Delphi

Delphi, Greece

Δελφοί

Apollo's oracle on the slopes of Parnassus, with the bronze Charioteer in its museum.

Checked 6 October 2026

The round Tholos in the Sanctuary of Athena, with the mountains behind

Delphi was the sanctuary of Apollo and the most famous oracle of the ancient world: a temple, a theatre and a stadium stacked up a steep mountainside above an olive valley, plus one of Greece's finest museums. One €20 ticket from the Ministry of Culture's Hellenic Heritage store (tickets.hh.gr) covers the site and the museum, and the quiet hours are the first after opening and the last before closing, outside the coach-tour crush. Rockfalls have closed parts of the site: the ministry's Delphi page (October 2026) lists the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia with the Tholos, the Kastalian Spring and the stadium as closed.

Delphi sits on a ledge of Mount Parnassus, below two sheer cliffs, looking down a valley of olive trees towards the Gulf of Corinth. The ancient Greeks called it the navel of the Earth: in the myth, two eagles sent by Zeus from opposite ends of the world met here.

The sanctuary belonged to Apollo, who in legend killed the serpent Python here. His priestess, the Pythia, gave oracles in the temple, and priests interpreted them. Kings, cities and private people came to ask whether to go to war, found a colony or settle a dispute, and the answers shaped Greek history. The first stone temples went up at the end of the 7th century BC; the oracle was at its height in the 6th and 5th centuries BC.

Cities competed to show off here. Along the Sacred Way they built small marble treasuries for their offerings and statues for their victories, and every four years the Pythian Games brought music, drama and athletics to the theatre and the stadium. Delphi kept its place for a thousand years, until a decree of the Byzantine emperor Theodosius I ended the oracle in 394 AD.

A village called Kastri grew over the ruins. At the end of the 19th century it was moved a short distance west to make way for the 'great excavation' by the French School at Athens, which uncovered the sanctuary you walk through today and filled the museum, including the bronze Charioteer, one of the few large Greek bronzes to survive.

What to see

  1. Temple of Apollo

    The 4th-century BC Doric temple, built on the plan of a 6th-century predecessor, where the Pythia gave her oracles. Only the foundations and a few re-erected columns stand, on a terrace held up by a fine polygonal wall. You see it from the paths; you cannot enter the temple platform.

  2. Sacred Way and Treasury of the Athenians

    The zigzag path up from the main gate passes the bases of victory monuments and the treasuries of Greek cities. The small Doric Treasury of the Athenians, rebuilt from its original blocks, is the one everyone photographs; just below it is the Stoa of the Athenians against the polygonal wall.

  3. Theatre

    Above the temple, the 4th-century BC theatre held the music and drama contests of the Pythian Games. Its top rows give the best view over the temple and the valley; most coach tours turn back around here.

  4. Stadium (closed for works)

    The highest point of the site, a steep climb above the theatre on a stony path. Built in the 5th century BC and remodelled in the 2nd century AD, its stone seats and starting lines survive, and even when open you only look in from the edge. The ministry's Delphi page (October 2026) says it stays closed for emergency rockfall-protection works, with no reopening date, so ask at the ticket office whether the path up is open.

  5. Charioteer of Delphi (museum)

    The life-size bronze driver from a chariot group dedicated after a Pythian Games victory around 478 BC. The rest of the group is lost, but the face, the inlaid eyes and the folds of the robe are startlingly alive. It has a room of its own at the end of the museum route.

  6. Sphinx of the Naxians and Siphnian frieze (museum)

    The winged sphinx that stood on a tall column beside the temple, and the carved frieze of the Siphnian Treasury with gods and giants in battle, are the museum's great archaic pieces. Look also for the twin statues of Kleobis and Biton and the remains of the gold-and-ivory statues.

  7. Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia and the Tholos (closed)

    Below the road, about a kilometre east of the main site, is the sanctuary of Athena with the round Tholos of about 380 BC, the image on most Delphi postcards. It normally needs no ticket, but it has been closed since rockfalls in October 2024: the ministry's Delphi page says it stays closed until the Region of Central Greece lifts its restrictions on pedestrian access, and no reopening date has been given. You can see it only from a distance.

  8. Kastalian Spring (closed)

    The sacred spring where pilgrims washed before consulting the oracle, in the gorge between the cliffs. The ministry says the spring area stays closed after rockfalls until its rockfall-protection project is finished.

