Greece - Korina Miller [179]
Getting There & Away
There are frequent buses travelling between Livadia and Athens (€11.10, two hours, hourly). From Athens, take the bus from Terminal B (off Map; 210 831 7173; Liosion 260, Kato Patisia). In Livadia, Athens-bound buses depart from the KTEL-station ( 22610 28336), 1.5km northwest of the Plateia Kotsoni. There is also daily service to Moni Osios Loukas (€3.30, 30 minutes). Just opposite Hotel Levadia, there is a kiosk–bus stop (no phone) for Delphi (€3.90, 50 minutes, six daily) and Amfissa (€5.80, 70 minutes, six daily).
Ten trains travel to/from Athens daily (normal/IC express €4/10, 95/75 minutes). A shuttle bus (€1.20) makes the 6km run between the out-of-the-way train station ( 22610 28046) and the town’s OSE rail office ( 22610 28661; Filonos 30), 400m west of Plateia Kotsoni.
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DELPHI ΔΕΛΦΟI
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If the ancient Greeks hadn’t chosen Delphi (from Delphis, or womb) as their navel of the earth and built the Sanctuary of Apollo here, someone else would have thought of a good reason to make this eagle’s nest village a tourist attraction. Its location on a precipitous cliff edge is spectacular and, despite its overt commercialism and the constant passage of tour buses through the modern village, it still has a special feel. Delphi is 178km northwest of Athens and is the base for exploring one of Greece’s major tourist sites.
History
Delphi reached its height between the 6th and 4th centuries BC, when multitudes of pilgrims came to ask advice of its oracle, who was believed to speak for Apollo (see The Delphic Oracle, Click here).
Delphi was protected by the Amphictyonic League, a federation of 12 tribal-states, which took control of the sanctuary following the First Sacred War (595–586 BC), making Delphi an autonomous state that enjoyed great prosperity from numerous benefactors, including the kings of Lydia and Egypt, and Hadrian.
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THE OEDIPUS CROSSROADS
A traveller can still see the spot ‘where three roads meet’, as described by the ancient playwright Sophocles. This fateful junction was where proud Oedipus encountered his father, King Laius, thus fulfilling the powerful Delphic oracle’s tragic prophecy that he would unknowingly murder his father and marry his mother.
To find the actual Oedipus crossroads (heading west from Livadia towards Delphi), look first for the road sign to Distomo, and 1km on for a sign to Davlia. Proceed uphill another 1.5km to the car park (P) on the right. Look down and to the right to see visible traces of an ancient crossing, perhaps the narrow meeting of roads and fate.
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The sanctuary survived fire (548 BC) and earthquake (373 BC), and in the 3rd century BC, it was conquered by the Aetolians, and then by the Romans in 191 BC. Although the Roman Sulla plundered the sanctuary in 86 BC, other emperors, fascinated by its reputation, kept the rituals at Delphi alive, well into the 2nd century AD, when the oracle’s influence began to dwindle. The sanctuary was finally abolished by the Byzantine emperor Theodosius in the late 4th century AD. By the 7th century, a new village, Kastri, had appeared over the ancient site. Much of what is known about Delphi today comes from the notes of 2nd-century-AD Athenian geographer Pausanius.
Orientation & Information
Almost everything you’ll need in Delphi is on Vasileon Pavlou & Friderikis. Delphi’s other through roads are Apollonos, which runs north of and parallel to Vasileon Pavlou & Friderikis, and Filellinon, which runs south and parallel to the main drag. Four steep stairways transverse all three roads.
The small bus station is on Vasileon Pavlou & Friderikis next to Taverna Gargaduas on the Itea side of town. The post office (Map; 7.30am-2pm) and three bank ATMs are also on this street.
You’ll find helpful information at