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Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 24 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: John Malathronas

One of the most evocative and intriguing archaeological sites in Greece, Delphi was the site of the Oracle – a pythia (priestess), who would channel the god Apollo whilst in a trance. Some of her vague prophesies appear in Greek historical texts, others are still proverbs today.

The extensive site, considered by the ancients to be the Earth’s nave, is full of ‘treasuries’ built to thank the Oracle. The excavated, superbly fashioned artefacts can be visited in its must-see museum.

Alongside the Temple of Apollo and treasuries, the site’s other main draw is the spectacular theatre, dating back to the 4th century BC, with a capacity of over 5,000. Delphi was the location of the Pythian Games, rivals to the Olympics in antiquity, which took place in the amphitheatre.

Don’t miss 

Don’t miss the stunning statue of The Charioteer in the museum, one of the few surviving bronzes from antiquity. Also look out for the Omphalos of Delphi – a marble, navel-shaped sculpture, discovered on the site and now housed in the museum. The Greeks believed that its place at the site of the Oracle represented the very centre of the earth.

Price from: £10
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

The site is 2.5 hours’ drive from the centre of Athens.

As Delphi is the most popular day trip from Athens, so there are plenty of organised tours. These have the advantage of organising all the logistics for you, and going with an expert guide whose insights will bring the site to life.

If you prefer to go independently, it’s fairly easy to self-drive, which has the advantage of more flexibility and allowing you more time at the site. You can also take the public KTEL bus from Liossion station. There are three buses from Athens daily (two at weekends) and as many returning. If you do take the bus, it’s best to overnight in the village as you won’t have much time to roam the site before you return. Pick up a map of the site at the ticket booth and/or download one of the numerous audio guides online.

When to do it

The museum and site are open daily all year (times vary greatly). There’s free admission on every first Sunday of the month from November 1st to March 31st.

The best time to visit is in the morning, ideally before 11am, when the sun will be lot and most of the crowds and coach tours have yet to arrive.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Delphi One Day Trip from Athens with Pickup and Optional Lunch

Athens

Delphi One Day Trip from Athens with Pickup and Optional Lunch
After meeting your guide in Athens, hear tales about the ancient Greeks and their lives in Delphi while travelling by air-conditioned coach with zero carbon footprint. You will reach Delphi towards Mt. Parnassos, making a short rest stop outside the town of Levadia. The first stop is the Delphi archaeological site – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Skip the lines and walk around the evocative ruins with your guide, see famous monuments like the monument of the Argive Kings, the treasury of the Athenians, the monument of Platea and the Temple of Apollo famous for its oracle. The second stop is the Delphi museum, with its spectacular exhibits. Be sure to check out the bronze Charioteer of Delphi and the Sphinx of Naxos. After lunch, visit Athena Pronaia Sanctuary, the most photographed spot in Delphi. Return to Athens passing by the picturesque Arachova, built on the slopes of Parnassus, well known for its attractive hand-woven carpets, rugs and quilts, as well as for its wine and cheese.

Price: €38

Min age: 0

Rating 4.55 / 5 [764 ratings]

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From Athens: Full-Day Bus Trip to Delphi and Arachova

Athens

From Athens: Full-Day Bus Trip to Delphi and Arachova
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Delphi, the epicenter of wisdom, on a full-day bus trip from Athens. Admire the breathtaking mountainous scenery of Parnassus and feel the vibes of the ancient nature. Explore the center of the ancient Greek world Let Pythia introduce you to the Oracle of Delphi Meet the Apollo Temple & Athena Pronaia Sanctuary (Tholos) Explore Delphi’s Archaeological Museum, discover the famous Charioteer and the other treasures of Delphi Museum Visit the Greek traditional village of Arachova (short stop)

Price: €39

Min age: 0

Rating 4.71 / 5 [157 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Delphi One Day Trip from Athens

Athens

Delphi One Day Trip from Athens
Guided tour of the Temple of Apollo and the world famous Oracle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site See the Athenian Treasure Explore Delphi Museum and see the Charioteer of Delphi Hotel pick-up and drop-off included

Price: €90

Min age: 0

Rating 4.25 / 5 [64 ratings]

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Delphi Guided Small Group Day Tour from Athens

Athens

Delphi Guided Small Group Day Tour from Athens
Joining the "Delphi highlights small group tour" you'll spend a day exploring one of the world's most famous archeological sites.Pick up and drop off from your hotel or apartment will be very easy for you as it is included in our service.You will enjoy the driving through central Greece socializing with the rest of the participants as it will be maximum 10 persons in this group. You will avoid all long lines as small group tours move fast without waisting time.Once you enter the archeological site,follow your official guide to hear everything about the history, mythology and even modern facts of the "navel of the world".Small group tours guarantee flexibility, personalized service and no long queing.

