Thermopylae and Delphi full day private tour from Athens

based on 36 reviews

Duration:10 hours to 11 hours (approx.)
Location: Athens, Greece

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Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Delphi, home of the 4th-century-BC Temple of Apollo on this private, full day excursion from Athens. Travel in private, air-conditioned vehicles and get around all the sites your group is interested in visiting within the extensive mountainside archaeological complex before returning comfortably to Athens.
- Your guides are not official site guides, but can explain all about the sites on the way to and from Delphi
- Stop at the Delphi ruins, the Temple of Apollo, and Delphi Archaeological Museum
- See the sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia, ancient stadiums, and theatres
- Visit Thermopylae where the battle took place and the statue of Leonidas

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Thermopylae
Thermopylae is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs. In Greek mythology the Hot Gates is one of the entrances to Hades. Thermopylae is the site of a battle between the Greek forces and the invading Persian forces, commemorated by Simonides of Ceos in the famous epitaph, "Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, That here obedient to their laws we lie." Thermopylae is the only land route large enough to bear any significant traffic between Lokris and Thessaly. To go from north to south along the east coast of the Balkan peninsula requires use of the pass, and so Thermopylae has been the site of several battles.
2. Battlefield of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Ancient Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas I of Sparta, and the Achaemenid Empire of Xerxes I. It was fought in 480 BC over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. The battle took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium. It occurred at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates") in August or September 480 BC. The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first Persian invasion of Greece, which had been ended by the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. By 480 BC, Xerxes had amassed a massive army and navy and set out to conquer all of Greece. The Athenian politician and general Themistocles had proposed that the allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae, while simultaneously blocking the Persian navy at the Straits of Artemisium.
3. Leonidas Monument
Leonidas was a king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, and the 17th of the Agiad line, a dynasty which claimed descent from the mythological demigod Heracles and Cadmus. Leonidas was son of King Anaxandridas II. He succeeded his half-brother King Cleomenes I to the throne in c. 489 BC. Leonidas had a notable participation in the Second Persian War, where he led the allied Greek forces to a last stand at the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) while attempting to defend the pass from the invading Persian army; he died at the battle and entered myth as the leader of the 300 Spartans. While the Greeks lost this battle, they were able to expel the Persian invaders in the following year.
4. Thermopylae Museum
Next to the monument of Leonidas, in the historic Thermopylae, lies the innovative museum of the Lamia Municipality, dedicated to the 480 BC battle that changed the course of Greek history.
5. Delphi
Free time for a walk at: - sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia - ancient stadium and theater
6. Tholos of Athena Pronaia
An intriguing architectural marvel nestled within the archaeological site of Delphi. Tholos provides us with a window into the ancient world and the rich tapestry of beliefs and traditions. The Tholos of Athena Pronaia is a circular building with a distinctive architectural design, featuring a ring of Doric columns surrounding a central chamber. Built in the 4th century BCE, this unique structure served as a sanctuary dedicated to Athena Pronaia, a variant of the goddess Athena worshipped in Delphi.
7. Delphi Archaeological Museum
Delphi Archaeological Museum is one of the principal museums of Greece and one of the most visited. It is operated by the Greek Ministry of Culture. Founded in 1903, it has been rearranged several times and houses the discoveries made at the Panhellenic sanctuary of Delphi, which dates from the Late Helladic (Mycenean) period to the early Byzantine era. Organized in fourteen rooms on two levels, the museum mainly displays statues, including the famous Charioteer of Delphi, architectural elements, like the frieze of the Siphnian Treasury, and ex-votos dedicated to the sanctuary of Pythian Apollo, like the Sphinx of Naxos. The exhibition floor space is more than 2270m2, while the storage and conservation rooms (mosaics, ceramics, and metals) take up 558m2.
8. Temple of Apollo
The Temple of Apollo, god of music, harmony, light, healing, and oracles occupied the most important and prominent position in the Delphic Panhellenic Sanctuary. The edifice with the partially restored colonnade visible today dates to the 4th century BC; it is the third temple built at the same place. The famous oracle, the Pythia, operated inside the temple, the location chosen, according to one tradition, due to a sacred chasm beneath the site emitting vapors, which were inhaled by the Pythia. Some ancient writers state that the Pythia then entered a state of delirium and uttering inarticulate cries, which were then turned into equivocal oracles by the priests. This interpretation is controversial, and has been challenged by scholars such as Joseph Fontenrose and Lisa Maurizio, who argue that the ancient sources uniformly represent the Pythia speaking intelligibly, and giving prophecies in her own voice.
9. Delphi
Free time for lunch at a traditional Greek tavern with your friends and family or shopping.
10. Arachova
Free time for a coffee before we start our trip back to Athens.

