I will be in Athens in October and want to take a one day tour from Athens to Delphi and Thermopylae. I would like recommendations please. An English speaking guide would be nice, but audio would work as well. Recommendations anyone?
Julia Bruner
Posted by
585 posts
Fantasy Travel in Athens offer day tours in English. Did not do Delphi but went to Corinth with them, excellent half day tour with good English speaking guide. Would be happy to take more tours with them.
Posted by
San Diego, California
4675 posts
The above are results from a Search here on the Forum. Hope it helps! Have a great trip!
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3317 posts
THere is probably not a tour that combines both places.... and anyway, have you looked up thermopylae in a good guide book or even Wikipedia. THE fact is, the terrain has changed SO radically in the past 2,000 y ears, that it is not possible to invisage the battle there, and the narrow pass .. friends who have been there say that you wouldn't know it wasa the place except for a marker. To get to Delphi takes over 3 hours, ditto returning.. so usually a day tour doesn't include anything else.
The group bus day tours are not that satisfactory because they spend a whole lot f time in Athens picking up customers at vrious hotels then have rest stop half way. So they doon't arrive until about 10:30 --- and then about 8 busses aarrive ata once!! they all go onto the ruoins, and then at about 12 - 12:30, they ALL Wnt to jam into the museum, so its jampacked, noisy, yo can't see the exhibits, its a big mess. THEN the guides drag peoople away... NOT to go see the Athen tholos tomb , oh no! but to leave the site entirely! WHy? in order to take you to a restaurant for a group meal - which you did not order, is usually NOT very goodo, and You Pay For (can you hear kickback?). After that, the bus gets underway, but many of them stop at cheap souvenir stores (kickback?) nad then at 3 or 3;30 head back to Athens.
If you want to go on oyour own, you could get up early at catch the 7 am KTEL express bus, from Lioossion Terminal (have your hotel clerk call & reserve a ticket because it's popular & could sell out all 30+ seats). You'd get there before the bus mobs ... aand if you go on line, you can buy an audio guide for the ruins (ther are none availble on premises). Here's one -- I have not tried it -- https://www.getyourguide.com/delphi-greece-l116/delphi-the-google-of-the-ancient-world-self-guided-tour-t124919/
The museum is well signaged and without a guide can be enjoyed very much when not crowded ... so you might go there FIRST.... and then while the mobs are storming the museum, you can be peaceful rambling the ruins. You can even take sandwiches and discreetly have a picnic high up on the hill. The last bus is I think 6 pm, but find out, and buy at ticket for the return bus you want. If you change your mind you can switch the ticket at the ticket office in Delphi (which s actually in a souvenir store at the village "crossroads" -- just ask the driver).
If you want a superb licensed guide to take you through there's an excellent one living in Delphi whoo would meet ou at the site. but of course, Licensed guides (who are the only guides allow to enter official site/s museums) have a long rigorus training, and charge according. about 60E an hour lately, w 2 hr minimum , for up to 4 people. If u were in a group, that would be v. affordable.