Delphi Tour (9 hours)

Plain of Boeotia, Thebes, Osios Loukas monastery

The Delphi day tour will commence with a scenic drive along the national highway towards northern Greece, where you will have the opportunity to witness the plain of Boeotia and pass through the city of Thebes, known as the birthplace of King Oedipus and the legendary Hercules. The first stop on the tour will be the monastery of Osios Loukas, which is renowned as a prime example of the second golden age of Byzantine art during the 11^th and 12^th centuries.

Delphi, Delphi Archaeological Museum, Arachova

You will then be driven to Delphi, an ancient site with a history dating back to the 9th century B.C. Known as the "navel of the world," it was the location of the most important and influential oracle in ancient Greece. Moreover, it was a significant site for the worship of God Apollo after he defeated the legendary Python, a deity that protected the center of the world. The artifacts in Delphi can be traced back to the Neolithic period, around 4000 years B.C. and, with breaks of thousands of years, they can be identified during the Mycenaean times, too (1600 B.C. - 1100 B.C.). The Delphi sanctuary became the center of the ancient Greek world and the entire eastern Mediterranean due to the power and prestige of the oracle, which was visited not only by individuals but also by entire cities that wished to receive answers to their questions, including questions of a political nature. During your visit, you will see the Roman Agora, walk along the Sacred Way, and view the monument of the Argive Kings, the Polygonal wall, the monument of Platea, and the Temple of Apollo where the oracle could be found.

You will also visit the incredibly well-preserved 3rd-century Theater situated above the Temple. On the lower slope of the mountain is the Tholos, a building whose exact purpose is still unknown but architecturally is considered one of the masterpieces of the ancient world. Here, you can also see the Palestra where the athletes trained in preparation for the Pythian Games.

After exploring the archaeological site, you will proceed to the Delphi Archaeological Museum, which features the antiquities found in the complex of the Oracle dating back to the 18^th century B.C., Pythian Games, and many other artifacts. You will then have the opportunity to stop for traditional Greek lunch in Arachova, a mountainous village built on a cliff 900m above sea level and located close to the Parnassus ski resort. Following lunch, you will have some free time for shopping and wandering around before starting your drive back to Athens.