Description

Delphi and Arachova, Full Day Private Tour from Athens

There is no other ancient site that has more relevance in today’s world than Olympia. Ancient Olympia is a UNESCO site that must be included in everybody’s itinerary.
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.

TRIP PLAN – ROUTE

Athens
You will get picked up from your hotel, apartment, Airbnb, Athens airport, or Piraeus port
Delphi
Arrival at the archaeological site of Delphi after a 2,5 hours trip.
Free time for a walk at: Sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia – Ancient stadium and theater
Livadia (Pass By)
Livadeia is a town in central Greece. It is the capital of the Boeotia regional district. The area around Livadeia is mountainous, with farming activities mainly confined to the valleys. The area has traditionally been associated with the production and processing of cotton and tobacco, as well as the cultivation of cereal crops and the raising of livestock. The city is also known for having participated in the War of Troy in allegiance with Mycenae
Mount Parnassus (Pass By)
Mount Parnassus is a mountain in central Greece that towers above Delphi, north of the Gulf of Corinth. Mount Parnassus offers many advantages to the population of Greece. In peace, it possesses scenic views of the countryside and features olive groves and rolling hills. The mountain is also the location of historically, archaeologically, and culturally significant places of interest (such as Delphi). Recreationally, the slopes of Parnassus provide a medium for hiking (in the three warm seasons) and are skied in winter. Its melting snows provide water to the surrounding communities, reaching out as far as Athens. The mountain is composed of limestone, and its rock contains bauxite, ore that is rich in aluminum.
Arachova (Pass By)
Arachova is a mountain town and a former municipality in the western part of Boeotia, Greece, originally called Karyai (also spelled Caryae). Its name is of South Slavic origin and denotes a place with walnut trees. It is a tourist destination due to its location in the mountains, its traditions, and its proximity to the town of Delphi. Arachova has a panoramic view, uphill small houses, and the cobbled streets show a picturesque architecture. The town center includes a huge and steep cliff, the Bell Tower, covered with dense ivy. At the top of the tower is a large 10m height clock. Arachova is famous for its black wine, its “brusque”, the colorful textiles, carpets and rugs, handicrafts, and woodcut creations as well.
Delphi Archaeological Museum (60 minutes)
Delphi Archaeological Museum is one of the principal museums of Greece and one of the most visited. It is operated by the Greek Ministry of Culture. Founded in 1903, it has been rearranged several times and houses the discoveries made at the Panhellenic sanctuary of Delphi, which dates from the Late Helladic (Mycenean) period to the early Byzantine era. Organized in fourteen rooms on two levels, the museum mainly displays statues, including the famous Charioteer of Delphi, architectural elements, like the frieze of the Siphnian Treasury, and ex-votos dedicated to the sanctuary of Pythian Apollo, like the Sphinx of Naxos. The exhibition floor space is more than 2270m2, while the storage and conservation rooms (mosaics, ceramics, and metals) take up 558m2.
Temple of Apollo (60 minutes)
The Temple of Apollo, god of music, harmony, light, healing, and oracles occupied the most important and prominent position in the Delphic Panhellenic Sanctuary. The edifice with the partially restored colonnade visible today dates to the 4th century BC; it is the third temple built at the same place. The famous oracle, the Pythia, operated inside the temple, the location chosen, according to one tradition, due to a sacred chasm beneath the site emitting vapors, which were inhaled by the Pythia. Some ancient writers state that the Pythia then entered a state of delirium and uttering inarticulate cries, which were then turned into equivocal oracles by the priests. This interpretation is controversial, and has been challenged by scholars such as Joseph Fontenrose and Lisa Maurizio, who argue that the ancient sources uniformly represent the Pythia speaking intelligibly, and giving prophecies in her own voice.
Delphi (60 minutes)
Free time for lunch at a traditional Greek tavern with your friends and family or shopping.
Arachova (30 minutes)
Free time for a coffee before we start our trip back to Athens.
Monastery of Saint Luke (30 minutes)
Hosios Loukas is a breath-taking Byzantine monastery in a picturesque valley full of olive and almond trees near the town of Distomo. Hosios Loukas Monastery meaning “Esteemed Saint Luke” was not built in honor of Luke the Evangelist, but was established by the Greek monk Loukas. He was buried in the crypt of the monastery when he died in AD 953. One of the most striking aspects of the monastery is found at the entrance. If you look up, you will see a spectacular gold mosaic of the saint. Attached to the abbey is a large church, Katholikon, which in its turn is attached to a smaller temple, or Theotokos, erected between 997 and 1011 to honor the Virgin Mary.
The temples are beautifully decorated with numerous frescoes and mosaics, all perfectly preserved. Underneath the Katholikon is the crypt where the remains of the saint lie.
Although Hosios Loukas is smaller, the building may remind you of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul or St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.
Back in Athens
You will be dropped you off either at your hotel, or another location of your preference.

(The program of the excursion can be adjusted always according to the requirements of the passengers)

Delphi and Arachova, Full Day Private Tour from Athens

Good to know

Travel time: 10 hours (approx.)
Shopping availability: Yes.
Air conditioned: Inside the vehicle and the museums.
Photo restrictions: No flash photography and posing inside the museums.
Credit cards accepted: Yes.
All private tours can be customized further according to your needs and preferences.
During summer, Greece can be very hot. It is advised to have with you sunscreen, glasses, hats and dress lightly in order for you to enjoy more the time you will spend outdoors.
Moderate activity: Requires intermittent effort throughout, including walking medium distances over uneven surfaces and/or steps.

Included

Pick up and drop off service from your hotel/apartment/Airbnb/Athens airport/Piraeus port in Athens
Transportation by air-conditioned VIP car, minivan or minibus
Professional English-speaking Driver (applies for transports by car or minivan)
Professional English-speaking Driver & Escort of our office (applies for transport by minibus)
Wifi on board (free)
Bottle of water and coffee during the route (free)

NOT Included