Delphi clings to the south slope of Mount Parnassus, above a steep valley full of olive trees that runs down to the Gulf of Corinth, and it is hard to think of another place where the setting so exactly suits the story. To the ancient Greeks it was the centre of the world. Zeus is said to have released two eagles from opposite ends of the earth, and they met here; a carved stone called the omphalos, the navel, marked the spot. The sanctuary of Apollo was the home of the Pythia, a priestess who sat on a tripod over a crack in the rock and delivered riddling answers that kings, generals and city founders paid dearly to hear.
The site is a long climb up the Sacred Way, between the foundations of treasuries built by Greek cities to hold their gifts, past the base of the Temple of Apollo and up to a theatre and a stadium high on the hill. Beyond a bend in the road, in the sanctuary of Athena, the round tholos with its three standing columns has become the emblem of the place. The museum holds the Charioteer, a bronze statue of astonishing calm, found buried after an earthquake. Above, the cliffs called the Phaedriades catch the light, and the Castalian spring runs beside the road.
For riders, Delphi is reached by one of the great roads in Greece. From Athens the route runs through Thebes and Livadeia, then climbs into the mountains toward Arachova, a stone village known for its woven rugs and winter skiers, with long bends and cool air. From Arachova the road drops toward Delphi along the face of the mountain with views over the olive grove to the sea, a sequence of corners that is a joy at a steady pace. Surfaces are generally good, but watch for gravel and for tour coaches that take the bends wide.
Delphi itself is small, so for fuel, Arachova or Amfissa, about twelve kilometres away, is the safe choice. Go early to the site to avoid the heat and the crowds, and ride in spring or autumn, when the hills are green or golden. Winter brings snow to the upper roads.