Greece: Delphi and Mycenae

My greek mythology professor once told me, “Delphi was the centre of the earth to the ancient Greeks”. It really is.

Hidden in the mountains, Delphi was a mystical place to the ancient Greeks. It was a place where the ancient Greeks hosted their annual sporting events and a place where they honoured and worshipped their Gods.

As I gazed out of the bus, I was decently surprised by the remarkable scenery - lush forests, beautiful bright blue sky, wisps of white clouds, and cute little streams. I thought I went to heaven on earth.

The first thing that you have to do when you arrive at Delphi, is to make your ascend up the hill. There is no time to waste. Do not wear heels, for it is not an easy climb.

If you are a Greek history fan, you will be excited to know that on this very hill, dozens of treasuries (really) and statues once stood on this sprawling ground. This was the place where the Greeks would tithe their winnings to Apollo. Here lies the Theatre of Delphi as well.

The best part of the climb, had to be seeing the stadium. It was huge! We were not able to squeeze in time to visit the ancient olympic site, so this was the only alternative. Here, ancient Greeks once competed in track and field events, racing, archery, and other sporting events.

You may want to visit the Stoa of the Athenians, the Tholos (a popular site with tourists), or the Castalian Spring which are located away from the main Delphi site.

Another interesting place to visit on mainland Greece is Mycenae. If you have some time to spare, or you would like to embark on a totally different experience (an alternative to going to the olympic stadium), this is a great choice.

Mycenae was one of the major places where Greeks inhabited during the early civilisation. This tiny settlement was once rich and powerful.

When you arrive, you must rush to take a picture with the Lion gate. The well preserved triangular stone is a key stone in holding up the entire fortress.

This has got to be my proudest photograph taken on the mainland Greece. According to my mythology professor, it is almost impossible to take a good picture of the Lion’s gate without having someone else in the picture (okay, that tiny person at the back doesn’t count).

Upon further exploration, you will see two grave circles. One was for the rich and the other was for common folks.

As usual, the climb up is not easy. But, you need to ascend to the top to be able to appreciate the magnificent scenery that surrounds this place.

My friends and I had lots of fun taking picture at this site. Here I am at the top of the hill, where the palace once stood.

And I was not kidding when I said that the view is pretty. (Can you imagine this place during Spring? Wow).

NB: As both places are located far from each other, it will make sense to dedicate a day each to visiting the individual places.