Delphi

Athens Hilton

DELPHI

We hired Nicholas for this one day sightseeing trip. We enjoyed it very much and this is how our day went.

Levadia

Our first stop for a drink was at a cafe by the beautiful spring KalaNera in Levadia. A very enjoyable spot for listening to the rippling spring water while sipping a cola or iced cafe au lait.
Overlooking the modern town of Levadia lies a castle on the naturally fortified hill of Aghios Elias. The construction of the Castle of Levadia began in the 13th century but most of what is now seen dates from the Catalan occupation of the city, lasting from 1309 until 1380. In 1458 it was captured by the Turks and remained under their control until the liberation of Levadia. The long curtain wall runs steeply down, ending at a substantial tower to the east. It is built of rubble stones.

Delphi

We have arrived at Delphi, and let me say this...WHAT A RIDE! The ride was awesome to say the absolute least. The scenery was incredible. The roads that wind through the mountains are petrifyingly narrow - at the best of times. These roads wind up and through the mountains, with hairpin turns every mile or two. Once in a while, the side of the mountain would seemingly swallow up the edge of the road, leaving us a view of nothing but a 3,000 foot drop to the valley, if you could bear to look. I certainly NEVER pressed my face to the window (Ron did), and I could never imagine taking this trip in a huge tour bus. After saying a silent prayer of thanks for Nicholas, our skilled driver, it was time to admire the view and the mountains. The setting is what makes Delphi unique. I was most impressed within the ruins of the Temple of Apollo and the Stadium. The Stadium is quite well preserved and requires a steep climb to reach. The Temple of Apollo had 6 or 7 portions of the original columns that are still standing.
The Museum has a separate entrance fee and is quite small, containing artifacts from the ruins at Delphi. Most of these artifacts date from the 6th to the 1st century BC. One of the art works excavated is the beautiful 5th-century bronze statue called the Delphic Charioteer. It takes no more than an hour to view the artifacts in the Museum.

Arachova

A picturesque mountain village, built into the slopes of Parnassus. Most of the shops were closed when we stopped, as they often are in the afternoon. But we did browse through a few that were open and we also took the opportunity to walk up and down some of the little alleys to get an idea of this little villages style of living. A pleasant walk.