One day Delphi

General information

Destination	Category
Athens, Greece	Sightseeing Tours

Program details

Follow in the footsteps of kings and make a pilgrimage to discover your destiny with this day trip to Delphi. Famed for the uncanny accuracy of the Sibyl, a fortune-telling priestess, Delphi’s fame grew and attracted travellers seeking their fortunes from all over the ancient world. From Athens we’ll cross the fertile plain of Boeotia to the slopes of Mount Parnassus. There we’ll explore the ruins of Delphi and get a sense of the remarkable power this mystical site still exerts today.

We’ll visit the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios, and learn the story of this brave god’s triumph over the dragon that guarded the omphalos. This mysterious ‘navel stone’ marked the very centre of the world and gave the Sibyl her powers by making her the mouthpiece of Apollo. Visit the marble Treasury of the Athenians, built to store the rich offerings of grateful kings. See the stadium where the ancient Pythian Games, precursors to our modern Olympics, were lost or won. Visit the temple of Apollo himself, where the eternal flame burned in the gloom. Then explore the on-site museums where you can see the omphalos stone itself as well as masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture such as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias.

We’ll visit the modern village of Delphi for a delicious local lunch. Then on the way home we’ll pass through the ancient town of Thebes, and discover the story of tragic King Oedipus, whose terrible fate was foreseen by the oracle. We’ll continue through mountainous Livadeia and pretty Arachova, where we’ll stop for a short break before returning to Athens.

Meeting/pick-up point: Your hotel lobby only in Athens.
Duration: 10 hours.
Start/opening time: 8.45am.
End/closing time: 7pm.
Others: Transfer, entrance fees and lunch are included (if the clients has booked the excursion with lunch). Not suitable for the less mobile.