Delphi Full Day Tour: Experience Greek History at Less Crowded Times
5.0
26 Ratings
Distomo
Discover the wonders of Delphi on a full-day tour with a professional driver. Experience Greek history at less crowded times and save money compared to large tour companies.
Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Monastery of Hosios Loukas - Hosios Loukas Monastery meaning “Esteemed Saint Luke” was not built in honor of Luke the Evangelist, but was established by the Greek monk Loukas. He was buried in the crypt of the monastery when he died in AD 953.
    One of the most striking aspects of the monastery is found at the entrance. If you look up, you will see a spectacular gold mosaic of the saint. Attached to the abbey is a large church, Katholikon, which in its turn is attached to a smaller temple, or Theotokos, erected between 997 and 1011 to honor the Virgin Mary.

The temples are beautifully decorated with numerous frescoes and mosaics, all perfectly preserved. Underneath the Katholikon is the crypt where the remains of the saint lie.

Although Hosios Loukas is smaller, the building may remind you of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul or St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

  • Delphi - At Delphi, we will visit Castalia spring, the ancient Sanctuary of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians, the ancient Stadium, the ancient Theatre, the unique bronze Charioteer, and the Museum. Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town on the southwestern slope of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis. In Greek mythology, it was the navel of the earth, the site of the Delphic Oracle and a major site for the worship of god Apollo after he slew the Python, a dragon who protected the navel of the earth. Apollo spoke through his oracle.

The priestess of the oracle known as the Pythia had to be an older woman and sat on a tripod seat over an opening in the earth. Apollo possessed Pythia and she prophesied.
People consulted the Delphic Oracle on everything from important matters of public policy to personal affairs. The Oracle exerted considerable influence throughout the Greek world and consulted before all major events. The ancient Stadium held the Python Games, which were one of the four Pan-Hellenic Games held every four years.

We will conclude our visit to Delphi by having lunch at a local restaurant enjoying the view of the Itea Gulf followed by a visit to the Temple of Athena Pronea and the Gymnasium.

  • Delphi Archaeological Museum - The Archaeological Museum of Delphi, one of the most important in Greece, exhibits the history of the Delphic sanctuary, site of the most famous ancient Greek oracle. Its rich collections are comprised primarily of architectural sculpture, statues and minor objects donated to the sanctuary. These reflect its religious, political and artistic activities from its early years in the eight century BC to its decline in Late Antiquity.

The museum is housed in a two-storey building with a total surface area of 2270 square metres, with fourteen exhibition rooms, 558 square metres of storerooms and conservation laboratories for pottery, metal objects and mosaics.

  • Arachova - The traditional town of Arachova is located just 10km from Delphi. A visit in Arachova, reveals the charming combining of the old with the new, at the holy grounds of the mountain of Apollo.

Arachova is undoubtedly the queen of Parnassos. It is built in an amphitheatric way and it spreads magnificently to the south hillsides of Parnassus, at an altitude of 960 meters, ending up at a cliff where Pleistos river flows.

Arachova is full of life. The wild beauty combined with its unaltered traditional character, its cosmopolitan face and the numerous activities the majestic mount Parnassos offers, place it rightfully at the top of the Greek winter tourism and at the list with the top destinations for the other seasons too.

What's Included
  • Skip-the-line ticket access
  • Private, air-conditioned transportation
  • Complimentary bottled water
  • Free onboard WiFi connectivity
  • Experienced professional drivers
What's Not Included
  • Admission Fees (Total Cost: 16 Euros per adult)
  • Lunch
  • Local Licensed tour guide upon request, depending on availability (Additional cost 170 Euros)
  • Airport pickup and drop off (Additional cost)
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Our offerings and facilities are highly adjustable to cater to our clients’ requirements. All our proficient drivers are certified and proficient in English. Their expertise will aid you in feeling secure and relaxed in one of our well-kept, comfy vehicles. An added advantage is the opportunity to explore archaeological spots at alternating times compared to the influx of large tourist groups, this provides an unhurried learning experience about the monuments and their histories during less crowded hours. Hiring our services is more economical than buying individual tickets from big tour and excursion corporations.

