Trifter

A holiday in Greece conjures up pictures of blue sky merging into blue sea; white villas dressed in bourganvillea, lazy days spent dipping alternately into the sea and a good book. A reliable two weeks of sun, sea and sand with a tan to take home which friends will envy.

Most holiday packages offer additional diversions, with boat trips, a Greek Night and a tour or two. If the ancient oracle at Delphi is on offer I heartily recommend that you leave the beach towel to dry out for the day and take the trip. Delphi is a fascinating site in a beautiful setting. It was known throughout the ancient world as “the omphalos” or navel, because the Greeks perceived Delphi to be the centre of the world.

According to legend Zeus released a couple of eagles, one where the run rose and the other where it set – the pair met up over Delphi and a large conical stone “the omphalos” was appropriately placed to mark the spot.

Flickr. Omphalos

You will find the ruins of the ancient sanctuary in the foothills of Mt. Parnassus, about one hundred kilometres west of Athens and overlooking the Corinthian Gulf.

However, visitors to Greece a century ago would have been hard pressed to find Delphi. It was, after all, 3,000 years old and times had moved on. French archaeologists discovered it in 1892. Even old Zeus, if he was still in Olympus looking down on the ways of men, must have admired their determination. There was a village on the ancient site which first had to be moved, lock stock and barrel, before excavations could begin.

Thanks to their mighty endeavours you can now walk the smooth rocks of the Sacred Way that led to the temple of Apollo, the principal deity of Delphi. He arrived, according to legend, on the back of a dolphin. Treasuries containing tribute to the god originally lined this route. They were temple-like constructions and one of them, the Athenian Treasury, has been reconstructed with some of its original blocks to give a good idea of how these buildings must have appeared.

Flickr Athenian Treasury

You can see the foundations, steps and several columns of Apollo’s great temple which have survived the ravages of time and shakings of earthquakes. Close to the temple of Apollo is the amphitheatre which is still fairly intact, the acoustics are amazing.

Flickr Temple of Apollo

The oracle at Delphi was renowned in the ancient world and consulted by the rich and mighty as well as humbler souls. It was a spiritual centre where it was believed that the gods were able to speak to mortals via the medium of a priestess. Her strange utterances were translated by a priest wise in the ways of the world and politics. The priests’ ambiguities kept their customers happy and the treasuries full.

It is best to visit Delphi before the heat of the day. You cannot avoid climbing, indeed you will not want to do so. The stadium is high but the view is majestic. When you leave the site linger awhile and visit the nearby Castalian Spring to slake your thirst and cool your feet. It was here that the priestesses of Delphi ritually cleansed themselves before attendance at the temple.

Although the oracle has long gone, Delphi has retained its spiritual atmosphere. Perhaps it is simply the beauty of its situation, or the majestic “Shining Rocks” rising protectively above. It has drawn men since the dawn of history; a place where people have come with their questions, seeking reassurance for their fears and confirmation of their hopes.

For all these reasons you will remember a visit to Delphi long after the rest of your holiday has faded into one long sun-drenched blur.