The rebuilt Athenian Treasury on the Sacred Way
The rebuilt Athenian Treasury on the Sacred Way

Delphi tickets: which to buy and where

Buy the €20 ticket on tickets.hh.gr, the Ministry of Culture's official store: it covers both the archaeological site and the museum on the same day and includes the official digital guide app. The catch: tickets are for one date and time slot, valid for a single entry and non-refundable, so if you want to split the visit over two days you need two tickets.

The official ticket site

Hellenic Heritage (Ministry of Culture / ODAP)

The official online store for all Greek state sites, run by the Hellenic Organization of Cultural Resources Development (ODAP), Eleftheriou Venizelou 57, Athens. The Delphi product is listed as 'Delphi Tickets' with the option 'Visit Delphi (Museum)' at €20.00, and it is linked from the hh.gr Delphi page and the ministry's Odysseus page. On site, the ministry says tickets are now sold at the museum ticket office and a temporary kiosk in the museum courtyard while a new ticket office is built; the site entrance only checks tickets.

Go to the official site

  • Delphi site and museum, official ticket

    €20 adult; €10 reduced

    Official ticketsSkips the ticket line

    Includes
    Timed entry on your chosen date to the Archaeological Site and the Archaeological Museum, plus the Hellenic Heritage digital guide app. Single entry, non-refundable; the slot can be changed up to 2 hours before (twice at most)
    Best for
    Almost everyone
    Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket →

  • Free and reduced tickets

    €0 for under 18s, EU citizens 18–25 and disabled visitors (67%+) with one escort; €10 for EU citizens over 65

    Official ticketsSkips the ticket line

    Includes
    Same entry as the full ticket. Choose the category on the official store or ask at the ticket office; ID or passport (and a disability certificate where relevant) is checked at the gate
    Best for
    Families, students and young EU travellers
    Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket →

  • Delphi entry ticket with app audio guide

    from €26

    ResellerSkips the ticket line

    Includes
    Site and museum entry plus Key Tours' own app-based audio guide. Non-refundable and the date and slot cannot be changed
    Best for
    Only if you specifically want this audio guide; the official €20 ticket already includes a digital guide
    Key Tours · as of October 2026See this ticket →

How to buy

  1. Open tickets.hh.gr (or follow 'Buy tickets' from the Delphi page on hh.gr), go to Delphi Tickets and choose 'Visit Delphi (Museum)'.
  2. Pick the date and time slot. Add free or reduced tickets for those who qualify; they need ID or a passport at the gate.
  3. Keep the e-ticket on your phone or printed. You can change the slot up to 2 hours before (at most twice) under Manage Tickets; there are no refunds.
  4. If you are joining a day tour without tickets, buy the slot the operator tells you to (typically 12:00–13:00 or 13:00–14:00) so you enter with your group.
  5. No large luggage or food inside, and no professional photo shoots or filming.

Look-alike sites

The official store is tickets.hh.gr, run by the Ministry of Culture's ODAP, and the official visitor information is on hh.gr and the ministry's odysseus.culture.gr pages; the Delphi museum has no separate website of its own. Search results also show private blogs and reseller pages with 'Delphi' and 'museum' in their names and travel platforms selling the same entry for €26 or more, sometimes priced in US dollars. If the price is above €20 for an adult, or the page footer does not name ODAP, you are not on the official store.

We can never guarantee a ticket seller, tour company or deal. Prices, opening hours and what is included change, often without notice: check the details on the seller’s own page before you pay, and book through the official site where you can. How to avoid ticket scams · Disclaimer.

Guided tours of Delphi

The site has few signs, so context helps: the official ticket's digital guide app is enough for most independent visitors. A coach day trip from Athens is the easiest way to go without a car, but it is a 10–11 hour day with about 6 hours on the road and roughly 2–3 hours at Delphi, at the busiest time of day. If you can, stay a night in Delphi instead. There are no walk-up guided tours at the site; licensed guides must be booked ahead.

