Stay:Delphi - free carpark along road 38.479401,22.518400
Visited: Delphi Archaeological Museum €24
After a peaceful night we made plans to go to Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. Unfortunately on our approach the weather gods were against us, delivery thunder, lightning and heavy rain. So we decided it wasn’t worth the detour today.
Our next destination was to be Delphi, so on we went along the very good road, stopping at the toll booths to pay our way. A total of €39 just for today, doing our bit for the Greek economy.
As we continued on our southerly journey we seemed to have outrun the storm. When we turned off the expensive E75/A1 towards Delphi the sun was shinning and Bluey was indicating the outside temperature was 40°c. The E65 wound its way through arid mountains and valleys where there was plenty of mining activity and olive trees.
We had a final ascent to 588m alt giving us some great views of the valley and bay before squeezing Bluey down a one way street passing lots of restaurants and souvenir shops.
Eventually we arrived at the Museum at 2pm and luckily managed to find a premium spot in the very small parking area.
After some lunch we paid €24 for our tickets and ventured into the museum. It is one of the most visited in Greece and features the artifacts unearthed during excavations at the Delphi oracle from the 6thC BC through to the Roman era in the 2nd C BC. Some where restored so we could appreciate the workmanship and detail.
Sphinx of Naxos 560BC was once on a 12.5 column
Two Greek Kouros brothers or twin sons of Zeus...archaeologists argue
One of the many carved freezes found on small treasury buildings within the sanctuary
What’s left of a wooden sculpture of Apollo
They called this guy the Philosopher of Delphi.
The Dancers of Delphi where on top of a 13m column
Antinous was a young Greek of extraordinary beauty and become Hadrian’s lover but died in the Nile under mysterious circumstances 130AD
Charioteer of Delphi 478BC finest examples of ancient bronze sculptures found in 1896
It wasn’t until the 19thC that excavations began when the village built upon the ruins had been relocated. We walked through the archaeological site which had a dramatical setting beneath craggy Parnassus mountain and with amazing views.
We tried to imagine how it looked like 2,300 years ago and how many people that have since trodden on the same ground as us today.
Apollo’s temple
A reconstructed treasury building where people put their priced possessions
A well constructed dry wall.
The Greeks considered Delphi the centre of the world as represented by the stone monument that looks like an egg.
The amphitheatre could sit 5,000 people.
We were also amazed at the stadium where the Pythian Games would be held every 4 years from 586 BC to 286AD. They rated second to the games at Olympia.
The stadium is 178m long
It was a fascinating place and our minds were full of Greek Gods and ancient stories. As we finish our visit the clouds roll in, the thunder rumbled and a cooling wind whipped up the dust. We now sit in Bluey watching the rain approach from the valley which may put a dampener on the Full Moon free concert and fireworks planned for tonight.
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