Temple of Apollo at Delphi, Greece

Delphi, on the slopes of Mount Parnassus above the Pleistos valley, was the most important sanctuary of ancient Greece and the seat of the oracle of Apollo, whose priestess, the Pythia, gave prophecies to cities and kings. The Greeks believed it was the centre of the world, marked by a stone called the omphalos, or navel. The site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

The Sacred Way climbs past the treasuries that cities built for their offerings, including the restored Treasury of the Athenians, to the Temple of Apollo, whose ruins date from a rebuilding in the 4th century BC. Above it are the theatre, which held about 4,500 spectators, and the stadium, with a track 177 metres long. About 800 metres away, below the road, lies the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia with the circular Tholos, built around 380–360 BC. The museum next to the site displays the bronze Charioteer of Delphi, made around 470 BC to celebrate a chariot victory at the Pythian Games, together with the omphalos and sculptures from the treasuries.

Visitor Information

One ticket covers the archaeological site and the museum: €20, reduced €10, with timed entry when booked online at the official Hellenic Heritage ticket store. From 1 April to 31 October opening hours are 08:00–20:00 (the museum opens 10:00–17:00 on Tuesdays), and from 1 November to 31 March 08:30–15:30; last entry is 20 minutes before closing. Delphi is closed on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday and 25–26 December. Entry is free on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sundays of each month from November to March.

The sanctuary is steep and has little shade, so bring water and good shoes, and in summer start early or come in the late afternoon. Allow about two hours for the site and one for the museum.

Delphi is about 180 km north-west of Athens, around three hours by car, and KTEL buses from Athens run to the modern village of Delphi, about 10 minutes on foot from the site. Day tours from Athens are popular, but staying overnight in Delphi or nearby Arachova lets you visit at the quietest times.