From Athens to Delphi - What's To See Between Them?

The Monastery of Osios Loukas is quite interesting and the mosaics are some of the best of that particular Byzantine art form. Would recommend a local guide at Delphi. Even with guidebook in hand there were some really interesting things we would have missed. We spent our last night in Athens because we had a mid-morning flight out. Hopefully someone else can give you a recommendation.

Unless you have a reason to drive, I would take the air conditioned tour bus to Delphi from Athens. The guide makes the trip; he tells you what you are seeing.

I dont remember any towns between. Get a map and choose the town you want to stay in if you decide to drive.

The travel agent next door to the Youth Hostel at 16 Victor Hugo Street booked our tours the week we spent in Athens. I felt the tour cost was reasonable.

I took a similar day bus tour to Delphi from Athens years and years ago and it was a great trip. I think it would be much easier than renting a car. The monastery sounds really great, but check your travel time. I think it's a severe detour off the main route between Delphi and Athens when I checked my atlas. No super highway and mountains. ; ) Sure sounds good though and makes me want to go back to Greece. Pam

I'm also interested in the day tour to Delphi. Does anyone have a recommendation of a good tour company for the trip? Thanks.

Rachael

A day trip does have some advantages in terms of convenience but I would opt for the car if you can. The daytrip feels very rushed to me.

We spent a couple of nights in Delphi in September and it was great to be able to go onto the site late afternoon once most of the trips had gone.

There aren't that many options for staying between Athens and Delphi. Thebes (Thiva in Greek) is the most obvious as it's just over half way back. It's pleasant enough but not very interesting.

Livadhia on the river Erkyna is much more scenic but is closer to Delphi and, I think, only has a couple of hotels.

If you need to get back to Athens for a flight do you know you can now skirt the centre on the way to the airport? This map might be helpful

http://62.103.163.50/UserFiles/File/travelers/access_parking/access_maps_2007/161801_attica_airport_access_big.jpg

Cheers
Alan

Rachael,

As far as I can tell there are two "drive" options for getting to Delphi--a western/southern highway that will take you past Osios Loukas and is much shorter and an eastern/northern highway that will take you out of the way but has more to see (Thebes, Thermopylae). We are going this summer, leaving Athens, stopping at Marathon and Thebes and staying in a coastal town north of Thebes called Agios Konstantinos (recommended by a Greek friend). We'll then continue on to Delphi by way of Thermopylae the next day. We are planning on staying in Delphi for a day, so that itinerary may be too much for you to cover but maybe will give you some ideas?

Kim

If you haven't taken your trip as yet, CHAT tours has been recommended to me. We are going to be in Athens/Islands in March and don't want drive so will take the long bus ride to Delphi. I understand that you can request to stay at the site and not go on the lunch and meet up with the tour later. In that way, you have more time at the site. Still more research to do but this travel site has been very helpful. Thanks.

Ah, Joanne, I checked out CHAT tours as it tickled in my brain. I am convinced it's the company that ran the trips that I took decades ago when I was a student visiting on my own in Athens. I did the Delphi, the Epidaurus/Mycenae and the Corinth tours! They were good. You brought back some great memories.