I am quite disconcerted at reading other travellers' comments that Delphi might not be the best in Greece, or that its ruins might be disappointing... allow me to claim that Delphi actually is among the top 3 archaeological sites in Greece (at least for me)!!! And this comes from a blend of history and setting.

My first (and until now only) visit to Delphoí came quite late (October 2018) when considering my numerous previous forays in Greece, and I was quite excited at the idea. Delphi, the navel of the world, home to the prophetic Pythia! If you have ever studied Classics and Greek at high school (a quite common thing in Italy) or at university or wherever, this name will be covered in legends. We might well say that, whenever an ancient text tells of two Greeks meeting along any road in Greece, one of the two is always heading to Delphi. 

A fact I found astounding: what we see now is a result of excavations and partial reconstructions that could only happen at the end of the XIXth century after an entire village was dislodged and relocated where we find it now. The village had stood there for centuries, and Delfi had vanished and been long forgotten. Was it ethically acceptable? I don't know. Could such a thing happen today? I don't know. Was it worth it? I am inclined to think so.

The natural scenario is stunning. You are high up in the hills, just below the steep crest of a mountain, with a view that sweeps to the south over oceans of olive trees towards the Gulf of Corinth. There's some energy that can be felt in this place, that is maybe a reason for its development as a spiritual and political centre. The main complex is uphill with respect to the road and comprises the ascent to the temple of Apollo along the Sacred Way: the visit is, so to say, linear. The (rests of the) buildings are quite compact and it is easy to imagine all the statuaries, the columns and the treasuries of every city and nation boastfully replete with wealth facing the Way. The centerpiece and focal point of this path is the partially reconstructed of the temple to Apollo, although the secret of the oracular chthonic exhalations is lost to us. The more you go up, the better you can appreciate the whole site; I'd recommend to buy a plan of Delphi for a mere 2€ to see how it looked where you tread today. 

Apparently, not all visitors do this, but by no means forgo going up at the summit of the theatre (a wonderful specimen) and then beyond to the later (Roman) stadium, lying somewhat off of the main complex and very well conserved. To end the visit of the archaeological part, the downhill section with the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia is also not to miss, even if less striking than the main one. And then, head to museum and bask in the glory of the works of art that got accumulated here by hordes of worshippers through the centuries. Probably the most impressive of such museums (I am thinking of Olympia, Aigina, Acropolis, Mycenae...) in Greece.

Here you have a total centre of power of the ancient Classical world and I think everything conveys this exceptionality. No ruin may particularly stand out by itself, but each has its meaning in the whole. In my opinion, the only serious competitor to Delphi in Greece is Mycenae.

In the end, some practical details and suggestions for the visit. Most important thing: however you decide to reach the village, do yourself a favour and plan to stay there or in the vicinity for the night. You shouldn't have problems finding a good deal for an accomodation, and there are some nice restaurants. This will allow you to come with ease during the day, visit both the site & the museum with no hurry at your pace, and enjoy the place in the late afternoon and evening, when most of the tourists leave, and/or early in the morning. I am pretty sure you can even decide to visit the site on the first day and the museum on the next morning with the same ticket, or viceversa. By the way, the visit to the museum is morally obligatory, don't ever think not to visit it, you would lose some masterpieces and not fully understand the place. Bus connections should be quite frequent, but probably with a change if you don't come from Athens. If you come by car, don't underestimate the distance, as you will be using mostly secondary roads; e.g. from Athens it's easily 3 hours. The Osios Lukas monastery is a nice addition to the itinerary, but of course this takes up a lot more (and well spent) time. We drove to Delphi directly from the Meteora, and it took us 6-7 hours (with just a few stops), passing through some beautiful countryside and hills. As for the suggested period, remember that October is one of the best months to go to Greece: low season, but very enjoyable weather, long days and no heat (however Delphi is already more ventilated than at lower heights). 

May the pythonic inspiration descend on you on your visit to Δελφοί!

 

- Photo: Apollo's temple from above and the valley.