Price: €110

Min age: 0

Rating 4.76 / 5 [117 ratings]

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Delphi ^ Corycian Cave and king Leonidas with Ǝoo Spartians

Athens

Delphi ^ Corycian Cave and king Leonidas with Ǝoo Spartians
Join us to live your myth, max 7 guests On our way we ll see Marathon lake the start of marathon race, Thives city the spot that Oedipus killed his father in Aeschylus tragedy and walk at celebrity ski resort village of Arachova. Then Delphi, temple of Athena tholos,holy spring, oracle and museum. Lunch with Delphi riviera view After off road drive to height 1400m / 4593f visiting the cave oracle since 4.000 b.c.not full excavated. Later the HOT GATES, the Leonidas and 300 Spartans monument with full description and view of the battleefield, the path that traitor revealed to the Persians and they surrounded the Spartans, the hill that last Spartan die protecting the dead body of King Leonidas. In Delphi museum and archaeological site guide is not allowed but before for 2 hours as we drive i wll explain the myths and historical events in ancient Greece not only for Delphi but concerning religion the immortality of the soul with the Eleusinian mysteries, the culture, and the sciences.

Price: €165

Min age: 6

Rating 4.88 / 5 [194 ratings]

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2-Day Trip to Delphi and Meteora from Athens

Athens

2-Day Trip to Delphi and Meteora from Athens
Visit Ancient Delphi and Meteora, two legendary UNESCO World Heritage sites, on a 2-day tour from Athens! With an expert guide, explore the archeological site at Delphi on a walking tour and learn about Ancient Greece while seeing the Sanctuary of Apollo and more. Travel through the picturesque towns of the Thessalian plains, and stay overnight in a 3- or 4-star hotel in Kalambaka, gateway to Meteora. The following day, explore two of Meteora’s beguiling cliff-top monasteries before making the journey back to Athens.

Price: €186

Min age: 0

Rating 4.11 / 5 [618 ratings]

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Delphi full day private tour from Athens

Athens

Delphi full day private tour from Athens
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Delphi, home of the 4th-century-BC Temple of Apollo on this private, full day excursion from Athens. Travel in private, air-conditioned vehicles and get around all the sites your group is interested in visiting within the extensive mountainside archaeological complex before returning comfortably to Athens. - Your guides are not official site guides, but can explain all about the sites on the way to and from Delphi - Stop at the Delphi ruins, the Temple of Apollo, and Delphi Archaeological Museum - See the sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia, ancient stadiums, and theatres

Price: €189

Min age: 0

Rating 4.90 / 5 [263 ratings]

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2-Day Delphi and Meteora Tour from Athens

Athens

2-Day Delphi and Meteora Tour from Athens
Do not miss the opportunity with this two day tour from Athens to see and visit the majestic Meteora grey rocks and its cliff-top monasteries.

Price: €189

Min age: 0

Rating 4.31 / 5 [147 ratings]

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Delphi, Itea, Galaxidi full day private tour from Athens

Athens

Delphi, Itea, Galaxidi full day private tour from Athens
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Delphi, home of the 4th-century-BC Temple of Apollo on this private, full day excursion from Athens. Travel in private, air-conditioned vehicles and get around all the sites your group is interested in visiting within the extensive mountainside archaeological complex before returning comfortably to Athens. • Your guides are not official site guides, but can explain all about the sites on the way to and from Delphi • Stop at the Delphi ruins, the Temple of Apollo, and Delphi Archaeological Museum • See the sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia, ancient stadiums, and theatres • Relax by the sea at Galaxidi

Price: €204

Min age: 0

Rating 4.97 / 5 [35 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Delphi Private Full Day Tour from Athens

Athens

Delphi Private Full Day Tour from Athens
Visit the most famous oracle of the antiquity and feel like an ancient pilgrim who waits for an oath from Pythia but be careful because the answer is always in your soul! That was the way ancient Greeks were thinking. Climb up one of the sites that UNESCO protects and feel the awe about the landscape and the humans’ intellect!