ADDITIONAL INFO

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : amarjit_b
We went for the Thermopylae and Delphi tour with Fotis. He was very friendly and also knowledgeable. Throughout the journey he kept us informing fun facts about not only the main attractions e.g Delphi and Thermopylae but also other surrounding cities and monuments. The communication related to pick up was perfect, and during the journey he made us feel home by looking after all small details such as drink water and routine breaks. Overall, I would strongly recommend this trip and Fotis as a great person.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-27 08:00:51

Posted By : amarjit216
We went for the Thermopylae and Delphi tour with Fotis. He was very friendly and also knowledgeable. Throughout the journey he kept us informing fun facts about not only the main attractions e.g Delphi and Thermopylae but also other surrounding cities and monuments. The communication related to pick up was perfect, and during the journey he made us feel home by looking after all small details such as drink water and routine breaks. Overall, I would strongly recommend this trip and Fotis as a great person.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-19 14:46:11

Posted By : 185chaitanyas
Great tour! Destinations were beautiful, Fotis, our driver, was great, knowledgeable, and friendly. Highly recommended this tour and Fotis to anyone else!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-05 13:50:05

Posted By : 259georgip
Like our guide, Stratos, said, Delphi is like a microcosm of all of Greece's natural beauty. The sight is breathtaking. Afterwards, our driver Michalis drove so well down a road literally FULL of twists, turns and curves, that we all actually dozed off to sleep at one point or another. Huge kudos to both men for a great tour.
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Posted On : 2024-03-11 09:29:17

