Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE MYTH OF OEDIPUS
Pausanias identified the fateful Triodos crossroads as the site of Oedipus's murder of his father,
King Laius of Thebes. As the tale recounts, Oedipus was returning on foot from Delphi while
Laius and his entourage were speeding towards him from the opposite direction on a chariot.
Neither would give way, and in the ensuing altercation Oedipus killed them, ignorant of who
they were. It was, in Pausanias's supreme understatement, “the beginning of his troubles”.
Continuing on to Thebes, Oedipus solved the riddle of the Sphinx - which had been ravaging
the area - and took widowed Queen Jocasta as his wife - unaware that he was marrying his
own mother.
unchanged since Oedipus supposedly trod it, by taking the minor road, signposted for
“Mándhra”, north off the motorway at modern Elefsína, leaving that polluted, chaotic
port behind. Matters quickly improve, as the road winds up through an evocative
landscape of pines and stony hills, becoming ever more striking as Mount Parnassós and
its outriders loom overhead. After 22km, about halfway to Delphi, you reach the vicinity
of the
Triodos
(Triple Way) or
Oedipus junction
, intersection of the ancient roads from
Delphi, Daulis (today Dhávlia), Thebes (Thíva) and Ambrossos (modern Dhístomo).
3
Delphi (Dhelfí)
Daily: summer 8am-8pm; winter 8.30am-3pm • €9 joint ticket Sacred Precinct and museum
It's easy to understand why the ancients considered
DELPHI
the centre of the earth,
especially given their penchant for awe-inspiring sacred spots. Framed on all sides by
the soaring crags of Parnassós, the site truly captures the imagination, especially in
spring, when wildflowers cloak the precipitous valley. But more than a stunning setting
was needed to confirm the divine presence. Sanctity, according to Plutarch, was
confirmed through the discovery of a rock chasm that exuded strange vapours and
reduced supplicants to incoherent - and undoubtedly
prophetic
- mutterings.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
DELPHI
By bus
There are 6 buses daily from Athens to Delphi, so it
is conceivable to visit Delphi as a day-trip, although it
makes for a very long day of at least 5-6 hours on the road.
Also, you need to be sure to buy a return ticket, as the
number of Athens-bound seats allocated to be sold at the
Dhelfí ticket booth is limited and they sell out quickly.
By car
As with buses, doing Delphi as a day-trip by car
from Athens means spending hours on the road so on
the whole it's best to spend a night in the vicinity.
Moving on from Delphi, the
E75/N1 motorway
barrels
north towards the Pelion, skirting the coast part of the
way, with Évvia visible just across the gulf. Another road
leads southwest along the scenic Gulf of Kórinthos
through Galaxídhi and Náfpaktos, with an optional link
to the
Peloponnese over the Andírio-Río bridge. A third,
more remote, route leads west to mountainous
Karpeníssi and then across the southernmost extensions
of the Píndhos Mountains.
INFORMATION
Site layout
Delphi is divided by the Aráhova road into
three adjacent sites: the Sacred Precinct, the Castalian
spring and the Marmaria. There's also a well-lit and
helpfully labelled museum. The museum and the sites are a
pleasant stroll from the modern village. The attractions are
best seen in two stages, covering the sanctuary ideally at
the beginning or end of the day, or (in winter) at lunchtime,
to escape the coached-in crowds.
Practicalities
At the main site itself, lots of clambering
up rough stone steps and paths means you should wear
sturdy shoes and bring a water bottle. There are cafés at the
museum and the Castalian spring, the latter with terrace
seating and panoramic views.
Brief history
he
first oracle
established here was dedicated to Gaia (“Mother Earth”) and Poseidon
(“Earth Shaker”). The serpent Python, son of Gaia, dwelt in a nearby chasm, and
communicated through the Pythian priestess. Python was later slain by young Apollo,