Price: €245

Min age: 1

Rating 4.97 / 5 [68 ratings]

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Private Delphi & Thermopylae Tour from Athens

Athens

Private Delphi & Thermopylae Tour from Athens
Be captivated by the amazing monument of King Leonidas and the renowned “Hot Springs” at Thermopylae! Visit the breathtaking sites in Delphi and learn the rich history of the Castalia Spring, the archaeological site, the Amphitheatre, the Athenian Treasury, the ancient Gymnasium, the ancient Stadium an the Temple of Apollo famous for its oracle Pythia and the Navel of the Earth. Explore the Museum of Delphi, with its spectacular collection of artifacts, including the Naxian Sphinx, the unique bronze Charioteer and the Statue of Antinoos.  Enjoy your traditional “village style” lunch on the magnificent Caldera at Delphi, overlooking the Corinthian Gulf.

Price: €250

Min age: 0

Rating 4.86 / 5 [119 ratings]

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Private Delphi and Hosios Loukas Monastery - Great Lunch and Drinks Included

Athens

Private Delphi and Hosios Loukas Monastery - Great Lunch and Drinks Included
Our tours are about people and we have always been good with people! We skip the obvious places and we do not compromise quality to create a "cheaper' tour. You will experience some of the most stunning archaeological sites that Greece has to offer, including the Temple of Apollo, Athina Pronaia & the Stadium. Transporting you back through the ages, this tour will also bring you to Arachova, a village built out of stone, and Osios Loukas, a 1,000 years old monastery at a beautiful location to treat you to a coffee. The convenience for your group of 1-8 people is unbeatable, pick-up and drop-off right at your Athens hotel. You can leave all the planning up to your driver/tour leader; an expert in creating a great experience for you. * The tour is truly private, not only in a small group. * Expect punctuality, friendliness, and professionalism. * Eat and drink what the locals eat away from the touristy spots. * Includes a stop at Athina Pronaia, a site at Delphi that many visitors miss

Price: £340

Min age: 5

Rating 4.96 / 5 [28 ratings]

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4-Day Classical Greece Tour: Epidaurus, Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora

Athens

4-Day Classical Greece Tour: Epidaurus, Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora
Step back in time on this 4-day Classical Greece tour from Athens, seeing all the top attractions that date back to this fascinating era. With overnight accommodation included and an expert guide to accompany you, the tour highlights the country’s most intriguing archeological sites – four of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Explore Epidaurus, Mycenae, Olympia and Delphi, and visit 11th-century monasteries perched on the rock towers of Meteora.

Price: €520

Min age: 0

Rating 4.56 / 5 [616 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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2 Days Private Tour: Delphi & Meteora

Athens

2 Days Private Tour: Delphi & Meteora
For those who want to see two of the most visited places in Greece only in two days. Visit Delphi, the centre of the earth and the incredible Meteora rocks and feel impressed by Greek nature…

Price: €550

Min age: 1

Rating 4.96 / 5 [31 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Private Tour: Delphi Day Trip from Athens Including wonderful local Lunch

Athens

Private Tour: Delphi Day Trip from Athens Including wonderful local Lunch
Visit one of the most impressive sights of Ancient Greece on this private guided full day tour to Delphi. Leave Athens behind and travel through incredible scenery to ancient Delphi, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore the archeological site with your private guide, and take the time to enjoy its many wonders including the monument of the Argive kings and the treasury of the Athenians. The site is very large and there is a lot to see including the famous oracle where in ancient times people believed they would learn what their future held. Enjoy the views from the site, they are incredible – the setting is so impressive that in ancient times it was considered the navel of the world. After vitising the site, next stop is the museum. The exhibits complement what you saw at the site allowing for a better understanding of the role Delphi had in antiquity. Next highlight is lunch. At a spectacular setting, enjoy a sumptuous 3course meal. Local tastes, hospitality and fun! A lovely day

Price: €785

Min age: 0

Rating 4.95 / 5 [20 ratings]

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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

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