The UNESCO World Heritage site of Delphi is the single most important religious complex of Ancient Greece, a place where history, Greek mythology, and contemporary heritage meet. It is also a location of immense natural beauty, giving out glimpses into a world where the ancient Greek civilization flourished. Delphi is one of the best day-trip options from Athens, and I am putting together all the information you need to know for a fantastic excursion to Delphi, including how to get to Delphi, what are the main Delphi historical sites, information about whether it’s better to take a bus or a car, where to eat, where to stay, and what else to see along the way.
Things to know before traveling
Delphi, a small mountainous town was considered the center of the ancient world, home to the Oracle in the Temple of Apollo of Delphi, and a significant religious and cultural center of ancient Greece.
If you like mythology, ancient history and archaeology as I do, you have probably heard of the famous Oracle where the high priestess (bearing the title of Pythia) was counseling famous Greeks from Solon to Socrates over matters of great importance.
The ancient Greeks considered the site to be the center of the world, hence the nickname “the navel“ (omphalos).
In Greek mythology, a giant serpent called Python was living at the center of the world guarding a stone marking the earth’s center (the stone is called an omphalos), until slain by the Apollo.
Another legend claims Zeus had let two eagles loose from far corners of the world and they met over Delphi, thus confirming that the site is indeed the center of the world.
Due to its importance in the ancient world, Delphi grew in infrastructure and monuments to include a Stadium, a Theater, and other buildings that deepened the social and religious life at Delphi.
Nowadays, the archaeological site is one of the most visited ancient ruins of modern Greece.
Delphi is a perfect day trip from Athens, but even better with an overnight included.
My preferred way is to rent a car on my last day in Athens, drive to Delphi, spend an overnight, and drive straight back to the airport for departure.
Delphi is the No. 1 ancient site in Greece and can be quite busy during the summer. So, plan well ahead and you shall be rewarded!
Tickets are for both the archaeological site and the archaeological museum and cost €12.
How to get to Delphi
Delphi is 120 miles away from Athens, a distance usually covered in 2.5-3 hours due to the highway A75 covering a significant portion of the trip.
You can rent a car (great for small groups who want to explore), get a public bus or book a private tour.
The trip itself is very picturesque as you will be driving through beautiful landscapes of the continental Greek countryside, which means endless olive groves and gentle orchard slopes.
After the highway part, some narrow and winding local roads await, so if you are not comfortable behind the wheel, it’s better travel to Delphi by bus, taxi, or day tour.
No matter which way you decide to travel to Delphi, if you’re planning on a day trip, make sure to have an early start so you can cover as many landmarks as possible during one day.
Athens to Delphi by Car
I love driving as I can stop along the way and make my own itinerary. So, I’ll always advise you to book your rental car (as early as possible, especially if you are after automatic transmission), organize your Google Maps itinerary, wake up early in the morning, grab a coffee and some Greek breakfast pastries, and be out of Athens by 8 am.
Driving is fairly easy and the famous Athens traffic around the central locations is almost non-existent that early in the morning.
Highway and local roads are in good shape and well-marked by road signs from Athens to Delphi.
Delphi from Athens by bus
Intercity buses in Greece are operated by KTEL – an association of long-distance bus companies.
KTEL buses in Greece are new, comfortable, and safe, with A/C and a pleasing habit of departing and arriving on time.
The bus trip takes a bit more than 3 hours and there is a 10-minute break during the bus trip.
This is the cheapest way to get to Delphi. Tickets (around €15 one way) could be bought online, at the bus terminal, and sometimes even on the bus.
There are at least 5 daily buses
from Athens to Delphi, departing from KTEL Bus Station B at 260 Liosion Street. The “Agios Nikolaos” stop on the M1 line (green line) of the Athens metro is about a ten-minute walk from the bus station, which is in the north of the city.
The downsides? During the summer the busses can be full and tickets not available at the last minute. Also, even if you buy tickets on time, buses can be full.
The KTEL station in Delphi is a 20-minute uphill walk away from the archaeological site.
Private Delphi tour
A private transfer tops even having your own vehicle.
The most comfortable way to experience Delphi is by booking a private tour with a knowledgeable driver-guide and avoiding big bus tour groups entirely.
That way you could reach the destination well-rested and ready to soak up all that Delphi wonders while having someone explain the history behind the buildings and artifacts and recommend the best place to eat along the way.
I also like that I can stop wherever I want along the way.
The prices for a private car are between €335 (up to 4 people) to €470 for a minivan (for 5 to 9 people).
At the museum, you can hire a licensed tour guide for a tour of the archaeological site.
What to see in Delphi?
Delphi was famous for its Oracle, where many heads of state and other decision-makers of the era flocked, hoping to gain guidance from Pythia, for whom it was believed spoke for the god Apollo himself.
The oracle was mostly a place for inquiring about political or military matters, so the answers were always inspired by the spirit of the era and formed in a very ambiguous way.
The gifts to the Oracle matched the relevance of the questions and for storing and displaying them, famous treasuries were constantly being constructed along the path leading to the Temple.
The Sacred Way and the Treasuries
As the traveler seeking advice from the Oracle approached the path leading up to the Temple, they would find themselves surrounded by 3000 statues by the sides of the road, along with many treasuries safeguarding the riches of the Oracle.
Two of the treasuries were of particular importance – the Treasury of the Siphnians and the Treasury of the Athenians.
While the former is no longer in existence, the latter was reconstructed many times and is now on the north side of the road (marked as Stoa of Athenians).
Its artifacts are now displayed in the Delphi Museum.
TIP: History lessons teach us that the Treasury of the Siphnians, along with another lost treasury, the one of the Cnidians were plundered to the benefit of a single magnificent Athenian treasury.