  • Your English- speaking driver will explain about the ancient monuments that you are about to visit, the ancient history of Greece and interesting facts about historical and modern-day Greece but is not allowed by law to accompany you in the sites. If you wish to have a licensed tour guide to accompany you into the sites, we will help you arrange a licensed tour guide to be with you at an extra cost
  • Your tour is totally private. No unknown passengers will participate in your group.
  • Infant car seats are available upon request
Location
Monastery of Hosios Loukas
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(26 Ratings)
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Edward_s
Jun 2, 2024
Makes Delphi Come Alive - Amazing guided tour of the Temple of Apollo and museum by George Malissos of Delphi Local Tours. Extraordinarily knowledgeable, putting together Greek and Ancient history generally in a way that truly conveyed the whole picture. Also a a wonderfully smooth and pleasant drive from Athens by Alex.
Review provided by Viator
Road06817436334
May 28, 2024
Awesome Private Tour to Delphi - Our tour guide Frank was just amazing. He took care of us all day long, interacting with our group, taking us to a great restaurant, very knowledgeable about the sites in Athens and all along the way to Delphi, and this tour was so much more. We were so impressed with Frank and H.P. tours that we arranged transportation from the port to the airport to catch an early flight. Our driver was prompt and got us to the airport on time. If you are looking for a great private tour, I highly recommend Frank and H.P. tours. They helped make a great tour unforgettable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deborahlq3441va
May 18, 2024
Awesome Tour with Jimmy! - We took this tour with Jimmy in addition to the Argolis tour offered by HP. We had a wonderful experience, and were super grateful that they had arranged for us a private guide of the museum at Delphi and the archaeological site. 10/10 recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeannie
Apr 6, 2024
Educational, easy full day Delphi and monastery tour with Jimmy - We had the most amazing time. Jimmy picked us up from our Athens hotel at 8am and took us on a full day adventure. On our way out of town, we made a brief stop for coffee and snacks before we made our way to a monastery. This place was spiritual and peaceful. We could have spent a whole day here losing ourselves in the beauty and tranquility. Jimmy was incredibly knowledgeable and personally walked us through this sacred place. Then we made the drive to Delphi where Jimmy provided us the history of the site. He dropped us off right at the entrance and gave us plenty of time to walk through the archaeological site and museum (about 2 hours). Jimmy was ready for us at the exit when he took us to a quaint restaurant overlooking a valley of olive trees stretching all the way to the sea. After our late lunch, Jimmy took us back to our hotel in Athens, telling us all about ancient Corinth. We enjoyed our tour and our time with Jimmy so much, we booked a full day tour for the next day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Troymills
Mar 26, 2024
YOU CAN’T GO WRONG WITH HP TOURS. - Even in the rain, we had a fantastic tour. Our private driver was Jimmy (he is the best) and our guide was Georgia. She made the ruins come alive. I definitely recommend HP tours for all the tours. They personalize the experience and the communication is superb.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stefano_d
Dec 29, 2023
Great daily tour - This is a great tour for those looking to have a daily trip to Delfi. Despite the unreliable schedule the site keeps during the holiday seasons (they publish the sites close at 5pm but in fact they close at 3:30pm) Panos, our driver, was able to readjust the schedule to make sure we would be able to make the tour on time after stopping at the monastery of Saint Lukas (that closes at 12:30pm) and the temple of Athena, but not before having stopped to the popular Atachova. Lunch at To Patrico Mas afterwards is a must. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Rocco_b
Sep 12, 2023
Delphi was our most interesting tour - Great driver and tour guide at Delphi First toured the museum to get the details then the site Driver also set us up at a local taverna with a great view and fantastic food
Review provided by Viator
652lillik
Aug 21, 2023
Perfect - Answered all emails promptly with all information. Very punctual, friendly and organized. Exactly what we asked for. Very helpful driver.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Steve_w
Jul 3, 2023
Great Experience - It was a great experience with our driver/guide Jimmy and HP Tours. Jimmy was very knowledgable and informative in reference to the monastery and the Delphi ruins. He made the long trip fun and enjoyable. A great experience.
Review provided by Viator
Y4278dfpaulj
Jun 30, 2023
amazing experience - Our entire experience using HP tours was amazing. We booked a driver from Athens to Delphi. Our driver Evan went above and beyond all expectations. He was knowledgeable, courteous and very personable. Our 2.5 hr driver was very scenic in the clean Mercedes sprinter van which allowed us to fully appreciate the panoramic views of the mountains. Evan even made us reservations at a restaurant with one of the most amazing views after we had a tour of the wonderful Delphi area. HP tours booked us a guided tour though Delphi who was a local and extremely knowledgeable about the ruins. The entire experience was the best of our vist. Would highly recommend Evan and HP tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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