Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Delphi, home of the 4th-century-BC Temple of Apollo on this private, full-day excursion from Athens. Travel in private, air-conditioned vehicles and get around all the sites your group is interested in visiting within the extensive mountainside archaeological complex before returning comfortably to Athens.
- Stop at the Delphi ruins, the Temple of Apollo, and the Delphi Archaeological Museum
- See the sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia, ancient stadiums, and theatres
Inclusions & Exclusions
✔ Private transportation
✔ Bottled water
✔ On-board WiFi
✔ Professional drivers with deep knowledge of history (not licensed to accompany you in any site)
✔ In-vehicle air conditioning
✔ Hotel/ airport/ port pickup and drop-off
✖ Licensed tour guide (upon request and depending on availability)
✖ Entry or admission fees for archaeological sites
✖ Gratuities
Pickup Locations
1. Foivos Hotel Athens
2. Alter Athens Hotel
3. Ruby Rooms Athens
4. Zenith Hotel
5. Athens City Plaza
6. Wyndham Athens Residence
7. Apollo Hotel
8. Titania Hotel
9. Athens Zafolia Hotel
10. Philippos Hotel
11. The Editor Athens Hotel
12. Vision Omonia
13. Anixis
14. Crowne Plaza Athens - City Centre, an IHG hotel
15. Novotel Athenes
16. Hotel Tier Collection
17. Hotel Byron
18. Bob W. Eolou Athens
19. Ambrosia Suites
20. Exarchion Hotel
Additional Info: This is a private tour. Only your group will participate. The pick-up time is adjustable upon your request.
Your personal driver will pick you up and return you to the same place or to the point you prefer.
In case of a hotel, he will be waiting for you in the hotel lobby.
In case of an apartment, he will be waiting for you at the entrance of the building.
For airport pick up, he will be waiting for you at the arrival hall holding a sign with your name on it to spot him upon arrival. We will track your flight and our driver will be there on time.
For port pick up, he will be waiting for you at the gate, just as you disembark, holding a sign with your name on it to spot him upon arrival.
Itinerary
1
Athens
You will get picked up from your hotel, apartment, Airbnb, Athens airport, or Piraeus port.
Duration: 10 minutes
2
Delphi
Arrival at Delphi after a 2,5 hours trip.
Free time for a walk at:
- sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia
- ancient stadium and theater
Duration: 30 minutes
3
Livadia
Livadeia is a town in central Greece. It is the capital of the Boeotia regional district.
The area around Livadeia is mountainous, with farming activities mainly confined to the valleys. The area has traditionally been associated with the production and processing of cotton and tobacco, as well as the cultivation of cereal crops and the raising of livestock. The city is also known for having participated in the War of Troy in allegiance with Mycenae.
4
Mount Parnassus
Mount Parnassus is a mountain in central Greece that towers above Delphi, north of the Gulf of Corinth.
Mount Parnassus offers many advantages to the population of Greece. In peace, it possesses scenic views of the countryside and features olive groves and rolling hills. The mountain is also the location of historically, archaeologically, and culturally significant places of interest (such as Delphi). Recreationally, the slopes of Parnassus provide a medium for hiking (in the three warm seasons) and are skied in winter. Its melting snows provide water to the surrounding communities, reaching out as far as Athens. The mountain is composed of limestone, and its rock contains bauxite, ore that is rich in aluminum. In war, Parnassus has been a center of resistance if need be, providing cover and refuge to partisans.
5
Arachova
Arachova is a mountain town and a former municipality in the western part of Boeotia, Greece, originally called Karyai (also spelled Caryae). Its name is of South Slavic origin and denotes a place with walnut trees. It is a tourist destination due to its location in the mountains, its traditions, and its proximity to the town of Delphi.
Arachova has a panoramic view, uphill small houses, and the cobbled streets show a picturesque architecture. The town center includes a huge and steep cliff, the Bell Tower, covered with dense ivy. At the top of the tower is a large 10m height clock. Arachova is famous for its black wine, its "brusque", the colorful textiles, carpets and rugs, handicrafts, and woodcut creations as well.
6
Delphi Archaeological Museum
Delphi Archaeological Museum is one of the principal museums of Greece and one of the most visited. It is operated by the Greek Ministry of Culture. Founded in 1903, it has been rearranged several times and houses the discoveries made at the Panhellenic sanctuary of Delphi, which dates from the Late Helladic (Mycenean) period to the early Byzantine era.
Organized in fourteen rooms on two levels, the museum mainly displays statues, including the famous Charioteer of Delphi, architectural elements, like the frieze of the Siphnian Treasury, and ex-votos dedicated to the sanctuary of Pythian Apollo, like the Sphinx of Naxos. The exhibition floor space is more than 2270m2, while the storage and conservation rooms (mosaics, ceramics, and metals) take up 558m2.
Duration: 60 minutes
7
Temple of Apollo
The Temple of Apollo, god of music, harmony, light, healing, and oracles occupied the most important and prominent position in the Delphic Panhellenic Sanctuary. The edifice with the partially restored colonnade visible today dates to the 4th century BC; it is the third temple built at the same place. The famous oracle, the Pythia, operated inside the temple, the location chosen, according to one tradition, due to a sacred chasm beneath the site emitting vapors, which were inhaled by the Pythia. Some ancient writers state that the Pythia then entered a state of delirium and uttering inarticulate cries, which were then turned into equivocal oracles by the priests. This interpretation is controversial, and has been challenged by scholars such as Joseph Fontenrose and Lisa Maurizio, who argue that the ancient sources uniformly represent the Pythia speaking intelligibly, and giving prophecies in her own voice.
Duration: 60 minutes
8
Delphi
Free time for lunch at a traditional Greek tavern with your friends and family or shopping.
Duration: 60 minutes
9
Arachova
Free time for a coffee before we start our trip back to Athens.
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional info
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Our drivers are not official tour guides, but they are knowledgeable and can provide fascinating commentary in fluent English. Although they will not enter the archaeological sites with you, they can answer all of your questions about the places you visit with this tour.
• Third party activities and especially extreme sports are not allowed during the tour. This can be a cause for immediate cancellation of the tour.
