Delphi Travel Guide

Barring the Acropolis in Athens, Greece has one BIG tourist attraction, and that is Delphi. Millions of tourists from across the world descend on Delphi every year, and with good reason too.  

For this town, in the prefecture of Fokida, sprawling across the olive and cypress-shrouded slopes of Mt Parnassos, is the Delphi- the home of the fabled Oracle of Delphi. The ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the centre of the earth.

According to Greek mythology, Zeus released two eagles, flying in opposite directions, and the spot where they eventually met was Delphi. Over the years, Delphi became the centre of religion with a temple dedicated to Apollo built on the site and the Oracle of Delphi - a  priestess known as the Pythia  was appointed. She prophesied on various matters including administration and religion.

All that remains at Delphi today are some impressive ruins. The Temple of Athena, the Gymnasium and the Stadium- the latter the ancient site of ceremonial chariot races- are among the major ruins in the area. The complex on Mt Parnassos is vast, and includes a number of important structures. The spring where petitioners heading for the Pythia would perform ablutions, the Castalia Fountain, still flows along its age-old path.  

An ancient theatre and the circular Tholos Temple are among the other buildings which still remain- if only in part. Nearby, the local Archaeological Museum houses finds from Delphi. These include sculpted gold-and-ivory heads of Apollo and Artemis; friezes from the temples; a famous image of a bronze charioteer and other interesting relics.

Pride of place, however, is occupied by the Temple of Apollo. It stands on the lip of a crevasse, a ruined Doric building which was rebuilt after being burnt down in the 4th century BC. It’s a much-frequented building, and some visitors still swear to a touch of divinity in the air.

More prosaic pleasures are to be had at the nearby town of Arahova, 12 km from Delphi, and built on the slopes of Mt Parnassos itself. Arahova is a quaint little town, well-known for its good tavernas and for the earthy beauty of the flokati rugs, textiles and garments it produces. 

The easiest way to get to Delphi is by bus- the town is about 180 km from Athens, and there are several daily buses from the capital to Mt Parnassos. The trip takes about 3 hours. Besides that, there are buses to Delphi from Patras, Larissa and some smaller towns in the area. Delphi has plenty of hotels, covering a wide range of tariffs; there are two camping grounds on the outskirts of town, and a number of tavernas, cafés and restaurants dot the area.

The Greek National Tourist Organisation (GNTO) does not have an office in Delphi, but the local tourist police can be contacted at 46, Apollonos Str. (Tel: 0265-82220) for help and information.