About Us
We, Mark & Herta, are currently backpacking through Europe, and eventually planning to settle in London. Beyond that? The possibilities are endless.
Read Mark & Herta’s full story.Although the Greek islands are quite alluring, you haven’t really seen Greece without exploring its history through the iconic Ancient Greek citadel: the Acropolis in Athens, and Apollo complex in Delphi.
Delphi is located just over two hours outside of Athens, and plenty of tour operators offer a daily day trip to the ancient city. We, however, drove in from Meteora on our way to Athens, so only had to drive one-way. The town itself consists of one large street, lined with hotels, restaurants, and a few shops.
Unsurprisingly, during high season the main population of the town is made up by tourists. Before or after visiting the archeological site, we recommend going for a stroll through Delphi (which will take you 30 minutes, as the town is very small).
The only non-archeological landmark in Delphi is the Church of Agiou Nikolaou, located above the town center. However, don’t expect huge crowds, as most of your time will be spent in the ancient town instead.
Just a few hundred meters outside of Delphi you can find the archeological site. Ancient Delphi was a place of worship, mostly dedicated to Apollo, God of light, sun, and music. For 12 euros, you can enter this remarkable site and make your way up Mount Parnassus, where eventually you will find Delphi stadium.
At the bottom of the site, you can find the remains of the Treasury of the Athenians, a temple where the Greeks made their offerings to Apollo. The building pictured here is a replica, the original is located in the Delphi Museum, located on the premises as well.
Despite the heat, we slowly made our way up the hill towards the stadium. We passed the Delphi Theatre, and last remaining columns of the Temple of Apollo. Originally, in the 6th century BC, the temple had about 15 pillars.
After a long walk all the way to the top of the archeological complex, we arrived at Delphi Stadium. The stadium, built in the 5th century BC and adapted a few times over the centuries, had a capacity of 6,500. It is the best preserved stadium in all of Greece, and back in the day it hosted track and field sports, as well as musical performances.
Upon arrival in Athens, we dropped of our rental car (driving in Athens is madness), and made our way to the most visited attraction in Greece: Acropolis of Athens. Contrary to Delphi, there is a hefty entrance fee to pay (20 euros), but it is well worth it. Once you enter the premises, a long walk up the hill awaits.
Halfway up, the views over Athens start opening up. You’ll be able to spot the Panathenaic Stadium, hosting the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, as well as the 2004 Olympic Games. Every year, it is also the finish line of The Marathon.
Closer by, within the complex itself, you can see the ruins of Odeon of Herodes Atticus. This theatre, completed in the 2nd century, was renovated back in 1950, but the facade was left as is.
After a few minutes you will end up on top of the hill. On the north side, you will find Erechtheion and The Porch of the Caryatids, a temple complex.
The biggest sight, however, is the Parthenon facing east. This temple was dedicated to the goddess Athena, but over the centuries also served as a mosque and ammunition depot during the Ottoman rule in the 17th century. The building is heavily damaged, and there were reconstructions going on during our visit to stabilize the building. However, is still remains the most impressive landmark of the Ancient Greeks.
We, Mark & Herta, are currently backpacking through Europe, and eventually planning to settle in London. Beyond that? The possibilities are endless.
Read Mark & Herta’s full story.