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Delphi archaeological complex and museum guide: Detailed exploration of ancient temples, sacred treasures, oracle stories, and historical artifacts in the heart of Greece

Updated:

2024-12-23

Delphi today is a tourist town that is visited by between 500,000 and 700,000 people every year. It is one of the main tourist sites in Greece.

For the ancient Greeks, Delphi was the most important spiritual and religious center, one could say, the heart of the Hellenic world. People from all over flocked to the Sanctuary of Apollo, bringing gifts in hopes of hearing the prophecies of the Delphic oracle.

In this article, I’ll explain how to reach Delphi from Athens by different modes of transport, and whether it’s worth joining an organized tour to visit Delphi.

I’ll also go into detail about what you can see when exploring the main attractions of Delphi, including the vast Sanctuary of Apollo complex and the Delphi Archaeological Museum.

If you’re interested in visiting the Greek islands in addition to mainland Greece, I suggest checking out my article on how to travel to the islands from Athens by ferry, either on your own or with an organized tour.

Visit Delphi: why go and is it worth it?

After the Acropolis, Delphi is the most popular archaeological site in Greece, listed in almost every guidebook. It is by far the most popular one or two day trip from Athens.

I think that’s why many people don’t even know why they’re going to Delphi. They just know they have to do it if they come to Greece.

But for those who study history, or at least have an interest in it, Delphi has a special meaning. More than just another collection of ancient stones in a country that abounds in them.

Delphi in ancient times was considered the centre of the known world, the meeting place of heaven and earth. It was the place where man was closest to the gods.

It is the most important city of antiquity, on the southern slope of Parnassus, at the crossroads between north and south, east and west of Hellas. That’s why Delphi bears the title of the “Pupus of the Earth”.

Gaia, Themis, Demeter and Poseidon were worshipped here, but in the end Apollo won them all. By the end of the Mycenaean period, Apollo had supplanted all other gods and goddesses, and became the guardian of the famous Delphic Oracle.

To believe or not to believe in this channeling is an individual matter. But even the most inveterate sceptic must realise that something magical has been happening in Delphi for a thousand years.

And the fact that the city still attracts a million visitors a year makes you believe that some of that magic still exists.

By the way, while in Delphi, for some reason I kept thinking of Machu Picchu (from the pictures, I haven’t been there), there is something subtly similar.

How to reach Delphi from Athens

Athens to Delphi by car

The town is located in the province of Phocis, 180 km west of Athens and 10 km from the coast of the Gulf of Corinth.

From Athens, you can drive to Delphi in about two and a half hours, depending on traffic. You can park your car directly opposite the Archaeological Museum or at the entrance to the archaeological site.

We traveled to Delphi from Athens by car, starting straight from the airport. The car had been reserved in advance, back in late March, with both pickup and drop-off arranged at Athens Airport.

May be useful:During our trips in Greece we rented a car from Disovercars. You can additionally check prices for cars in the region on Economybookings and Autoeurope.

We received the car with a delay of about an hour from the appointed time, about which the car rental company warned us, but did not indicate the exact time of the delay.

The contract was concluded within about 10 minutes. The main points when renting a car in Greece are the inspection of the car for existing defects and damage and the level of petrol in the tank (i.e. when returning the car the level should not be less).

There were no restrictions on mileage or cleanliness of the car. However, we travelled almost 2000km during our trip and the car naturally got dusty on the outside. We had to use a car wash before handing over the car.

May be useful: I have written a detailed article about how to rent a car in Greece and not to regret it during the trip – I advise you to spend 15 minutes and read it carefully.

Our plan was not to see Athens, so we immediately set our destination on the navigator – the city of Delphi and set off around 13:40. We used our own navigator installed on our phone, but when booking a car, it is also possible to additionally order a navigator.

The distance from Eleftherios Venezelos International Airport to Delphi is about 200 km.

We made a couple of stops – one to fill up the tank completely, as when we received the car it had a little less than half a tank of petrol, and the second – to have a snack. In this case we were helped by McDonald’s, which came to us about 40-50 min after departure.

