A little bit of history
According to Greek mythology, Zeus wanted to know where the center of the world was, so he released two eagles from opposite ends, and they met in this place called Delphi, marking the site as the omphalos, or the center of the world. This mythological backdrop infused Delphi with divine significance, making it a sacred site where mortals could seek guidance from the gods through the Oracle of Delphi.
They build a temple and sanctuary dedicated to one of the major Greek deities, Apollo, the god of archery, music, light, prophecy, the arts, and healing. The priestesses of Apollo, known as the Pythia, served as the oracle. The whole world would go to the Temple of Apollo to consult the Pythia on a variety of different topics, ranging from the state level like the establishment of new colonies to the personal level like marriage, children, and health.
Visiting Delphi
Delphi is a small city located in central Greece more specific on Mount Parnassus.
- 180Km from Athens
- 124Km from Patras
The place is easy to reach and it is a beautiful, also the city is small and charming with many hotels to host the several tourist that comes to visit to archeological museum and the ruins of the temple
The city
The city is small and charming, definitely a place to visit and have a good diner.
What to see in Delphi
There are 3 main attractions that you cannot miss
- The Archeological Museum
- The temple of Apollo
- The Tholos of Athena
Time and price
The visit the 3 attractions we spent around 3 hours in total and we paid 6€
What to expect from the visit
The Archeological Museum
We went first in the museum and it turned out to be a good decision. It will give you a bit of context on what you will see in the ruins.
We won’t post here photos about the museum as in our opinion it is worthless. The internet is already full of pictures and we will sure fail in describing how rich the place is.
However it is worth mentioning that in the museum you will find many of the architectural pieces found in the archeological site, with some reconstructions really well done that will allow the visitors to understand what was there in that time.
It took us 1 hour and 20 minutes to visit the museum.
The Sanctuary of Apollo
This is the map of the site that you will see and the most interesting points (In our opinion)
1 – Temple of Apollo
6 – Theatre
14 – Treasury of the Athenians
29 – Serpent column of Plataeae
For the full list you can go here
The Tholos of Athena
Constructed in the 4th century BCE, during the Hellenistic period, the Tholos of Athena stood as a symbol of reverence to the goddess Athena Pronaia. The building served as a sanctuary where worshippers paid homage to Athena, the patron deity of wisdom, strategy, and the arts although the exact purpose of the Tholos remains a subject of scholarly debate.
The Tholos of Athena is renowned for its unique architectural design, characterized by a circular footprint and a series of Doric columns arranged in a peristyle. The structure originally boasted 20 columns, of which only three remain standing today
Some advises to enjoy the visit
Arrive early in the morning
The site is located in the mountains, so the parking places are small, the place is a super touristic spot and it can get really crowded. The museum opens at 08:30 AM the sooner you can arrive the better.
Be prepared for walking
As we said before the whole visit will take around 3 hours, the museum is flat but to see the temple of Apollo and the Tholos of Athena you will need to walk up and down. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Sun cream, hat and water
Besides the museum that is an indoor walk, you will be under the sun, so protect yourself and don’t forget to bring your bottle of water. Greece can be quite hot depending on when you a visiting.
