is the Tholos, a building whose exact purpose is unknown but architecturally speaking is considered one of the masterpieces of the ancient world. You will also see the Palestra where the athletes trained in preparation for the Pythian Games.
After your visit to the archeological site, you will visit the adjacent Delphi Archaeological museum which houses the ancient artifacts that were found at the site. As its centerpiece, are the antiquities found in the complex of Oracle which dates from the 18th century B.C. when the oracle was founded to its decline around 300 A.D. Exhibits include the frieze of the Treasury of the Sifnians, the Naxian Sphinx, the metopes of the Athenian treasury, the famous Charioteer, originally created to commemorate a victory during the 476 B.C. Pythian Games, and many other artifacts.
After your visit to the museum, a stop will be made for a traditional Greek lunch in the village of Delphi. After lunch, you will start your drive back to Athens.
This tour can be extended to include one of the following:
- Osios Loukas Monastery. This will be a 12 hours tour program (max 90 min stop at the monastery)
- Villages of Livadeia & Arachova. This will be a 12 hours tour program (max one hour stop at each village)
- Thermopylae Battlefield: This will be a 12 hours tour program (max one hour stop at this location)
Entrance fees into the archaeological areas of Delphi and its Museum are 9 Euro total pp (combined ticket obtained at the ticket office).
Free admission for:
- Journalists
- Persons under 18 (with current identification to prove age)
- University students from Greece and the E.U
Free admission (for all) on the following dates:
- 6 March
- 5 June
- 18 April
- 18 May (International Museums Day)
- The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
Summer period: 1 April – 31 October
Winter period: 1 November – 31 March
Opening hours for the archaeological area of Delphi:
- Winter period: 8:30am – 15:00
- Summer period:8:00am – 19:00
Restrictions
- Please note that on this tour, your driver is not licensed to accompany you on your climb to the Temple of Poseidon. If you want a licensed guide to tour the sites with you, you can hire one at extra cost.
- The hillside site of Delphi requires almost continuous uphill walking over dirt and some paved surfaces to visit. Guests must be in good health and sensible walking shoes are a must. At the museum, there are steps to enter the building.
Special Notes
- Comfortable clothing and sensible, flat-soled walking shoes are recommended. Sun glasses and sun screen are suggested.
- Photography is permitted throughout the tour.
Tips
- Our prices are much better in comparison to those of the big tour operators, because we are ourselves the tour operator and we do not use third party providers.
- It’s always a great idea to bring a bottle of water and sunscreen with you because in the warmer months it becomes quite hot and sunny.
- A hat to protect your head and shade your face is also recommended when spending a significant amount of time in the sun.
- The area around Delphi sites can become quite crowded, especially during the peak travel months, so be aware of your surroundings and keep your belongings close to you.
- Do not accept ‘gifts’ from street vendors approaching tourists. They may offer you roses, but if choose you accept, you will be expected to pay or give a tip for them.