Temple of Apollo
The Temple of Apollo was the most important Temple in ancient Delphi and was dedicated to the god of the sun, music, and prophecy.
The temple was originally built in the 6th century BC, but the remains we see here today are from the 4th century.
There is not much of a structure left, but from the beautiful columns and the base stones, you get an idea of the scale of the building.
This is where Pythia communicated the will of Apollo to the wisdom-seeking travelers.
Serpent Column
This easily overlooked landmark just before the Temple is a beautiful column in the shape of a dark twisted snake, with its head chipped off.
It was constructed to honor the victorious Greeks over the Persians in the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC. The result of the battle was believed to have been influenced by the Oracle’s wisdom.
Archaeological Museum
The archaeological museum is one of the most interesting and interactive of all Greek archaeological museums, providing just enough information to put the site into historical, political, and cultural context.
For those wanting to dig deeper, the Delphi museum offers much more than just a glimpse of history beginning from the Mycenaean period, via Classical and Hellenic periods, to the Roman conquests and the rise of the Byzantium Empire.
I am always astounded at the quality of the museums inside the UNESCO World Heritage Ancient Greek sites and the Delphi Museum is one of the best.
Some of the Delphi archaeological museum exhibits are the centerpieces of Greek archaeological treasures, among which:
- the Sphinx of Naxos,
- the Omphalos stone, and
- the bronze Charioteer of Delphi are the most important, along with
- the giant Kouri, the twin statues by Polymedes of Argos, known as “Kleobis and Biton.”
The Delphi Ancient Theatre
Ancient Delphi was a social place with the culture of fine arts held in high regard.
The theater, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus just above the Temple, was built in the 4th century BC and could seat up to 5000 people in 35 rows.
The theater was used for various events, including plays and religious festivals, and is still used today for cultural events and performances during the summer months.
The Stadium
The Archeological Site also includes the Stadium of Delphi, which was built in the 5th century BC and could seat up to 7,000 people.
The stadium was used for staging the Pythian Games, held in honor of the god Apollo, where athletic events would be complemented by foot races and wrestling competitions.
You can visit the remains of the stadium, including the starting and finishing lines.
TIP: Because of the steep climb, many visitors choose not to see the stadium. This means you will most likely have it for yourself!
Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia
The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia is just over a half mile away from the main Delphi archaeological site in the direction of Athens.
This is why it is for the best to get to it after you have finished visiting the Delphi archaeological zone, and are ready to leave beautiful Mt. Parnassus.
The circular Temple of Tholos is a magnificent site, but best photographed in the afternoon because it is in the shade until then.
Castalian Spring
The springs were the first obligatory stop for all visitors heading to the Temple of Apollo during the era of classical Greece.
It is there where all the travelers had to purify themselves before entering the sanctuary – everyone had to wash their hair but those burdened by the blood-guilt had to bathe fully.
Nowadays, it is the site of a marble cistern surrounded by lush vegetation, found 500 meters away from the Temple.
Where to Eat at Delphi
A trip to Delphi takes a whole morning, so bring some light snacks along. The full-day tour will have some refreshments included.
There are plenty of small restaurants on the site, all serving good Greek food. However, I recommend going to Arachova town for a proper Greek mountainside meal and some souvenir shopping along its squares and pedestrian streets. My pick is To Archontiko Tavern for great food and even better views.
What to see along the way
If driving or arranging a guided tour from Athens, there are many interesting things to see and sites to visit on the way to Delphi. Some of my favorites are:
Sanctuary of Eleusis
One of the most significant religious sites of Greek antiquity was the Sanctuary of Eleusis.
The goddess Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, whose cult is linked to the cultivation of land, vegetation, fertility, as well as the regeneration and eternity of life, developed in this region.
Archaeological Museum of Thebes
Most of the ancient Greek tragedies, including Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Antigone, were set in Thebes, which was also home to the fabled king Oedipus.
The Archaeological Museum of Thebes in its rich collections covers a long historical period starting from the Paleolithic to the Byzantine and more recent periods.
Hosios Loukas Monastery
An awe-inspiring walled Orthodox monastery from the 10th century is a very scenic site on the slopes of Mount Helicon.
As one of the most significant examples of Byzantine architecture and art, Hosios Loukas Monastery is on the UNESCO World Heritage site list.
Corycian Cave
Corycian Cave is located north of Delphi, on the southern slopes of Mt. Parnassus.
The site was considered sacred ever since the Neolithic period. Its name comes from the Corycian nymphs, fabled nature spirits who were portrayed as lovely maidens and were thought to live in the cave.
FAQ about a visit to Delphi
Is a day tour to Delphi worth the trip in one day?
Yes, Delphi is one of the pillars of Greek history and a beautiful natural site on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus. With many options to visit, it is a great idea for a day excursion when visiting Athens.
What is the best time for visiting Delphi for a day tour?
Delphi will be less hot than Athens or the islands, making it a suitable site to visit even during the warmest summer months of July and August. However, the best time to plan a visit is in June or September.
Can I fly to Delphi?
No, there is no airport close to Delphi.
Can I take a train to Delphi?
There is no direct train to Delphi, as none of the Greek regional trains pass near the Delphi site.
What to bring along on day trips?
Make sure to dress comfortably, wear flat shoes, and take precautions against the heat and the sun (hat, sunblock, and a lot of water).
Where to eat during day tours to Delphi?
A trip to Delphi takes a whole morning, so bring some light snacks along. The full-day tour will have some refreshments included.
There are plenty of small restaurants on the site, all serving good Greek food. However, I would recommend going to Arachova town for a proper Greek mountainside meal and some souvenir shopping along its squares and pedestrian streets.
My pick is To Archontiko Tavern for great food and even better views.
