Full Day Tours Athens to Delphi Day Trip

Visit one of the most popular Archaeological sites of Greece with the Athens to Delphi Day Trip, a UNESCO world heritage site.

According to Greek mythology, Zeus let out 2 eagles in order to find the center of the earth. These eagles met each other at Delphi and he threw a rock to mark the center of the world. A huge snake guarded the site until Appolo killed the Python that lived there. In order to honor Apollo, the locals of Delphi organized the Pythian Games.

The Pythian Games were one of the four Panhellenic games in ancient Greece, they were taking place two years after the Olympic Games and between Nemean and Isthmian Games. The Games started in the 6th century B.C. until the 4th century A.D. They were the second most important after the Olympic Games in Olympia (see also Olympia tours from Athens).

In difference with Olympia, in Pythian Games also featured competitions for Art and dance and women were allowed to take part in some cases. Victors received a wreath of bay laurel, sacred to Apollo, from the city of Tempe, in Thessaly.

Athens to Delphi Day Trip- See the Navel of the World

The oracle of Delphi became the most famous and important of the ancient world which played a huge role in ancient Greece as they took precious information to establish colonies and other important information.

With the Athens to Delphi day trip, we will drive through Levadia to reach the slopes of Mount Parnassus, which is the picturesque village of Arachova, famous for its bright multi-colored carpets and its ski center(shortstop). Continuing our Athens to Delphi day trip, we will arrive at Delphi.

You will be able to see the unique Tholos temple, dedicated to Athena Pronaia as well as the Gymnasium where athletes were trained, and the Castalia spring where every visitor had to drink water first before his visit. You will then see the temple of Apollo where Pythia was seated on her tripod, the theatre, the Stadium where Pythian games took place, buildings like the Athenian treasury, Siphnians, Naxians, etc.

The offerings that Delphians were receiving at that time were enormous, and it was always a magnet for invasions from Barbarian tribes. When Greece was conquered by the Romans, thousands of statues and artifacts were taken to Rome for years. Unfortunately, most of them were lost after so many centuries, also natural catastrophes such as earthquakes. It is believed that less than 10% survived.

Inside the Delphi museum, you will admire the charioteer of Delphi, the statue of 3 dancers, the Antinoos statue, the golden mask of Apollo, the huge Sphinx of Naxos, the friezes that describe famous themes from mythology, and much more. All (of these were) offerings of Greek city-states to the oracle of Delphi.

You can choose a restaurant for lunch (optional) in the village of Delphi as well as free time to explore Delphi or for shopping. Driving back to Athens we can visit the Monastery of Osios Loukas. Founded in about 1011 AD, the monastery of Osios Loukas is dedicated to a local Greek holy man who endured much suffering at the hands of the Moors and Saracens and finally made his home in this remote area of central Greece.

Built upon the foundations of an earlier religious structure dating back to 944 AD this octagonal Byzantine structure is a hallmark of medieval church design. It is in excellent condition and contains many well-preserved mosaics and paintings. The splendid mosaics and the architecture make this monastery one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine architecture and art.