On the way to the town of Delphi there are toll sections of the road, the cost of which varies. During the whole time of driving on the mainland the cost of toll road sections ranged from 90 cents to 3.2 euros.

The roads in Greece are very good. Both on the mainland and on the islands. And we didn’t even always notice the difference in pavement quality between the toll sections and the free sections.

On the motorways in some places it was allowed to drive at speeds up to 130 km/h. There were not very many cameras, although there were enough signs warning about their presence.

Only once (on the way from Delphi to Meteora) we met an ambush of the Traffic Police with radars. Ours and several other cars ahead and behind us were ‘scanned’.

We reached Delphi by 5pm and immediately went to see the ancient city.

May be useful:

Acropolis of Athens tours: Complete Visitor’s Guide with Current Ticket Prices and Real Experience from My Recent Trip – Everything About Planning Your Ancient History Journey

Athens to Delphi bus

Delphi can be reached from Athens by one of the shuttle buses that leave every 2 – 3 hours from bus station B on Liosion Street (Liosion 260, Athina).

Bus Station B is located in the north of Athens, the nearest metro station is ΣΤ.ΑΓ.ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΥ, the green line. From the metro station to the bus station is 750 metres, a walk of about 10 minutes.

The journey time by bus is about 3 hours. Ticket price, for July 2023 – 15.10 euros.

Athens-Delphi bus timetable

The schedule is current as of July 2023.

Route Athens – Delphi:

	05:30	11:00	16:00	18:30
Mon.	+	+	+	+
Tue.	+	+	+	+
Wed.	+	+	+	+
Thu.	+	+	+	+
Fri.	+	+	+	+
Sat.		+	+	+
Sun.		+	+	+

Route Delphi – Athens:

	08:30	10:30	15:00	18:00
Mon.	+	+	+	+
Tue.	+	+	+	+
Wed.	+	+	+	+
Thu.	+	+	+	+
Fri.	+	+	+	+
Sat.	+	+		+
Sun.		+	+	+

Tip: The Sanctuary of Apollo can be reached by car or bus from Athens. But it will be difficult to fit travelling and sightseeing into one day.

Firstly, you will be tired after the road; secondly, walking through the archaeological park, you will have to constantly go up and down the steps. It seems to be nothing difficult, but at the end of the day you will hardly want to drive back to Athens. Besides, I advise you to enjoy the place without the fuss. Delphi deserves it.

Where to live in Delphi

We stayed at the three-star Acropole Delphi City Hotel, which I booked on the same day I reserved the car on Discovercars.

The Acropole Hotel has two main advantages:

First, it is located in the center of Delphi, within walking distance of the entrance to the Archaeological Zone. Spending the night at this hotel guarantees you are the first to get there and for a while you can enjoy the absence of the crowds of tourists who arrive later on buses.
Secondly, the hotel is located on the side of a mountain and its windows and balconies overlook the valley below. The view is amazing!

Well, if you have prepared well enough for the tour of Delphi, read the literature about the Delphic pythias, and, besides, are impressionable, it is possible that at night you will have a dream with the Delphic oracle, which will predict your future!

Useful information: Hotels, villas, apartments in Delphi.

Staying overnight in Delphi is also worth it to see this truly cosy town, with magnificent views of the mountains and gorges, still sleepy and without crowds of tourists

May be useful:

Sparta Attractions: A Complete Travel Guide to Ancient Ruins, Museums, Beaches, and Modern City Life in Greece’s Historical Center

Delphi sightseeing

Every stone, every name in Delphi has a historical and cultural significance.

By the way, in the town of Delphi, where we stayed overnight, all the hotels are named after gods.

Built on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, Delphi is as impressive now as it was thousands of years ago, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth and a valley full of olive and cypress trees.

The sights can be categorised into 3 conventional parts.

The sacred territory, which contains the agora (ancient city), cult buildings, amphitheatre, temples. Behind it is the stadium. There is also a museum. (Paid part).
The area where the spring is located – the Kastal Key. On the map of Delphi, all of this is to the left of the road.
The territory on the opposite side (right of the road) Gymnasium and Sanctuary of Athena (Free part of the archaeological complex of Delphi).

