Because we just hadnt had enough ferry rides, we added in one more (plus, once we arrived in Piraeus around 5 30 am, a subway, a city bus and then a regional bus) to get to the spiritual center of ancient Greece, Delphi. We spent only two nights, and unfortunately the thing I will remember most (well, maybe second most) is being tired, sandwiched as it was between two days of 24 hour travel.
The site itself is a pretty good collection of ruins perched on the slopes of some bizarre mountains, peering out over the valley far below. Its where people once flocked, coming from all over to consult the famous Oracle. Based on her cryptic, possibly hallucinogen-induced predictions, marriages were set, business contracts were signed, and wars were waged.
Much better than the ruins was the museum, which contains all the vast amounts of treasure that the Greek city-states piled up in tribute to Delphi, the sacred "navel of the earth." They had the famous bronze statue of the charioteer, with his calm, piercing gaze and perfectly sculpted face; the intricate friezes from the various treasuries recording famous myths; a lifesize copper bull plated with silver; a Greek sphinx (?!) and many more fantastic things, all labelled in perfect English with the full historical context and a pictorial reconstruction. Truly one of the best museums Ive ever seen.
*Additional taxes/fees: sample fares posted on www.statravel.com are per person and include the booking fee. Fares are subject to additional charges including, but not limited to: September 11th Security Fee of up to $5.00 for each flight segment originating at a U.S. airport; Passenger Facility Charges of up to $18, depending on itinerary; Federal Segment Fees of $3.50 per segment; and foreign and U.S. Government-imposed charges of up to $400 per international round-trip flight, depending on routing and destination. STA Travel is the world's largest student, youth and budget travel organization specializing in cheap flights, hotels and hostels, student travel insurance, and the International Student ID Card (ISIC).
© 2009 - STA Travel, Inc.
