For the ancient Greeks some places were closer to the gods than others. At Delphi, at the centre of the world, the Pythia gave voice to Apollo, and kings and cities came from afar to seek her advice before a war or the founding of a colony. At Olympia, every four years, cities suspended their wars to compete in honour of Zeus. At Eleusis the Mysteries of Demeter were celebrated, the most famous secret cult of antiquity. On the headland of Cape Sounion a white temple greeted sailors returning to Athens.
This seven-day itinerary links the great sanctuaries of mainland Greece in a loop that starts and ends in Athens, crossing the Gulf of Corinth on the country's longest bridge and climbing into the mountains of Arcadia to the isolated temple of Bassae. These places keep a special atmosphere, especially at dawn, when the coaches have not yet arrived and all you hear is cicadas.
- Athens: the Acropolis, sanctuary of Athena
- Eleusis: the mysteries of Demeter
- Delphi: the navel of the world
- Galaxidi: the captains' town
- Rio-Antirrio Bridge: the bridge over the gulf
- Olympia: the games in honour of Zeus
- Bassae: the temple in the mountains
- Cape Sounion: the temple of Poseidon
The gods and their sanctuaries
Every Greek sanctuary was the home of a deity, but also a meeting place for rival cities. At Delphi people consulted the oracle of Apollo, at Olympia they honoured Zeus, father of the gods, at Eleusis Demeter, goddess of the harvest, and her daughter Persephone, carried off by Hades, and at Cape Sounion Poseidon, god of the sea. Around the temples cities built small buildings, "treasuries", to hold their offerings and show off their wealth. To learn more about the gods see our pages on the twelve Olympians, Apollo, Zeus and Demeter.
- 776 BCThe first Olympic Games, according to tradition
- 6th century BCDelphi is the most important sanctuary in the Greek world
- c. 456 BCThe Temple of Zeus at Olympia is completed
- c. 440 BCThe Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion is built
- AD 393Emperor Theodosius bans the Olympic Games
- 1892The great French excavations at Delphi begin
- 1896The first modern Olympic Games are held in Athens
- 1986The temple of Bassae is the first Greek UNESCO World Heritage Site
Day 1: Athens and the Acropolis
Start with the most famous sanctuary of all: the Acropolis of Athens, dedicated to the goddess Athena, with the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and its caryatids and the small temple of Athena Nike. Go up at opening time, 8 am, when the light is soft and the crowds still thin. In the afternoon visit the Acropolis Museum, with the original sculptures and the gallery reproducing the Parthenon frieze, and at sunset climb the Areopagus rock to see the Acropolis lit up.
Where to stay: in Athens. See where to stay in Athens.
Day 2: Eleusis and the road to Delphi
Pick up the car and in half an hour you reach Eleusis, today an industrial town on the gulf, which was European Capital of Culture in 2023. For almost two thousand years the Eleusinian Mysteries were celebrated here: initiates swore to reveal nothing, and indeed we still don't know for certain what happened in the Telesterion, the great hall of initiation. The site and small museum tell the myth of Demeter and Persephone, the mother searching for her abducted daughter who lets the earth die until she finds her: the cycle of the seasons.
In the afternoon drive to Delphi (about two and a half hours), climbing through the mountains of Boeotia and Parnassus, with a possible stop in Arachova, a stone village famous for rugs and cheeses.
Where to stay: in Delphi, for two nights, in a hotel overlooking the valley of olive trees.
Day 3: Delphi, the navel of the world
According to myth, Zeus released two eagles from opposite ends of the world, and they met here: that is why Delphi was considered the navel of the world, marked by a stone, the omphalos. The UNESCO-listed sanctuary of Delphi clings to the slopes of Mount Parnassus above a valley of olive trees running down to the sea. Climb the Sacred Way, past the remains of the cities' treasuries (the Athenian one has been rebuilt), to the Temple of Apollo, where the Pythia sat and where the motto "know thyself" was inscribed. Higher up are the theatre and the stadium, the best preserved in Greece, with stone seats among the pines.
Delphi's museum is one of the finest in the country: here stands the Charioteer, a 5th-century BC bronze statue with its glass-paste eyes still intact, and the Sphinx of the Naxians. In the afternoon walk down to the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, with the famous tholos, the little round temple that is perhaps the most photographed image of Delphi, and to the Castalian Spring, where pilgrims purified themselves before consulting the oracle.
