Delphi: Sanctuary of Apollo

Myth 1: Zeus sent two eagles to fly to separate ways, in order to find the centre of the world. Where these two eagles would meet, would mark that spot. That was in Delphi and Zeus placed a stone called omphalos to remind of the significance of the place.

Views over Delphi

Delphi lays on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, a little north from Athens. It’s where the leaders of ancient Greece went for getting advice for major issues such as wars. The high priestess Pythia was believed to deliver the prophecies from Apollo himself.

Delphi was also home to the Pythian Games, one of the precursors of the modern Olympic Games. The winners got a laurel crown as a mark of their success, which was cut from a tree in a ceremony, where the slaying of Python was re-enacted.

Myth 2: Originally the area was sacred for the mother goddess of the earth, Gaea. She placed her son, Python, to guard Delphi and the oracle but Apollo, the god of light and music, killed the serpent guard and took over the place. The priestesses were called Pythia to honour the dead son of Gaea, and it was believed that Apollo himself, spoke through them.

Multiple day trips depart from Athens daily but I would recommend taking a bus or renting a car and staying over night. There were many cute villages close by.

• Delphi, Greece