This September we will be in Greece. After our stay in Athens we will be renting a car and traveling to Delphi and then around the Peloponnese. We are looking for suggestions for a scenic route and places of interest to stop along the drive to Delphi. We welcome input and advice.
Posted by
11569 posts
Arachova is only 8k from Delphi but might be of interest to you. It has been known for it’s weavers but also is a resort town.
Posted by
Jasper, GA, USA
105 posts
Hosios Loukos (monastery); Distomo is often missed but has a sobering monument to those killed by Nazis in WWII.
Posted by
Athens, Greece
106 posts
Hi there! Let's see some options...
a) Athens - Corinth Canal (stop at Ancient Corinth & Nemea - Nafplion (Mycenae, Tiryns site, Epidarus, Ligourio village, Tolo or Asine Beach area) - Mystras - Monemvasia - Olympia (Olympia site and Archaeological Museum) - Delphi via Pyrgos-Patra-Rion/Antirrion Bridge-Nafpaktos-Itea (4 hours) - Rest stops at Nafpaktos &/or Galaxidi - Visit Delphi site plus the Museum (3-4 hours minimum to see) - drive to Meteora (5 hours) - Athens
b) Athens - Nafplio (day trips to Tiryns and Mycenae and Epidaurus) - Mystras - Kardamyli - Methoni - Ancient Olympia (day trip to Bassae and Neda Waterfalls) - Delphi (Arachova and Galaxidi) - Athens
I think you need at least 8-10 days to see them all...
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
Directly answering your question, definitely a stop at Hosios Loukas monastery on the way to Delphi. It is a few miles off the main highway you'll be traveling on. Some of the best Byzantine architecture in Greece, and a very quaint site overall.
I recommend staying overnight someplace other than Delphi, which is a pretty dull town with no character. Galixidi, an old seatown on the Gulf of Corinth is just 30 minutes beyond Delphi and a scenic drive. And if driving to the Peloponnese the next morning, you can easily leave from Galixidi and drive along the north coast to Petras and cross the bridge there.
Are you also looking for suggestions on the Peloponnese?
Posted by
23 posts
My husband and I drove from Athens to Delphi last year and really enjoyed it. We stopped in Arachova on the way back and spent a few hours wandering in and out of the shops and then had a light lunch. It is also not too far from Delphi and you can stop on your way there or on the way back.
We also drove a good amount around the Peloponnese as well (Delphi - Nafplio - Monemvasia) and found the drive to be pretty great. There were a ton of signs on the roads (even the back roads) that pointed out little sites to see that we felt we never would have found without driving. We also really enjoyed being able to pull over, take pictures, and just enjoy the scenery.