An hour was enough time for us to see the open-air antiquities. It is convenient to visit Delphi in the evening for 2 reasons: it is not hot and comfortable to walk around and there are not many people around.

There is a free toilet and a small shop with soft drinks on the territory.

Delphi Greece: opening hours, how much does it cost to enter

The archaeological site (park) is open daily:

in summer — from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM;
in winter — from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The ticket costs 9 euros. It enters the site and enters the museum.

Tips:

Ticket sales stop half an hour before closing. It is not advisable to arrive just in time.
Put your ticket in a safe place. Entry to the site and entry to the museum are done with the same ticket. You must present your ticket when entering the museum.

Apollo's Sanctuary

The centre of Delphi is the sanctuary of Apollo, at the southern end of the mountain slope. Among the temples at Delphi, this temple was understandably the most important and largest. The temple whose remains we see was the fifth to be built on the same site. It appeared, about 518 BC.

The main buildings of the temple complex of marble were located in the area called Marmaria. Here were also found the remains of the columns of the sanctuary of Athena.

How to find the Sanctuary of Apollo? From the town of Delphi to the archaeological complex is about 15 minutes on foot. Leave the town and follow the wide road (you can drive to Athens on this road).

How to walk from Delphi to the Archaeological Complex

The sacred area where the sanctuary stood is set in a remote and rugged valley between two towering mountain ranges—the Phaedriades. The buildings cluster on the hillside, close to the cliffs, which form a nearby gorge with a sacred spring.

Sacred precinct – Sanctuary of Apollo

The double-headed peak of Parnassus dominates the landscape. The opposite side of the gorge is covered with forest. Streams gush from everywhere in the crevices of the rocks. Only to the south does the gorge widen somewhat and the waters of the Gulf of Corinth glisten in the distance.

In the sacred Castalian Gorge, the echo amplifies every sound many times over, turning a shout into a real rumble.

Marmaria is the main section of the sanctuary of Apollo

To the east, slightly below the main sanctuary,is the main sacred section of the sanctuary, the Marmaria. It is located on two terraces, at different levels..

The fenced main site of the sanctuary of Apollo ascended a steep slope 50 metres high for 180 metres. The width of the site is 130 metres

A sacred road, paved with large slabs, zigzagged up to this terrace. On both sides of this road, a whole chain of treasuries, monuments, votive columns, and statues built by individual communities sprang up.

For example, the treasury of the Athenians, built of Paros marble, stored the trophies taken by the Athenians from the Aeginians, Boeotians and Chalcidians.

Further behind the treasury of the Athenians the road approached the sacred stream, flowing out of the so-called gorge of the Serpent.

Near the gorge stood a stone block representing Latona, and on the other side, and to this day rises the rock of Sibylla, where, according to legend, were pronounced the first predictions of the Delphic oracle.

A tall column built by the Naxos, which served as a pedestal for the figure of the sphinx, also stood there.

The same sphinx from the people of Naxos Island

At the next bend, the road crossed a circular platform from which the sacred processions emerged, and finally turned to the terrace of the temple.

Temple of Apollo

The main building of the Delphic sanctuary was the temple of Apollo. Its geometrically clear and sparkling white façade was clearly contrasted with the stark pile of reddish-brown rocks of the Phaedriad ridge surrounding it.

The visitor approaching the temple could see it, thanks to the turns of the sacred road, from different sides and at different distances.

Rows of treasuries, columns and statues enriched the impression, contrasting in their variety and small size with the temple towering in the centre.

As one approached the temple, an exceptionally solemn feeling must have been created. The whole environment, natural and man-made, contributed to the main purpose here – it prepared the mind and senses of the visitor who had come to ask the divine oracle.

Temple of Apollo

The temple is famous for having been rebuilt several times and the remains of the fifth temple have survived. It was built after the fire in 548, when its predecessor burned down.

The temple in Delphi is very close in architecture to the temples in Corinth and Athens. Therefore, there is an assumption that it was built by the same architect who built the temple at Corinth.

Temple of Athena Pronaea

On the lower terrace of the sacred precinct of Marmaria, in the 7th century BC, the Temple of Athena Pronaea was built, one of the earliest structures of the Sanctuary.

