Athens to Delphi: How to Visit and Is it Worth it?
Planning on travelling from Athens to Delphi? We did this trip a few years ago, so here’s exactly how we did it and whether it was worth it.
If you love historical sites in Greece, you should almost certainly add Delphi to your list of places to visit. It’s stunning, not just historically, but also in terms of the views you can see. Before I visited Delphi I naively didn’t know that Greece had any beautiful mountain scenery – boy was I wrong!
But, as well as the scenery, it’s also an incredibly important site from ancient Greece. If you get a guide, which I highly recommend, you’ll be able to learn so much about this ancient mountaintop civilization and, in turn, more about ancient Greece in general.
So, if you’re considering a trip to Delphi, here’s everything that happened during our trip, what to expect, and whether or not it was worth it.
✅ I highly recommend this tour to Delphi – we had the best day!
Where is Delphi?
Delphi is one of the best day trips from Athens. It’s located around a 2.5-hour drive (180 km) northwest of Athens. It’s situated in central Greece, on the southwestern slopes of Mount Parnassus, near the modern-day town of Delphi.
Because of its location, the views from the historical site are fantastic. You can see panoramic views of the Pleistos Valley which only adds to the beauty of the site.
👉 If you’re interested in other Athens day trips, check out my guide to visiting Corinth.
How to get from Athens to Delphi
There are several ways to get from Athens to Delphi. We travelled via a guided tour because it’s by far the easiest option. However, you can also drive yourself – driving in Athens is a bit hairy but once you leave the city, it’s pretty easy – or take public transport.
Public transport is the most time-consuming. You’ll need to take a bus from Athens to the KTEL Liosion Bus Station, which takes around 3 hours. You can find more information about the bus routes here.
The drive isn’t too hard and will take around 2.5 hours. One of the upsides to getting a tour instead of driving is that you’ll also have a guide who can tell you more information about the scenery, the surroundings, and the site along the way.
We went via a guided tour and I really cannot recommend them enough. The tour picked us up from our hotel, drove us there in a comfortable minivan, and gave us so many facts and information about Delphi along the way.
It was clear that he was really passionate about what he does and we really loved that. Plus, since Delphi is a really important historical site, there’s loads to learn.
✅ I highly recommend this tour to Delphi – we had the best day!
Why is Delphi important?
So, why was Delphi so important? Well, at one point, it was considered to be the centre of the world. In Greek Mythology, Delphi was a major cultural and religious hub for the ancient Greeks, but it’s mostly known for the Oracle of Delphi.
At this spot, the priestess Pythia would deliver prophecies believed to be inspired by the god Apollo. As such, the site attracted visitors from across Greece seeking guidance from the gods.
The site is also home to many significant relics, including the Temple of Apollo, the theatre, and the stadium, which hosted the Pythian Games in honour of Apollo.
All in all, it was one of the most important sites from ancient Greece, attracting thousands of people both for the prophecies and for the games. It was so much more than just a religious spot and was a vital part of ancient Greek civilization.
Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and still attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world.
What to expect from an Athens to Delphi Tour?
I believe that a tour is the best way to see Delphi. Since it’s such an important site, the extra information from a tour guide is well worth it.
On the day of our tour, we were picked up from our hotel in Athens bright and early. Then, we were driven to Delphi with a quick coffee stop at Livadia on the way.
When we arrived in Delphi, our guide picked up the tickets and then started the guided tour. We visited the most impressive site, the Temple of Apollo, first. This palace is truly breathtaking, and the views over the surrounding mountains are magnificent.
Our guide explained the history of the spot and then gave us a little bit of time to explore it, wander around, and take photos.
We then headed to the Sanctuary of Athena Pronea which, with the famous Tholos, is possibly the most famous sight in Delphi. This was probably the photograph that made you want to book a Delphi tour in the first place. Once again, our guide gave us the history, and then let us explore.
We then passed the Treasury of the Athenians, a beautiful structure that our guide told us was looted of all of its treasure.
He also took us to the Ancient Theatre, the Stoa of the Athenians, the Gymnasium, and the ancient Stadium, where he explained about the Pythian Games.
I love how in-depth our guide went and we learned a lot about all the different things to see in Delphi.
✅ I highly recommend this tour to Delphi – we had the best day!
The Delphi Archaeological Museum
After wandering around the archaeological site, our guide took us to the Museum of Delphi as well, to see some of the artefacts they excavated from the site.
This was equally fascinating and one of the best museums to visit in Greece. Inside, you’ll find a collection of artefacts that span the history of the site.
This includes the Charioteer of Delphi, a beautiful bronze statue from the 5th century BCE, and the Sphinx of Naxos, a huge sculpture that was once in the Sanctuary of Apollo.
Our guide showed us the most important things within the museum, gave us loads of information about them, and then gave us some free time to explore the museum by ourselves.
Heading back to Athens
Once we explored the museum, we hopped back in the van and headed back to Athens.
On the way, we also stopped off at the viewpoint of Arachova, an absolutely beautiful spot with stunning mountain views.
After a quick 10-minute stop to take some photos and admire the view, we drove the rest of the journey back to the city and were dropped back at our hotel.
The best Athens to Delphi Tour
If you want to experience the best of Delphi, I highly recommend going on a guided tour. This is by far the best way to get a full understanding of what you’re seeing at the historical site and the guides are so informative and helpful.
We travelled from Athens to Delphi in this way and I highly recommend this tour.
It was one of the best things we did during our 4 days in Athens, and the perfect day trip from the city.
✅ I highly recommend this tour to Delphi – we had the best day!
What is the best time to visit Delphi?
Honestly, Delphi can be visited all year round. We spent a few days in Athens in late October, so this was also when we travelled to Delphi. During this time of year, we found the site to be relatively empty – I think there was only one other tour group there besides ours.
You’ll typically find that the summer months are the busiest time to visit. The site can get pretty busy during these months and the resultant crowds can make the experience less enjoyable. Plus, the heat can be pretty unbearable during peak summer.
In my opinion, the best time to visit Delphi is during the spring (April to June) and the autumn (September to October).
During these months, the weather is still warm, with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F), but not unbearably hot. You’ll also have fewer crowds.
The surrounding landscape is also particularly beautiful during these times with wildflowers blooming in the spring, and pretty foliage in the autumn.
How long do you need to visit Delphi?
I would allow around 3 hours to explore the archaeological site – maybe longer if you’re really into history – and a further 2 hours to see the museum.
If you’re travelling from Athens to Delphi via a guided tour, these are typically 10 hours long from start to finish and the drive is about 2.5 hours each way.
This gives you around 5 hours to see the site, which, in my opinion, is perfect.
✅ I highly recommend this tour to Delphi – we had the best day!
Is visiting Delphi from Athens worth it?
Yes, a trip from Athens to Delphi is 100% worth it and, in my opinion, it’s one of the best things you can do in Athens. The site is completely fascinating and we loved our tour here.
If you do visit Delphi, I cannot recommend a guided tour enough. There’s so much additional information you can learn about the site that it’s worth paying for a guide, especially if you love Greek history.
Overall, if you’re considering booking a tour to Delphi, do it! You won’t regret it, trust me!
👉 Haven’t got a place to stay yet? Here are all of my favourite places to stay in Athens!
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