Thermopylae and Delphi full day private tour from Athens
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Delphi, home of the 4th-century-BC Temple of Apollo on this private, full day excursion from Athens. Travel in private, air-conditioned vehicles and get around all the sites your group is interested in visiting within the extensive mountainside archaeological complex before returning comfortably to Athens.
- Your guides are not official site guides, but can explain all about the sites on the way to and from Delphi
- Stop at the Delphi ruins, the Temple of Apollo, and Delphi Archaeological Museum
- See the sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia, ancient stadiums, and theatres
- Visit Thermopylae where the battle took place and the statue of Leonidas
Options
With Greek Traditional Food
Lunch: Enjoy authentic Greek cuisine and traditional foods.
Pickup included
What's included in Thermopylae and Delphi full day private tour from Athens
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
ThermopylaePass-by Only
Thermopylae is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs. In Greek mythology the Hot Gates is one of the entrances to Hades. Thermopylae is the site of a battle between the Greek forces and the invading Persian forces, commemorated by Simonides of Ceos in the famous epitaph, "Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, That here obedient to their laws we lie." Thermopylae is the only land route large enough to bear any significant traffic between Lokris and Thessaly. To go from north to south along the east coast of the Balkan peninsula requires use of the pass, and so Thermopylae has been the site of several battles.
Battlefield of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Ancient Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas I of Sparta, and the Achaemenid Empire of Xerxes I. It was fought in 480 BC over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. The battle took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium. It occurred at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates") in August or September 480 BC. The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first Persian invasion of Greece, which had been ended by the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. By 480 BC, Xerxes had amassed a massive army and navy and set out to conquer all of Greece. The Athenian politician and general Themistocles had proposed that the allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae, while simultaneously blocking the Persian navy at the Straits of Artemisium.
Leonidas Monument
Leonidas was a king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, and the 17th of the Agiad line, a dynasty which claimed descent from the mythological demigod Heracles and Cadmus. Leonidas was son of King Anaxandridas II. He succeeded his half-brother King Cleomenes I to the throne in c. 489 BC. Leonidas had a notable participation in the Second Persian War, where he led the allied Greek forces to a last stand at the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) while attempting to defend the pass from the invading Persian army; he died at the battle and entered myth as the leader of the 300 Spartans. While the Greeks lost this battle, they were able to expel the Persian invaders in the following year.
Inclusions
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- WiFi on board
- Professional drivers with deep knowledge of history (not licensed to accompany you in any site)
- Lunch (With Greek Traditional Food option)
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Hotel/ airport/ port pickup and drop-off
- Licensed tour guide (upon request and depending on availability)
- Entry or admission fees for archaeological sites
- Gratuities
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Our drivers are not official tour guides, but they are knowledgeable and can provide fascinating commentary in fluent English. Although they will not enter the archaeological sites with you, they can answer all of your questions about the places you visit with this tour.
- Third party activities and especially extreme sports are not allowed during the tour. This can be a cause for immediate cancellation of the tour.
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
Choose to be picked up from a list of locations
Please arrive at the pick up point 10 minutes before departure time.
Additional Information
This is a private tour. Only your group will participate. The pick-up time is adjustable upon your request. Your personal driver will pick you up and return you to the same place or to the point you prefer. In case of a hotel, he will be waiting for you at the hotel lobby. In case of an apartment, he will be waiting for you at the entrance of the building. For airport pick up, he will be waiting for you at the arrival hall holding a sign with your name on it to spot him upon arrival. We will track your flight and our driver will be there on time. For port pick up, he will be waiting for you at the gate, just as you disembark, holding a sign with your name on it to spot him upon arrival.