  • Coach day trip with licensed guide

    Delphi Day Trip from Athens

    Key Tours

    Athens-based operator. Departs 08:15 from its office at Athanasiou Diakou 26 (meet at 08:00); no hotel pick-up. Guided visit of the site and museum, then time in Arachova. If you book without tickets, buy the 13:00–14:00 slot yourself. The same tour is sold on GetYourGuide (from €26, 4.6 from over 6,000 reviews), where recent reviewers mention big groups and a rushed site visit.

    from €25 (entry tickets and lunch extra or as options)

    Duration: 10 hours

    as of October 2026

    See this tour →

  • Coach day trip with licensed guide

    Athens: Delphi Oracle & Museum Tour with a Licensed Guide

    TAG Athens (sold on GetYourGuide)

    English only; coach of up to 40 with headsets; meets at Chatzichristou 21 in central Athens, no hotel pick-up. Museum first, then the site, then lunch in Arachova (not included). Without tickets you buy the 12:00–13:00 slot on tickets.hh.gr.

    from €35; tickets extra unless you pick the 'With Tickets' option

    Duration: 11 hours

    as of October 2026

    See this tour →

  • Coach day trip with audio guide

    Delphi day trip with audio guide

    Civitatis

    The lowest-priced of the coach day trips here: transport, an English-speaking tour assistant on the coach and an audio guide at Delphi, with pick-up at central Athens points at 7:45 or 8:15. You buy your own ticket for the 13:00–14:00 slot. Guided options with tickets and lunch are also offered.

    from €24; tickets (€20) and lunch not included

    Duration: 10 hours

    as of October 2026

    See this tour →

  • Private car with driver

    Delphi Full-Day Private Tour from Athens

    My Athens Transfers (sold on GetYourGuide)

    Hotel pick-up and your own timing, so you can arrive at opening or stay late. The driver is not a licensed guide and cannot go into the site or museum with you; a licensed guide costs extra. Entry tickets not included. Its itinerary still lists Athena Pronaia, which is closed.

    from €167 per person (price falls per person for groups)

    Duration: 9 hours

    as of October 2026

    See this tour →

We can never guarantee a ticket seller, tour company or deal. Prices, opening hours and what is included change, often without notice: check the details on the seller’s own page before you pay, and book through the official site where you can. How to avoid ticket scams · Disclaimer.

Delphi deals and discounts

The bottom line

The official €20 ticket, which already includes the site, the museum and a digital guide, is the best buy; resellers charge more for the same entry. The real savings are the free categories (under 18s, EU citizens under 25) and the free days.

  • Free for under 18s and EU citizens under 25

    Everyone under 18 and EU citizens aged 18 to 25 enter free with an ID card or passport, and so do visitors with a disability of 67% or more plus one escort. Add the free ticket on the official store or get it at the ticket office.

    tickets.hh.gr · as of October 2026

  • Free days

    Entry is free on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sunday of every month from November to March (for example 1 and 15 November, 6 and 20 December 2026). Expect more visitors on those days.

    hh.gr · as of October 2026

  • No cheaper winter ticket any more

    Greece abolished separate winter and summer prices in its 2025 ticket reform, so Delphi costs €20 all year. Winter's compensation is the extra free Sundays and the much emptier site, but hours are short: 8:30–15:30.

    tovima.com · as of October 2026

  • Reduced €10 for EU over-65s

    EU citizens over 65 pay half with ID. Greek press reported when the 2025 reform was approved that the over-65 reduction does not apply from June to the end of September; the official store does not mention this, so be ready to pay full price in summer.

    tickets.hh.gr · as of October 2026

  • Day tours from €24–35, but tickets are extra

    The cheap coach prices from Athens cover transport and a guide or audio guide only. Add €20 for the ticket (unless you qualify for free entry) and lunch in Arachova.

    civitatis.com · as of October 2026

Best time to visit Delphi

Time of day: be at the gate when it opens (8:00 from April to October, 8:30 in winter). Coach tours from Athens leave around 8:00 and reach Delphi about three hours later; operators tell their guests to book the 12:00–13:00 or 13:00–14:00 slots, so late morning to mid-afternoon is the crush, both on the Sacred Way and in the museum.

Late afternoon is the other quiet window: most coaches have left for Arachova or Athens by about 15:00–16:00. From April to October the museum stays open until 20:00 (17:00 on Tuesdays), so staying overnight lets you do the museum in the evening and the site at opening the next morning.

Season: April to June and September to October are the best months. July and August are hot on an exposed hillside with little shade, and the climb up the Sacred Way is hard in the midday sun. Winter is quiet, but the site closes at 15:30.

Avoid the free-entry days if you want space, and the 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday and 25–26 December closures. On Good Friday the site opens only 12:00–17:00.

Tips and tricks

Gathered from travel forums, locals and the sight’s own advice, rewritten in our own words. What worked for others, not a guarantee.

  1. Climb first, then work down

    Walk straight up the Sacred Way past the temple to the theatre while it is cool and empty, then look at the treasuries and temple on the way down. The stadium above is closed for works in October 2026; if it has reopened when you go, it is the quietest corner of the site, as coach groups rarely go higher than the theatre.

