Delphi Day Tour

HOSIOS LOUKAS

Hosios Loukas is a historic walled monastery situated near the town of Distomo, in Boeotia, Greece. It is one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine architecture and art, and has been listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, along with the monasteries of Nea Moni and Daphnion.

The monastery of Hossios Loukas is situated at a scenic site on the slopes of Mount Helicon. It was founded in the early 10th century AD by the hermit St. Luke whose relics are kept in the monastery to this day. The main shrine of the monastery is the tomb of St. Luke, originally situated in the vault, but later placed at the juncture of the two churches. The monastery derived its wealth (including funds required for construction) from the fact that the relics of St. Luke were said to have exuded myron, a sort of perfumed oil which produced healing miracles. Pilgrims hoping for miraculous help were encouraged to sleep by the side of the tomb in order to be healed by incubation.

ARCHITECTURE

The Church of the Theotokos, the oldest in the complex, is the only church known with certainty to have been built in mainland Greece in the tenth century. This centralized parallelogram-shaped building is the oldest example of the cross-in-square type in the country The Church of the Theotokos adjoins a larger cathedral church, or Katholikon, tentatively dated to 1011-12. The Katholikon is the earliest extant domed-octagon church, with eight piers arranged around the perimeter of the nave. The hemispherical dome (without a drum) rests upon four quenches which make a transition from the octagonal base under the dome to the square defined by the walls below. The main cube of the church is surrounded by galleries and chapels on all four sides.

DECORATION

Hosios Loukas is the largest of three monasteries surviving from the Middle Byzantine period in Greece. It differs from the Daphnion and Nea Moni in that it is dedicated to a single military saint The Katholikon contains the best preserved complex of mosaics from the period of the Macedonian Renaissance. However, the complex is not complete: the original image of Christ Pantocrator inside the dome is missing, as are the figures of archangels normally placed between the upper windows.

DELPHI

Delphi is famous as the ancient sanctuary that grew rich as the seat of the oracle that was consulted on important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. Moreover, it was considered as the centre of the world by the Greeks as represented by the Omphalos.

It occupies an impressive site on the south-western slope of Mount Parnassus overlooking the coastal plain to the south and the valley of Phocis. It is now an extensive archaeological site and the modern town is nearby.

It is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in having had a phenomenal influence in the Ancient world, as evidenced by the rich monuments built there by most of the important ancient Greek city-states, demonstrating their fundamental Hellenic unity.

ARCHAELOGICAL MUSEUM OF DELPHI

Delphi Archaeological museum is one of the principal museums of Greece and one of the most visited. It is operated by the Greek Ministry of Culture Founded in 1903, it has been rearranged several times and houses the discoveries made at the panhellenic sanctuary of Delphi, which date from the Late Helladic (Mycenean) period to the early Byzantine era.

CASTALIA SPRING

Castalia in Greek mythology, was a nymph whom Apollo transformed into a fountain at Delphi, at the base of Mount Parnassos. Castalia could inspire the genius of poetry to those who drank her waters or listened to their quiet sound; the sacred water was also used to clean the Delphian temples. Apollo consecrated Castalia to the Muses (Castaliae Musae).

TEMPLE OF APOLLO

The ruins of the Temple of Delphi visible today date from the 4th century BC, and are of a peripteral Doric building. It was erected on the remains of an earlier temple, dated to the 6th century BC which itself was erected on the site of a 7th-century BC construction attributed to the architects Trophonios and Agamedes.

Inside was the adyton, the centre of the Delphic oracle and seat of Pythia. The temple had the statement “Know thyself”, one of the Delphic maxims, carved into it (and some modern Greek writers say the rest were carved into it), and the maxims were attributed to Apollo and given through the oracle and/or the Seven Sages of Greece (“know thyself” perhaps also being attributed to other famous philosophers).

