Delphi is located in the Region of Central Greece, also known as being in the `heart of Greece` as it tends to be referred as. Using your own means of transportation, Delphi is approximately 2 to 3 hours from Athens.

There are several companies offering day trips from Athens to Delphi, prices varying from around €80 to €100. To save money, you can easily organize your own day trip utilizing Athens long distance buses. There are usually around five KTEL buses daily to Delphi from Athens` Liosson Terminal B bus station at 260 Liosson (www.ktel-fokidas.gr/en/). The journey takes about 3 hours. A One-way ticket costs around €16.40 (no discount for return ticket).

It is recommended to buy bus (return) tickets to Delphi the day in advance, to be sure they are not sold out, as well as to familiarize yourself with the directions to the bus terminal.

Daily times to Delphi from Athens are: 7:30 am, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 8:00 pm.

Return: 5:30 am, 9:00 am (not on Sunday), 11:00 am, 1:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm. Please note that times may change.

To go to Delphi by car, take the National Highway from Athens to Lamia and at the junction of Thebes you follow the signs to Levadia. After Levadia, you continue to Arachova/ Delphi. The road from Athens to Thebes is large and comfortable, while the road from Thebes to Delphi is rural, which means that it has only one lane per direction.

Parking spots are at a premium both in the village and at the site. If you can, park your car near your hotel and walk everywhere. If you have to drive to the site rather than walk the 5 to 10 minutes from town, be sure to set off early to get one of the few parking places. Whether you walk or drive, keep an eye out for the enormous tour buses that often come down the center of the road. Traffic on the lower main street heads toward the site and Arachova; traffic on the upper main street heads out of Delphi toward Itea and the Gulf of Corinth.

Delphi is small enough that walking is really the only means of transportation required. The museum and archaeological site are both in walking distance from the town. Taxis however are readily available.

Not only do visitors say that the village is best walked and can be easily traversed on foot, but Delphi is so high in the mountains and provides such spectacular views, you will be shortchanging yourself if you don`t get out of the car and enjoy the views. Enjoying such views gives you a real sense of how important and dynamic this site was to ancient Greeks.

If you want to tour today`s Delphi as well as the ancient sanctuaries, check out the free tram that leaves from the Hotel Vouzas and gives 30-minute rides around the village of Delphi daily in the summer and on some off-season weekends.

Taxis are readily available around town. To call ahead, +30 22650 82000.

Delphi is a very safe place to visit. Nevertheless, you should always take precautions when traveling, ie., keep your passport in your hotel safe if you can, don`t carry a great deal of cash, be vigilant about your own safety and beware of pickpockets. It is always recommended to avoid walking alone at night and in remote areas.

But there is one danger that lurks in Delphi having nothing to do with crime. Delphi is set on a high hill and there`s a great deal of walking to be done here. Many people, including those who say they are in excellent shape, have struggled with the walking, the hills, and have found themselves just exhausted getting around this area.

If you are out of shape, or don`t enjoy walking (and sometimes hiking), Delphi might not be the ideal destination for you. If you still want to make the journey, many recommend excellent, sturdy walking shoes, lots of water (especially in the summer when it can get very hot here) and plenty of time for breaks, if you need them. If visiting when it`s raining, be sure to watch your step as the climb can get slippery and a bit dangerous.

The currency in Greece is the euro (€). Once you`re in Greece you`ll have to use the euro in most places. It is recommended to exchange at least some money before you leave home so that you can avoid lines at airport ATMs.

Greek is the official language spoken in Delphi. Hotels, tourist attractions and restaurants in popular areas generally have staff that speaks some English. The Greeks will be more friendly and eager to help if you try to speak some Greek. Just a couple of words are fine, they love it when they hear a stranger speaking their language. On the street, many people (especially young people) speak at least basic English. If you head off the beaten track then it`s a good idea to brush up on your Greek! We suggest you get a good English-Greek guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

A bottle of water (there is a shop outside the museum if you forget); sunscreen and/or a hat (there is zero shade inside the archaeological site); and a comfortable pair of walking shoes with good grip as the path within the site can be slippery. You have to walk uphill within the archaeological site so you may also want to bring a fan and/or wet wipes.

The village of Delphi has two main streets. This may seem like a very small village, but to be honest, it has a plethora of shops and restaurants. The shops start from one end of the village and go non-stop till the other far end, easily walked in 5 minutes.

There is a lot of touristic stuff to buy in Delphi. Also, a main product sold here is jewelry (gold and silver). The reason behind this is that it has turned into a family business for many people here. Some of the jewelry found in Delphi is 100% handmade, and literally one of a kind.

Delphi is unique in that it`s just as busy in the summer months as winter months. Tourists flock to Delphi in the summer to take in the many historic and ancient sites, while in the winter months, ski resorts take over the area making this time of year almost as busy with visitors as in the summer. Thanks to the mediterranean climate, all seasons are suitable for a visit.

Perhaps the best time to visit Delphi is in the springtime, when you can see both wildflowers and snow on Parnassos. Temperatures are generally mild and you can enjoy the area in fairly unspoiled territory, so there won`t be tons of tourists about.

Summertime can bring both rain and heat. Because you do a lot of walking here, be sure to bring a good jacket with a hood for possible rainy days and a pair of shoes that have good tread. The many stairs and stone steps in Delphi can get quite slippery when it`s raining. Also, you`ll want to pack a hat and sunscreen for coverage during the summer heat.

If you are visiting in the winter months, bundle up. The biggest ski resort being only a 30 min drive from Delphi, so it does snow and it does get cold here, but again, this isn`t the high season, so you can enjoy all your favorite winter activities while taking in this ancient site.

You`ll find traditional Greek cuisine, Italian as well and occasionally, seafood. Many cafés and restaurants are located on the valley side of the main street (Pavlou friderikis str.), and therefore offer a stunning view over this valley. Expect prices of the meals and drinks to be about 15-25% higher than in other Greek cities, very touristic landmarks (such as Plaka-Monastiraki area, in Athens). Note some restaurants are closed in the evening, even in season.

Keep in mind that a lot of the restaurants in Delphi cater to tourists. This does not inspire good service or loving food preparation. If you have a car, you may want to explore beyond the main restaurant area to find where the locals go.

Emergencies: call tel. 112. Health Center of Delphi, +30 22650 82307.

The national emergency numbers for Greece are:

-100 - Police
-199 - Fire
-166 - Emergency medical service