Delphi

Traces of Mycenaean settlement here date to 1500-1100 BC, but Delphi rose to prominence from the 8th century BC as the sanctuary of Apollo and the seat of his oracle. Questions from rulers, cities and ordinary pilgrims were answered by the Pythia, Apollo's priestess, and the sanctuary held the omphalos, the stone that marked the 'navel of the world'.

Delphi's religious and political influence peaked in the 6th century BC. Cities competed to honour the god with treasuries and statues, and every four years the Pythian Games were held in the theatre and stadium. The oracle's wealth and power made it the object of four sacred wars, and in Roman times it was plundered by emperors including Nero and Constantine the Great.

The site was later buried by landslides and covered by a village. In 1893 the village was moved so that the French School of Archaeology could begin large-scale excavations, revealing the sanctuary visitors see today. Delphi is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The modern village of Delphi was rebuilt beside the site in the 1890s and today is a small, friendly place of two main streets with hotels, tavernas and craft shops. Summer brings day-trippers from Athens, while winter visitors come for the nearby ski slopes. The olive groves of the plain below are among the oldest cultivated landscapes in Greece, and local olive oil and honey are proud regional products.