The temple survived until AD 390, when the Roman emperor Theodosius I silenced the oracle by destroying the temple and most of the statues and works of art in the name of Christianity. The site was completely destroyed by zealous Christians in an attempt to remove all traces of Paganism.

The first temple of Apollo was, according to the myth, made of daphne (laurel the sacred symbol of Apollo), the second temple of Apollo was made of bees wax and feathers (the remains of two structures dating from the 8th century BC could be associated with the first two temples), the third temple of Apollo was made out of bronze, the forth temple of Apollo was constructed around the end of the 7th century BC and, according to Pausanias, ruined by fire in 548 BC, the fifth temple of Apollo (Alcmaeonid Temple) was constructed between 525-505 BC and ruined by fire or earthquake in 373 BC, the sixth temple of Apollo was finished in 320 BC and is the one visible today.

• SUMMER PERIOD: 1 April – 31 October
• WINTER PERIOD: 1 November – 31 March

DELPHI

Full: € 12,00 – Reduced: € 6,00
(Valid for: Delphi, Delphi Archaeological Museum)

Winter: 08:00 – 15:00
Summer: 08:00 – 20:00

HOSIOS LOYKAS MONASTERY

Full: € 3,00 – Reduced: € 2,00
(Valid for: Delphi, Delphi Archaeological Museum)

Winter / Summer: 09:00 – 17:00

Free admission:

• Escorting teachers during the visits of schools and institutions of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary education and of military schools.
• Members of Societies and Associations of Friends of Museums and Archaeological Sites throughout Greece with the demonstration of certified membership card.
• Members of the ICOM-ICOMOS.
• Persons possessing a free admission card.
• The employees of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Archaeological Receipts Fund, upon presentation of their service ID card.
• The official guests of the Greek government, with the approval of the General Director of Antiquities.
• Young people, under the age of 18, after demonstrating the Identity Card or passport to confirm the age.

Free admission days:

• 6 March (in memory of Melina Mercouri)
• 18 April (International Monuments Day)
• 18 May (International Museums Day)
• The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
• Every first Sunday from November 1st to March 31st
• 28 October

Reduced admission for:

• Greek citizens and citizens of other Member – States of the European Union who are over 65 years old, upon presentation of their ID card or passport for verification of their age and country of origin.
• Holders of a solidarity card
• Holders of a valid unemployment card.
• Large families’ parents of children up to 23 yrs old,or up to 25 yrs old (on military service/studying), or child with disabilities regardless the age, having a certified pass of large families, certification from the Large Family Association or a family status certificate issued by the Municipality.
• Persons with disabilities (67 % or over) and one escort, upon presentation of the certification of disability issued by the Ministry of Health or a medical certification from a public hospital, where the disability and the percentage of disability are clearly stated.
• Single parent families with minors, upon presentation of a family status certificate issued by the Municipality. In the case of divorsed parents, only the parent holding custody of the children.
• The police officers of the Department of Antiquity Smuggling of the Directorate of Security
• Tourist guides upon presentation of their professional ID card.
• University students and students at Technological Educational Institutes or equivalent schools from countries outside the EU by showing their student ID.

IMPORTANT

All our tours are flexible it’s up to you to make changes according to your wishes

Admission fees and lunch are not included in the price of the tour.

Confirmations

You may receive multiple e-mails until you receive an e-mail starting confirmation your booking will NOT have been confirmed.

FLEET

Our company fleet consist of non-smoking luxury sedan taxis Mercedes Benz full air conditioned. All vehicles covered by a fully comprehensive insurance policy and licensed by Hellenic Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

All prices are quoted per car / not per person

Prices include:

• local taxes
• VAT
• Tolls
• Baggage charges

Prices exclude:

• Entrance fees
• Personal expenses (drink,meals etc.)

DRIVERS

• The drivers are not a licensed to accompany you on your walk to the top of the Acropolis or inside any other site or museum.
• If you require a licensed guide to tour the sites with you, you need to hire one additionally.