This temple was erected almost simultaneously with the temple of Apollo and the treasury of the Athenians.

Now on the site of the temple can be seen only its lower parts. But even they testify to the high technique of construction.

Soon after the construction, in VI century BC, as a result of a rock fall, the temple was destroyed and a second temple was built in its place. From the old temple remained only the drums of 12 columns and capitals, which were used to pave the cella of the new temple.

Temple of Athena Pronaia

Temenos of Neoptolema

From the temple terrace, one could proceed to the upper part of the sanctuary, where the temenos of Neoptolemus was located.

This includes the theater, which occupies the entire upper left corner of the sanctuary, and the stadium, situated even higher, about a five-minute walk to the west (it is not directly part of the main sanctuary site).

Stadium in the territory of Sanctuary of Neoptolemus

No one has ever wondered why the Olympics, resurrected at the beginning of the XX century, are held every 4 years? The answer is not difficult – the Olympic Games were just a part of the Panhellenic Games, held annually in honour of the gods.

There were 4 such carnivals of sports – Olympic Games, Pythian Games, Isthmian Games and Nemean Games, each of which were held once in 4 years in the order of turn.

The Pythian Games were held just in Delphi in honour of the god Apollo and the winners were awarded laurel wreaths, from Apollo’s tree.

Another festival was held in the theatre – competitions in solo playing on the kyphar and flute in honour of Apollo.

Delphi. Sanctuary of Apollo

Plan of Apollo’s Sanctuary:

Temple of Apollo;
Theatre;
The treasury of the Sikyonians;
The treasury of the Sithnians;
The treasury of the Thebans;
The treasury of the Potidaeans;
The treasury of the Athenians;
The treasury of the Aeolians;
The treasury of the Cyrenians;
The treasury of the Akanthians;
The treasury of the Corinthians;
The treasury of the Cnidians;
The Prytanei;

14 и 15. The sanctuary of Dionysus;

Buleuterius;
Sanctuary of Poseidon;
Stoa of the Athenians;
lesha knidyan.

Delphic Archaeological Museum

While visiting Delphi, it would be a great mistake to overlook the Delphi Archaeological Museum. Among Greece’s many archaeological museums, this one stands out as one of the finest, holding extraordinary treasures.

I’ll provide a detailed overview of the museum and its opening hours, because many tourists plan just one day for Delphi, and it would be unfortunate to arrive at the Sanctuary of Apollo only to find the museum closed or operating on a limited schedule.

The museum covers a total area of 2,279 square meters. It is a modern, two-story building featuring 14 exhibition rooms, laboratories, and storage areas, which house metalwork, jewelry crafted by ancient artisans, mosaics that once adorned the buildings and streets of the Delphi Sanctuary, and pottery.

A unique aspect of this museum is a display dedicated to the excavation process. It’s captivating to see the conditions under which the archaeologists worked.

The restoration of historical objects at the Sanctuary of Apollo is expensive and progresses slowly and meticulously.

To help visitors better visualize what this sacred site looked like in its prime, the museum not only displays artifacts but also offers reconstructions.

What can be seen in the Delphi Archaeological Museum?

The museum’s exhibits date back to the Archaic period, which is the period of the birth of Greek monumental sculpture. Our idea of sculpture is based on the examples of Greek and then Roman sculpture.

The Greeks created a new type of sculpture: large in size and not attached to a wall or column. Sculptures were made of different materials: wood, clay, and various types of stone.

Male images were called kouros and female images were called koras.

The museum presents architectural fragments of buildings located on the territory of the sanctuary of Apollo, sculptural images, mosaics, ceramics, jewellery.

Below are our TOP exhibits that impressed us during our visit to the museum.

Omphalus is the navel of the earth

According to Greek mythology, the location of Delphi was chosen by Zeus, the chief deity of Olympus. To find the center of the Earth, he sent two birds flying from opposite directions.

The birds met over what would become Delphi. This myth was strongly upheld by the Greek priesthood, and over time, during the Archaic period, Delphi evolved into the center of the Greek world.

In the ancient sanctuary, within the Temple of Apollo, which was rebuilt multiple times, a conical stone known as the Omphalos was placed. The Greeks believed this stone marked the center (navel) of the Earth, from which all distances were measured.

