Delphi tour with professional guide: Oracle, Temple & Museum

The Oracle, the Temple of Apollo, and a bronze statue that survived millennia

A ten-hour guided tour of Delphi's archaeological site and museum, led by a licensed English-speaking guide, covers the sanctuary that ancient Greece believed was the center of the world. You walk the Temple of Apollo where the Oracle delivered prophecies, explore the ruins of the sanctuary at the foot of Mount Parnassos, and see the Charioteer, a bronze statue cast in 478 BC. Transportation and on-board WiFi are included. Site and museum admission is purchased separately at the gate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each3 stops

1. Delphi2h 30m
2. Temple of Apollo
3. Delphi Archaeological Museum

Explore Delphi archaeological site and museum

• Visit the Oracle of Delphi
• See Temple of Apollo
• Tour Delphi Archaeological Museum
• Photo stop at Arachova village

The experience

The tour runs ten hours round-trip from Athens, with a professional guide who speaks English and knows the archaeological site firsthand. You travel by deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach, which means the drive itself is part of the experience: the landscape changes as you head toward Mount Parnassos, and the guide uses the time to set the story of what you're about to see. The Delphi sanctuary sits in a narrow gorge between two rock formations called the Phaedriades, a setting so striking that ancient Greeks believed it was the navel of the world, the spot where two eagles released by Zeus from opposite ends of the universe met.

At the site itself, the guide walks you through the Temple of Apollo, where the Pythia, the priestess of the Oracle, delivered prophecies that cities, rulers and ordinary people traveled across the Mediterranean to hear. Between the sixth and fourth centuries BC, the Oracle was at its height, and the gifts left by grateful visitors (some of them kings) filled the sanctuary. The Archaeological Museum holds what survives: pottery, sculptures, and the Charioteer, a bronze statue dedicated to Apollo in 478 BC by a tyrant who won the chariot race at the Pythian Games. The statue is one of the finest examples of ancient Greek bronze work, cast in what art historians call the "severe" Attic style. Before heading back, the tour stops briefly in Arachova, a traditional mountain village, for photos.

Admission to the archaeological site and museum costs 20 euros and is paid at the gate. You can also book in advance through the official Delphi site. The guide is included in the tour price, as is transportation and WiFi on the coach. Lunch is not included, though the day is long enough that you'll want to eat somewhere along the route.

What’s included

• Transportation by deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach.
• professional English-speaking guide at the archaeological site and museum.
• on-board WiFi.

Before you book

Lasts 10h, runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 08:30, from € 29 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday, Wednesday and FridayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years)

GroupUp to 49

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by CHAT Tours

Is this one for you?The ten-hour round-trip leaves most of your day in Athens untouched if you start early, but it's a full commitment once you're on the coach. This is not a half-day option. Choose it if you want to see the Oracle sanctuary and the Charioteer with someone who knows the site, not as a rushed checklist.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the Oracle at Delphi, and why did ancient Greeks think it was so important?

The Oracle was a priestess called the Pythia who delivered prophecies at the Temple of Apollo, interpreted by priests. Between the sixth and fourth centuries BC, it was regarded as the most trustworthy oracle in the ancient world, and people from across Greece and beyond consulted it on matters of war, trade, and personal fate. The sanctuary itself was believed to be the center of the world, the spot where Zeus's two eagles met.

Will I see the bronze Charioteer statue, and what makes it special?

Yes, the Charioteer is in the Archaeological Museum, which is part of the tour. It's a bronze statue cast in 478 BC and dedicated to Apollo by a tyrant who won the chariot race at the Pythian Games. It's one of the finest surviving examples of ancient Greek bronze work and represents the "severe" Attic style of the period.

How much walking is involved, and what's the physical fitness level required?

The tour involves moderate walking around the archaeological site and through the museum. The operator recommends at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The site sits on a hillside at the foot of Mount Parnassos, so there are slopes and uneven ground. It's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

Does the tour include meals, and will there be time to eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. The ten-hour duration includes travel time from Athens, so there's a window to eat during the day, though you'll need to arrange it yourself at a local restaurant or bring food.

What's included in the tour price, and what do I pay separately?

The tour price covers transportation by air-conditioned motorcoach, the professional English-speaking guide at the archaeological site and museum, and WiFi on board. Admission to the Delphi site and museum costs 20 euros, paid separately at the gate or booked in advance through the official Delphi website.