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Snow on Mt. Parnassus

Tuesday, 4 April. We had a quick breakfast at the hotel before the bus picked us up at 08:15 for the tour to Delphi. Once we left Athens, we drove through mountainous terrain the rest of the way. The scenery was lovely. At one point we had a great view of Mt. Parnassos in the distance. Delphi is located about a hundred miles northwest of Athens on the south side of Mt. Parnassus (the “Sacred Mountain”). The drive took over two and a half hours.

 

Temple of Apollo & Roman theater

The complex of buildings at Delphi (now in ruins, of course) includes the Temple of Apollo where the famous Oracle of Delphi sat. Delphi has been a religious sanctuary at least since the eighth century B.C., though most of the visible ruins date from the 4th century B.C. or later. Some even date from Roman times (e.g., the theater). The site eventually was covered by landslides and a village was built over it. It was excavated beginning in 1893.

 

 

Jane in Delphi agora

Tholos

Charioteer in Delphi museum

On our way back to Athens, we stopped for a light lunch and then stopped again at the Ossios Loukas Monastery, founded about 1011. Built on the foundations of an earlier religious structure, this octagonal Byzantine structure was in good condition and contained well preserved mosaics and paintings. We were amazed at the large pine trees, bent nearly horizontal to the ground, apparently by constant exposure to the winds.

Ossios Loukas Monastery

Jane by wind-swept trees

Arches outside monastery

Byzantine mosaics

More mosaics

It was past 17:00 when the bus dropped us at our hotel. After a stop at our room, we walked to a taverna in the Plaka for dinner. The all-day tour had been tiring, and we went to bed early.

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