Delphi private tour: Navel of Earth, Apollo Temple, Oracle
About This Tour
Discover Delphi on a private full-day journey from Athens to one of Greece’s most celebrated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Travel in a private, air-conditioned v...
Duration: 9 Hours · Tour type: Private · Activity level: Easy · Accommodation: Included · Transport: Included · Wheelchair access: No · Cities: Athens, Levadeia, Delphi, Arachova · Languages: English
Know before you go: INFANT SEATS AVAILABLE; PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEARBY; INFANTS MUST SIT ON LAPS; Not wheelchair accessible; Not stroller accessible; Not suitable for pets; Our drivers are not official tour guides, but they are knowledgeable and can provide fascinating commentary in fluent English. Although they will not enter the archaeological sites with you, they can answer all of your questions about the places you visit with this tour.; Third party activities and especially extreme sports are not allowed during the tour. This can be a cause for immediate cancellation of the tour.; This is a private tour. Only your group will participate. The pick-up time is adjustable upon your request.Your personal driver will pick you up and return you to the same place or to the point you prefer.In case of a hotel, he will be waiting for you in the hotel lobby.In case of an apartment, he will be waiting for you at the entrance of the building.For airport pick up, he will be waiting for you at the arrival hall holding a sign with your name on it to spot him upon arrival. We will track your flight and our driver will be there on time.For port pick up, he will be waiting for you at the gate, just as you disembark, holding a sign with your name on it to spot him upon arrival.
About Arachova
Arachova
Explore the list of top ranked local tour guides in Arachova. Get tour activities offered by tour companies and independent travel guides in Arachova.
What's Included
- Professional drivers with deep knowledge of history (not licensed to accompany you in any site)
- Private transportation
- Hotel/ airport/ port pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- WiFi on board
- Bottled water
Not Included
- Licensed tour guide (upon request and depending on availability)
- Gratuities
- Delphi & Delphi Archaeological Museum (can be purchased on-site)
Itinerary
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1Day 01
You will get picked up from your hotel, apartment, Airbnb, Athens airport, or Piraeus port.Arrival at Delphi after a 2,5 hours trip. Free time for a walk at: - sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia - ancient stadium and theaterLivadeia 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 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. In war, Parnassus has been a center of resistance if need be, providing cover and refuge to partisans.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 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.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.Free time for lunch at a traditional Greek tavern with your friends and family or shopping.Free time for a coffee before we start our trip back to Athens.
Meeting Point
Meeting point: Pickup service provided in Athens. · Tour start: Pickup service provided in Athens. — Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
