Dasargyris Taverna
What to order: the house kokoretsi or kontosouvli, the dishes that made it famous, and something from the pot of the day.
Delfon 56, on the main street · book on +30 22670 31291
geocalia
Day itinerary · 38.48° N · 22.58° E
Arachova in a day, Pan's cave in the morning and the Parnassus village in the afternoon.
A guided climb to the Corycian Cave from the Livadi plateau, kokoretsi in Arachova's oldest taverna and the village up to the clock tower.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Atenas fromBarcelona 3 h 15Bilbao 3 h 45Madrid 3 h 45Málaga 4 h
Part of Arachova
Add to my trip
Total time11 h
By car2 h each way
From Athens2 h by car, 170 km
Route6 km · 300 m of ascent
GuideTrekking Hellas from €46
DifficultyMedium
Best timeApril – June · September – November
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Athens 2 h by car
Lamia motorway, Livadia exit and the Arachova road; go straight up to Livadi
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1
Hike to the Corycian Cave, the Sanctuary of Pan and the Nymphs
Trekking Hellas, meet at the Micro Café in Livadi · from €46
- 15 min by car9 km
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2
Dasargyris Taverna
Kokoretsi and kontosouvli; book on 22670 31291
Delfon 56, 32004 Arachova · +30 22670 31291
Restaurant €€Book - Carry on on foot
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3
A Walk Around Arachova: the Clock Tower and the Town's Steps
Steps from the main street
- Carry on on foot
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4
Church of Saint George, Arachova
The viewpoint over the rooftops
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Back home
Via Livadia; in Athens around 19:00
Approximate cost
About €65–80 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Hike to the Corycian Cave, the Sanctuary of Pan and the Nymphs
Arachova is the mountain of the Athenians: in winter, for the Parnassus slopes; the rest of the year, for the stone village and the paths above it. This plan is for spring and autumn: an easy guided climb to the Corycian Cave, the sacred cave of Pan and the nymphs, a spit-roast lunch in the village's oldest taverna and the afternoon on its stairways. In winter, the switch to skiing is further down.
The day, hour by hour
6:45 · Leave Athens. Motorway towards Lamia to the Livadia exit, the Arachova road and, before entering the village, the climb to the Livadi plateau.
9:00 · The Corycian Cave. Meet the Trekking Hellas guide at the Micro Café in Livadi. An hour and a half along an easy forest track, from 1,050 to 1,350 metres, half an hour inside the cave with a torch and back. From €46 per person in a group; from age 8.
13:00 · Lunch at Dasargyris. You drive down to Arachova in a quarter of an hour. The taverna opened in 1918 on the main street and has been roasting meat from the morning ever since: kokoretsi and kontosouvli. Book.
15:00 · The village. Climb the steps to the clock tower, with the Delphi valley below, and carry on through the upper district.
16:00 · Agios Georgios. The church at the very top, with the esplanade above the rooftops.
17:00 · Return. In Athens around 19:00.
In winter
With snow, swap the cave for a day at the Parnassos Ski Centre: leave at 6:30, ski from 9:00 to 16:00 and come down to dinner in Arachova. In 2025-26 the lift pass cost €35 at weekends and €20 from Tuesday to Thursday; check the resort status the day before. If someone does not ski, the guided snowshoeing leaves near Kelaria.
Distance6 km
Ascent300 m
Time3 h 30
Change the route
From December to March, with snow: a ski day at Kelaria or Fterolaka; lift pass €20 to €35 in 2025-26:
Skiing on Parnassus: Kelaria and Fterolaka
In winter, for those who do not ski: guided snowshoeing from €55:
Guided snowshoeing on Parnassus
If you prefer Delphi to the cave: the sanctuary is ten minutes away:
Sanctuary of Apollo: the oracle, the theatre and the stadium
If you turn it into two days: a night in the village centre:
Afanos Guesthouse
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Arachova
From April to November, when the cave track is free of snow. In summer, Livadi is cool at 1,100 metres. From December to March, swap the cave for a ski day on Parnassus or snowshoeing.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the hike ahead
The price drops the more people there are in the group.
- 2A torch in the rucksack
The cave has no light.
- 3Book lunch at weekends
Dasargyris fills up.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Athens to Arachova?
About two hours by car, 170 km.
Is the climb to the Corycian Cave hard?
No: 6 km round trip on a forest track and 300 metres of ascent. From age 8.
Can you ski in a day from Athens?
Yes, leaving early: Parnassus is about two and a half hours away.
Is Arachova near Delphi?
Ten minutes by car.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/greece/central-greece/arachova/itineraries/parnassus-corycian-cave-and-spit-roast
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.