Delphi

Sleep in the village and reach the Sacred Way at opening

Sleep in Delphi village the night before, then be at the main gate when it opens and walk straight up the Sacred Way to the theatre and stadium while they are still empty. Come back down past the treasuries as the coaches arrive, see the museum at midday and visit Athena Pronaia in the afternoon light.

Walk to the end of the main street at dusk, when the olive plain below turns grey-green and the gulf shows silver beyond Itea.

Walk straight up the Sacred Way without stopping at the treasuries; you will have the theatre and the stadium almost to yourself. Sit on the stadium bank for a few minutes, then work down slowly, looking at the Temple of Apollo platform, the Athenian Treasury and the polygonal wall on the way.

Mid-morning. Go into the museum around 10:00, just as the coaches reach the ruins. Give the bronze Charioteer, the omphalos and the Siphnian frieze the time they deserve; the museum also has the only toilets and cafe nearby.

Afternoon. After a long lunch and a rest, walk along the road past the Castalian Spring and take the path down to the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia. The Tholos is free to see and at its best when the late sun warms the marble. Remember that the main site has no shade, so carry water in any season.

Olives, formaela and fish on the Gulf of Corinth

Food in Delphi village is simple: grilled meat, slow-cooked lamb and big salads on terraces facing the valley, with a carafe of local wine. The plain below is an ancient olive forest, so buy oil and olives, try formaela, the grilled cheese of nearby Arachova, and drive to the gulf for fish.

Delphi village eats simply. Its tavernas line the two main streets and are aimed at overnight visitors, so look for a terrace facing the valley and a short menu.

The plain below the village is an olive forest, one of the oldest in Greece. Its fruit is sold as Amfissa olives, plump and usually black, and you will find them on every table and in shops for taking home.

Up the mountain road, Arachova has its own cheese, formaela, a firm sheep's or goat's milk cheese that is best eaten grilled or fried until it softens. Arachova's tavernas also serve hearty mountain food, especially in the ski season when the village is at its busiest.

For a change of scene, drive or take a taxi down to Galaxidi on the Gulf of Corinth. Its old captains' houses face a small harbour lined with fish tavernas, and a long lunch there is the classic reward after a morning at the ruins. Itea, nearer and plainer, has more seafront places with a view of the boats.

Arachova, Galaxidi and the seasons on Parnassus

Spring suits Delphi best, when Parnassus is green, wildflowers fill the ruins and the climb to the stadium is comfortable. Summer is hot and crowded with day coaches, while winter turns nearby Arachova into a ski resort; Galaxidi, a harbour town on the Gulf of Corinth, makes a quiet base or day out.

Delphi changes character with the seasons, and so do its neighbours. In spring the slopes of Parnassus are green, wild flowers fill the gaps between the ruins and the temperature is right for the steep climb to the stadium. This is also the best time for walking and cycling on the country roads below the mountain, which is part of Parnassos National Park, protected since 1938. Autumn, from September into October, is almost as good and quieter.

Summer is hard work. The hillside site has no shade, groups pour in from mid-morning and the heat builds fast. The site and museum stay open into the evening in high season, so split your visit into early-morning and late-afternoon sessions and rest in between.

Winter turns attention uphill. Arachova, a stone village perched on the road above Delphi, fills with Athenian skiers heading for the Parnassos ski centre, and its hotels and bars are at their busiest and dearest on winter weekends. Delphi itself is cold and quiet then, with shorter opening hours but the ruins almost to yourself.

Easter is a festival week everywhere in the region, and hotels in both Delphi and Arachova fill early, as they do on most weekends. Galaxidi on the coast is a year-round escape from the mountain chill.