Day 4: Galaxidi and the bridge to Olympia
Drive down to the Gulf of Corinth to Galaxidi (about 40 minutes), an elegant town of sea captains with 19th-century houses around the harbour, perfect for a coffee. Then follow the coast to the Rio-Antirrio Bridge, opened in 2004, almost three kilometres long: one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world, built to withstand the gulf's earthquakes and winds. On the other side, in the Peloponnese, continue to Olympia (about two hours).
Where to stay: in Olympia, for two nights.
Day 5: Olympia
The UNESCO-listed sanctuary of Olympia lies in a grove of pines and olives along the River Alpheus. Here, by tradition from 776 BC, the Olympic Games were held for over a thousand years, until Emperor Theodosius banned them at the end of the 4th century. You visit the Temple of Zeus, which housed Phidias's gigantic gold and ivory statue, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, the workshop of Phidias, where it was made, the Temple of Hera, in front of which the Olympic flame is still lit today, and the palaestra where athletes trained. The most moving moment is entering the stadium through the stone tunnel, as the athletes did: the track is still there, 192 metres long.
The archaeological museum holds the pediment sculptures of the Temple of Zeus, the Nike of Paionios and the Hermes of Praxiteles. Next door is the museum of the history of the ancient games. For the stories and rules of the contests see our page on the ancient Olympic Games.
Day 6: Bassae and the return
Climb into the mountains of Arcadia (about an hour and a half) to the Temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae, at over a thousand metres. According to tradition it was designed by Iktinos, the architect of the Parthenon, and it is one of the best-preserved temples in Greece. To protect it from the mountain climate it is covered by a huge white tent: the effect, as you enter, is of a canvas cathedral hovering over the temple. It was the first Greek site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The drive here, through stone villages such as Andritsena and empty valleys, is worth the detour in itself.
In the afternoon head back towards Athens (about four hours), crossing Arcadia via Tripoli and Corinth.
Where to stay: in Athens.
Day 7: Cape Sounion
On the last day drive down the coast of Attica, the Athens riviera, to Cape Sounion (about an hour and a half). The Temple of Poseidon, with its white marble columns at the tip of the headland, 60 metres above the sea, is one of the most evocative places in Greece, especially at sunset. On one column you can still see the name of Lord Byron, carved by the poet on his travels. Before going up you can stop for a swim in one of the coves along the coast.
How much it costs
| Item | Indicative cost per person |
|---|---|
| Accommodation, 6 nights sharing a double room (mid-range hotels) | €350-500 |
| Hire car for 6 days, shared by two, plus fuel, tolls and bridge | €220-300 |
| Admissions (Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Eleusis, Delphi, Olympia, Bassae, Cape Sounion) | €100-140 |
| Meals | €230-320 |
| Total | about €900-1,260 |
To save money: entry to state sites is free for EU citizens under 25, and from November to March many tickets are reduced. Official guides at the gate cost extra, but at Delphi and Olympia they are worth it.
Practical information
- Timing and heat: in summer enter at opening time; at Delphi the climb to the stadium is steep and shadeless.
- Acropolis: tickets are timed and must be bought online in advance, especially from April to October.
- Tolls: Greek motorways have tolls, and the Rio-Antirrio Bridge is also paid; keep cash or a card handy.
- Without a car: KTEL buses link Athens with Delphi and Olympia (via Pyrgos), but Bassae can only be reached by car or taxi.
- Documents: EU citizens only need a valid identity card. See getting to Greece.
Variations
- Dodona: in Epirus, near Ioannina, the oldest oracle in Greece, where Zeus spoke through the rustling leaves of an oak, with a large theatre among the mountains.
- Epidaurus: the sanctuary of Asclepius and its perfect theatre; see the myth itinerary in the Argolid.
- Delos: Apollo's sacred island, half an hour by boat from Mykonos; see Delos.
What to read before you go
To understand the sanctuaries, Herodotus's Histories tell of the most famous answers of the Delphic oracle; for Olympia, Pindar's odes written for the victors of the games; for the mysteries, the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. See also our pages on ancient Greek religion and archaeology in Greece.
Final tips
- Pace: sleep close to the sites, at Delphi and Olympia, to visit them at dawn and sunset.
- Combinations: from the mountains of Arcadia the Argolid is easy to reach, and from Delphi the Meteora.
- A tip: at Delphi climb to the stadium around six in the evening, when the groups have gone and the light turns golden over the valley: it is easy to see why the Greeks believed a god spoke here.
See also our other itineraries in Greece.