    From TripAdvisor Delphi forum, 2025; Dave's Travel Pages, 2026; Ministry of Culture Odysseus page, 2026

  2. Stay one night if you can

    Visitors who sleep in Delphi village report having the site almost to themselves for the first hours, then watching the coach crowds arrive at the gate as they leave. The village is a 10–15 minute walk from the museum and site.

    From TripAdvisor Delphi and Athens forums, 2025

  3. Buy at the museum ticket office

    If you have not booked online, buy at the museum: the ministry says tickets are sold at the museum ticket office and a kiosk in its courtyard while a new ticket office is built, and the site gate only checks tickets. Walking to the site gate first costs you a trip back.

    From Ministry of Culture Odysseus page, 2026

  4. Use the free digital guide

    The official ticket includes the Hellenic Heritage digital guide app; download it before you go, since there are few explanatory signs on the hillside.

    From Hellenic Heritage ticket store, 2026

  5. Bring water and a hat

    There is little shade and few facilities on the site. Bring at least 1.5 litres of water each in summer and shoes with grip: the paths are steep, stony and polished smooth in places.

    From Dave's Travel Pages, 2026

  6. Leave big bags behind

    Large luggage and food are not allowed in. If you arrive by bus with a suitcase, ask your hotel or the bus agency in the village to keep it.

    From Hellenic Heritage ticket store, 2026

  7. Two days means two tickets

    Each ticket is valid for one entry on one date. If you want the museum one evening and the site next morning, buy two tickets (or one free on a free day).

    From TripAdvisor Delphi forum, 2025; Hellenic Heritage ticket store, 2026

  8. Buy your tour slot ticket before the day

    On day trips sold without entry, the group goes in at a fixed hour. Guests who try to buy tickets on site hold everyone up, so book the slot your operator names on tickets.hh.gr in advance.

    From GetYourGuide reviews of Delphi day trips, September 2026

  9. Book your return bus seat

    KTEL seats are numbered and there are only four or five buses back to Athens a day, so buy the return with the outward ticket or as soon as you arrive.

    From KTEL Fokida timetable, 2026; TripAdvisor Delphi forum, 2025

The ancient theatre above the Temple of Apollo, looking down the valley
The ancient theatre above the Temple of Apollo, looking down the valley

How to get to Delphi

  • By bus from Athens: KTEL Fokida buses leave from the Liosion bus terminal (Liosion 260), not from the main Kifissos terminal. Timetable on the KTEL Fokida site in October 2026 (check it before you travel, as it changes by season), from Athens: 08:30, 10:30, 15:00 (not Saturdays) and 18:00; from Delphi back to Athens: 05:30 (weekdays), 11:00, 14:30 (Sundays only), 16:00 and 18:30. The ride takes about 3 hours and costs about €15 one way. Buy at the terminal or on the KTEL Fokida website.
  • To the Liosion terminal: about 15–20 minutes' walk or a short taxi ride from Attiki metro station (lines 1 and 2); the X93 express bus runs there from Athens airport in about an hour.
  • In Delphi: the bus stops in the village; the museum is about 10 minutes' walk east along the main road and the site entrance a few minutes beyond it.
  • By car: about 180 km and 2.5–3 hours from Athens. Take the E75 motorway north towards Thessaloniki, leave at the exit for Thiva and Livadeia, then follow the road via Livadeia and Arachova to Delphi. The ministry says parking outside the museum is limited and signposted by the traffic police, with more spaces further away, so arrive early.
  • Combining stops: Arachova is on the way (about 10 km before Delphi), and the Monastery of Hosios Loukas at Steiri is a detour south of the same road, so a car day can take in all three.

Scams and problems to watch for

  • Tickets resold above €20

    Travel platforms and tour sites sell Delphi entry for €26 or more, sometimes non-refundable and impossible to change. The tell-tale sign: any adult price above €20, or a seller that is not tickets.hh.gr. The official ticket already includes a digital guide.

  • Day-trip prices that leave out the ticket

    Coach tours advertised from €24–35 usually exclude the €20 entry and lunch, and some list 'entrance fees (if option selected)'. Check whether you are buying the 'with tickets' option; if not, buy the slot the operator names on tickets.hh.gr before the day.

  • No hotel pick-up on the big coach tours

    Most budget day trips start from an office or meeting point in central Athens around 8:00 and do not collect you from your hotel. Read the meeting point before booking and plan how to get there that early.