Posted By : michchanos
Not many know today that the road of the King of Lacedaemon and his fellow warriors in 480 BC for Thermopylae "started" from Delphi. Which way? With the Pythian oracle addressed to the Spartans: “υμίν δ’, ω Σπάρτης οικήτορες ευρυχόροιο, ή μέγα άστυ ερικυδές υπ’ ανδράσι Περσεΐδησι πέρθεται, ή το μεν ουχί, αφ’ Ηρακλέους δε γενέθλης πενθήσει βασιλή φθίμενον Λακεδαίμονος ούρος. Ου γαρ τον ταύρων σχήσει μένος ουδέ λεόντων αντιβίην. Ζηνός γαρ έχει μένος. Ουδέ ε φημί σχήσεσθαι, πριν τωνδ’ έτερον δια πάντα διάσηται” [that is, "(I say) to you inhabitants of spacious Sparta, that your great and glorious city will be conquered by Persian men, or if this does not happen, Lacedaemon will mourn the death of her king from the generation of Hercules. Because neither the strength of bulls nor lions will be able to resist him, as he has the power of Jupiter. And he won't stop until one of the two is torn to pieces"]. King Leonidas knowing the oracle, marched to immortality through eternal glory, in order to save Sparta, as the father of History, Herodotus, informs us.
Today, things are simpler and the "connection" between Delphi and Thermopylae is made by my good friend and impeccable professional Periklis Dimopoulos with his taxi. We decided, me and a friend of mine, who are reenactors, to make a two-day "pilgrimage" to these two ancient holy places. Temple of Apollo in Delphi, with the most famous oracle in the world, Temple of Liberty in Thermopylae where perhaps the most famous battle of all time took place ... As my car was damaged and needed to be repaired, I asked Pericles to take us. So we loaded shields, spears, javelins, swords, breastplates, etc. in his taxi and we decided to start from Thermopylae. We dressed up as ancient hoplites and went up to Colonos Hill, which is across the monument of King Leonidas and the other fallen, to pay our respects at the spot where the last defenders of the straits were annihilated by hundreds of Persian arrows. At that time, of course, the hill was twice as high as it is today, as the sediments of Sperchios river, over the centuries, disappeared the narrow passage of antiquity, creating the plain that the visitor sees today. The place where nowadays the statue of Leonidas is, back then was the sea... We continued to the small village of "Eleftherochori", high on Kallidromo Mountain, as through there passes «Anopea», the path which taken by the traitor Ephialtes and the 10.000 Immortals of Xerxes, with Hydarnis in command, in order to surround the defenders of the straits. We had decided to take this rough road, so that [wearing tunics and sandals and carrying what a pair of a hoplite and a slave - psilos (i.e. javelin man) would then carry, from armor and weapons to that era food, bedding etc] reach the highest point, which was then guarded by the 1.000 Phocians and descending the mountain to end up (like the Immortals then) in Thermopylae from the south. The course we would take, although a little longer than half that of the Persians, who had then started from Anthili, was not at all easy: 25 kilometers up the mountain, with a full load of ancient warrior. Pericles left us in Eleftherochori and would return to wait for us in Thermopylae, where we arrived very tired after 6 hours of fast walking. After paying tribute to the statue of the immortal Spartan King and sitting down to rest for a while, we plunged into the crystal clear hot waters of the springs with the awful smell of methane, which exist in the adjacent baths. These hot springs together with the narrow passage gave the place its name in ancient times (Thermo = hot + pylae = gate, narrow pass).
The next day we went to Delphi, where some more members of our reenacting group were waiting for us for a uniformed visit to the temple of Pronea Athena. Pericles was impeccable in everything, as a true professional, who often tours both, Thermopylae and Delphi and we thank him very much for everything. Certainly visiting these holy places of Greece with him makes these excursions unique.
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Posted On : 2024-02-27 13:24:22

Posted By : aldoromulo
Remarkable family tour experience. The sights are spectacular, both during the road travels and the visits themselves. Crossing the Thermopylae passage is a moving experience, just as walking through the Delfos site and the museum. The tour guide was very courteous, took us to a fantastic restaurant with great views, and helped out throughout the whole trip from start to finish.
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Posted On : 2024-01-11 15:00:19

Posted By : Martin_L
Our driver Apostolos was wonderful
My dream came true to stand on the ground of Thermopylae. Delphi museum
Was outstanding to see the ancient items
And stone statues
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Posted On : 2023-10-16 13:06:20

Posted By : Nicholas P
Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. The restaurant chosen for lunch was excellent. The guide constantly provided water to insure we remained hydrated.
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Posted On : 2023-08-18 02:18:47

Posted By : RORY_D
So nice! Delphi is incredibly interesting and great exercise. My wife loved it. I also enjoyed it, but the thrill for me was to go to Thermopylae. Hopefully everyone knows this, but it's a brief stop and the site of the battle doesn't really exist anymore. The sea has receded. But, if you read Gates of Fire (or for others, watched 300), it's a really exciting spot to quickly explore. After Delphi, we had lunch at a delicious spot recommended by our helpful and very nice driver Anthony. Try the Aubergine Imam It's delicious. Everything was good though. Very satisfied.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-07-03 13:56:23

Posted By : tyrone_dp
Panos did everything he could to make our day amazing. From avoiding the worst of the traffic to giving us many tips to enhance our day at the sites.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-06-07 15:37:14