Amalia Hotel Delphi
Why we like it: A large hotel on the edge of Delphi, with gardens, a summer pool, a restaurant and rooms with a balcony over the valley that runs down to Itea.
Duration1 night
From Athens2 h 30 by car · 3 h by bus
TicketsDelphi €20 · Osios Loukas €10
Best timeApril – June · September – November
BringShoes for walking the path down
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Athens on a Saturday morning by car and return on Sunday afternoon. The sanctuary goes on Sunday at opening, without groups; from November to March it closes at 15:30. Without a car, swap Osios Loukas for another morning in the village and take the KTEL from Liosion.
Saturday
- 108:00Leave Athens
Motorway towards Lamia and exit at Livadia.
- 210:30Osios Loukas Monastery
Eleventh-century mosaics on a gold background. €10; closes at 15:30.
- 313:00Arachova
Lunch and a walk round the stone village of Parnassus.
- 416:00Castalian Spring and tholos of Athena Pronaia
The tholos in the afternoon light, at the entrance to Delphi.
- 517:30Arrival at Delphi
Check in at the Fedriades and stroll down the main street.
- 620:00Dinner at Vakhos
Home-cooked stews and Parnassus wine, on the terrace over the valley.
Sunday
- 108:00Sanctuary of Apollo
At opening (8:30 in winter): the Sacred Way, the temple, the theatre and the stadium. €20 with the museum.
- 210:30Delphi Museum
The Charioteer, the Sphinx of the Naxians and the omphalos.
- 312:00Ancient path towards Chrisso
A descent of an hour and a half through olive groves; back by taxi to Delphi.
- 414:30Lunch at Epikouros and return
A table with a view of the valley and the drive back: in Athens around 19:00.
Delphi in a day from Athens is five hours on the road for a few of visiting. With one night, the trip changes: you arrive in the afternoon without rush, dine watching the Pleistos valley light up, and the next morning you climb to the sanctuary when it opens, in the cool and almost alone. Then the museum and the ancient path that goes down through olive groves towards the sea.
How do you get there from Athens?
By car, about two and a half hours along the motorway towards Lamia and the Livadia and Arachova road. If you are coming off a flight, pick up the car at the airport. Without a car, the KTEL Fokidas bus leaves from the Liosion station and takes about three hours, with a stop in Arachova.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Fedriades | Main street | A room with a view of the gulf; without a car, next to the bus |
| Parnassos Delphi | Main street, 300 m from the museum | Families and bus travel |
| Amalia | Edge of the village | By car, with a garden and summer pool |
And with one more day?
Continue north: Meteora, with its monasteries on the rocks, is about three and a half hours away. Athens, Delphi and Meteora in three days is the classic circuit of mainland Greece.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Delphi, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Delphi
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
By car via Hosios Loukas and Arachova
By car you do the whole route: the Hosios Loukas monastery on the way out, Arachova for a coffee and Delphi for the afternoon and the next morning. From Athens it is about 180 km by the motorway towards Lamia and the Livadia road. It is a long day to go and come back; with a night, you enjoy it.
70–120 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepAmalia Hotel Delphi, with free…
- Getting aroundTolls on the motorway as…
- EatingDelphi tavernas, €15 to €25…
- ServicesSanctuary car park
Where to sleep
- Amalia Hotel Delphi, with free parking and a summer pool
- Phaedriades, on the main street, parking on the street
Getting around
- Tolls on the motorway as far as the Livadia exit
- In winter, the road through Arachova fills with skiers at weekends
- Parking beside the sanctuary
Eating
- Delphi tavernas, €15 to €25 per person
- Arachova, to eat on the way back
Services
- Sanctuary car park
- Petrol stations in Livadia and Arachova
On the Liosion bus, with a night in the village
Without a car, Delphi is perfectly possible if you sleep one night: the KTEL Fokidas bus takes about three hours from Athens and drops you on the main street, a few minutes from the sanctuary. A day return is possible but tight.
60–100 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepParnassos Delphi Hotel, 300 m…
- Getting aroundOn foot: the village, the…
- EatingVakhos and Epikouros, on foot…
- ServicesKTEL Fokidas bus from Liosion…
Where to sleep
- Parnassos Delphi Hotel, 300 m from the bus station
- Phaedriades, on the same main street
Getting around
- On foot: the village, the museum, the sanctuary and the Castalian Spring are less than 20 minutes away
- Taxi for Arachova or to return from Chrisso if you walk down the ancient path
Eating
- Vakhos and Epikouros, on foot from the hotels
Services
- KTEL Fokidas bus from Liosion station
Fly to Athens and two and a half hours to Delphi
Delphi is visited by flying to Athens, with direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga and other Spanish cities. From the airport it is about 180 km: a good two and a half hours by car along the Lamia motorway and the Livadia and Arachova road. Without a car, you go to central Athens, from there to the Liosion bus station, and take the KTEL Fokida, about three hours more. That is why it is worth sleeping here a night.
- ArrivingAthens airport (ATH), with direct…
- Getting aroundHire car at the airport…
- Where to sleepParnassos Delphi Hotel, 300 m…
- ServicesKTEL Fokidas bus from Liosion
Arriving
- Athens airport (ATH), with direct flights from Spain
- By car from the airport, via the Attiki Odos and the motorway towards Lamia, exit for Livadia
- Without a car, metro to the centre, Liosion station and KTEL Fokidas bus
Getting around
- Hire car at the airport if you want to add Hosios Loukas and Arachova
- The village and sanctuary are covered on foot
Where to sleep
- Parnassos Delphi Hotel, 300 m from the bus stop
- Amalia Hotel Delphi, with parking if you come by car
Services
- KTEL Fokidas bus from Liosion
- Parking beside the sanctuary
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights1
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a carif you're flying
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Phaedriades Delphi Hotel
Why we like it: A town hotel on Delphi's main street, with rooms with a panoramic view of the Gulf of Corinth and the Pleistos olive grove.
Parnassos Delphi Hotel
Why we like it: A hotel of 27 rooms and 3 suites on Delphi's main street, 300 m from the museum, the bus station and the taxi rank.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Delphi
Vakhos taverna
What to order: a stew of the day and a homemade pie to share, with a wine from the Parnassus area
Epikouros
What to order: a house dish at the window table, at midday, to see the valley