  • A driver is not a guide

    Some 'private tours' are a car with an English-speaking driver who, by the operator's own terms, is not a licensed guide and cannot go into the site or museum with you. Fine if you want transport; if you want a guided visit, check that a licensed guide is included.

  • Itineraries showing the Tholos

    Some tour listings still show the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia with the Tholos, the Kastalian Spring or the stadium as stops. All three are closed according to the ministry (October 2026); don't pay extra for a tour sold on them, and ask the operator what you will actually see.

  • The wrong bus station

    Athens has two KTEL terminals. Delphi buses leave from Liosion, not the bigger Kifissos terminal; going to the wrong one can cost you the bus, and the next may be hours later.

Accessibility

Delphi is only partly accessible. The site climbs a steep hillside on stony, uneven paths and steps, and the stadium at the top is a hard climb. Visitors with reduced mobility can be taken up to the level of the Temple of Apollo free of charge in a golf-cart type vehicle: tell the Ephorate of Antiquities of Phocis at least seven days ahead (+30 22650 82312, efafok@culture.gr), meet the driver at the entrance of the Sikelianos Museum (reachable only by private vehicle), and note that the cart cannot carry a non-folding wheelchair and runs only in suitable weather. The Archaeological Museum is accessible, with a lift. Visitors with a disability of 67% or more and one escort enter free with a disability certificate. The big coach day trips from Athens say they are not suitable for wheelchair users. Assistance dogs are allowed; pets are not.

Combine it with

  • Arachova

    A stone-built mountain village on the slopes of Parnassus about 10 km east of Delphi, on the road from Athens. Most day trips stop here for lunch and a stroll, and the KTEL buses pass through it.

  • Monastery of Hosios Loukas

    A UNESCO-listed Middle Byzantine monastery at Steiri, below Mount Helicon, with celebrated mosaics, coloured marble and a crypt with the saint's original tomb. €10 (€5 reduced), 8:30–15:30 all year; easiest as a detour by car on the way between Athens and Delphi.

  • Galaxidi

    A small harbour town of sea captains' houses on the Gulf of Corinth, below Delphi past Itea, with waterfront tavernas and swimming. Some KTEL Fokida buses run through Delphi to Itea and Galaxidi.

Columns of the Temple of Apollo among cypress trees
Columns of the Temple of Apollo among cypress trees

Questions people ask about visiting Delphi

How much does it cost to visit Delphi?

€20 for an adult (October 2026), which covers both the archaeological site and the museum; €10 reduced. Under 18s and EU citizens up to 25 enter free with ID, and entry is free on the first and third Sunday of each month from November to March and a few set days a year. There is no separate winter price any more.

Where do I buy official Delphi tickets?

On tickets.hh.gr, the Greek Ministry of Culture's Hellenic Heritage store, or on site at the museum ticket office (the site gate only checks tickets while a new ticket office is built). Choose 'Visit Delphi (Museum)', pick a date and time slot, and keep the e-ticket on your phone. Tickets are non-refundable but the slot can be changed up to 2 hours before.

Is a day trip from Athens to Delphi worth it?

Yes if you have only one day, but it is long: 10–11 hours, about 6 of them on the road, and around 2–3 hours at Delphi at the busiest time. A night in Delphi lets you see the site at opening and the museum in the evening without crowds.

How do I get from Athens to Delphi by bus?

Take a KTEL Fokida bus from the Liosion terminal (Liosion 260), not Kifissos. Buses leave Athens at 08:30, 10:30, 15:00 (not Saturdays) and 18:00, take about 3 hours and cost about €15 one way (October 2026). The last bus back leaves Delphi at 18:30.

How long do you need at Delphi?

About 3–4 hours: around 2 hours for the site and an hour or more for the museum. With the stadium closed for works (October 2026), the climb ends at the theatre. Day tours give you less, and many visitors say they wanted more time.

Is the Tholos at Delphi open?

No. The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, where the round Tholos stands, has been closed since rockfalls in October 2024; the ministry's Delphi page (October 2026) says it stays closed until the regional authority lifts its pedestrian access restrictions. The Kastalian Spring is closed until rockfall works are finished, and the stadium is closed for emergency works.

What is the best time to visit Delphi?

Opening time (8:00 from April to October) or after about 15:00, when the coach tours have left. April–June and September–October are the most comfortable months; July and August are very hot on the open hillside.

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