Close by was the Delphic Oracle, consulted by people from all Greek city-states.

Omphalus or Top of the Earth

Now this omphal is kept in the museum. But in the open area of the archaeological complex of Delphi there is another stone, also omphalous in shape.

Among the photos that adorned our hotel room there was one with the image of this stone. The shape is a hemisphere. The stone is on a pedestal. We did not see any plaques nearby.

A stone similar to Omphalus in the open area of the archaeological complex of Delphi

The Kuros twins

As I wrote above, kouros are sculptural representations of men. There are two assumptions:

it is a sculpture of the brothers Cleobis and Biton from Argos, and the statues were presented to the temple at Delphi by the inhabitants of Argos.

2 These are the brothers of Dioscurus, Castor and Polydeucus. Their cult was widespread in the Peloponnese.

The sculpture is also interesting for its size: no Archaic sculptures of this size have been found before this discovery.

The author is an architect from Argos, Polymedes.

The Kuros twins

Sculpture of the Delphi charioteer

In ancient times, the Pythian Games were held in Delphi – the fourth most important games after the Olympic Games. The competitions included chariot races. The participants acted in teams.

The sculpture of the charioteer depicts the winner of the Pythian Games in 478.

Sculpture of the Delphic charioteer

Delphi Archaeological Museum exhibitions

All the exhibits are perfectly grouped, so that the visitor can easily understand the periods of prosperity and decline of the Delphic oracle, as well as a complete picture of its history:

Hall I-II features exhibits from the early years before the cult of Apollo and the transition to a new era and new cult;
Hall III – archaic times, dominated by a cluster of twin kouroi;
Hall IV – showcases precious archaic votive offerings from the cities of Greece;
Hall V – the treasury hall of Siphnos, the most significant items include the caryatids, the Sphinx of Naxos, and friezes;
Hall VI – presents architectural elements of the Temple of Apollo;
Hall VII-VIII – dedicated to the treasury of the Athenians;
Hall IX – exhibits from the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia (Προναίας);
Hall X – architectural elements of the dome and the building of the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia: parts of sculptures, decor, metopes, and two friezes;
Hall XI – Hellenistic period, dominated by a cluster of Daokhos (Δαόχου), this hall also houses the omphalos, the symbol of Delphic divination, next to which is a column with dancers;
Hall XII – exhibits from the Roman period;
Hall XIII – this hall contains the most famous and important exhibit of the museum – the Delphic Charioteer;
Hall XIV – the Roman era: portraits of emperors, as well as architectural elements with Christian symbols that illustrate the transition to a new religion.

Opening hours of the Archaeological Museum in Delphi

The museum is open: daily from 7:30 AM to 8:00 PM.

Attention! Entrance to the museum until 19:40

The museum is closed:

January 1;
March 25, May 1, on Easter Sunday (Greece is an Orthodox country, celebrating Easter and numbers);
25 and 26 December.

Special timetable of the museum:

The archaeological museum in Delphi has special opening days from 8:30 to 15:30. Days when the museum operates on a reduced schedule are:

6 January;
Shrove Monday;
Good Friday;
Holy Saturday;
Easter Monday;
Holy Spirit Day;
15 Aug;
28 October.

Free days to visit the museum at Delphi:

6 March in memory of Melina Mercouri, Greek actress and singer;
5 June on Environment Day;
18 April for the International Day for the Protection of Monuments;
18 May for International Museum Day;
Last weekend of September (European Heritage Days);
Every first Sunday from 1 November to 31 March;
27 September in honour of World Tourist Day;
28 October.

Archaeological Museum ticket prices

Regular ticket: 6 euros, discounted price 3 euros

Special ticket (includes exhibitions): 9 euros, with a

discounted price 5 euros

Discounts on tickets are available for:

Greek and EU citizens over 65 years of age – ID card must be presented
Students (including students of institutes outside the EU. Student ID card is required.
Parents accompanying a tour of primary school students.

Free admission is provided for:

Culture card greece holders.
Journalists (present a document).
Persons accompanying the disabled and blind.

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