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Dubai to ancient Greece: Athens, Delphi and Meteora

Dubai → Athens → Delphi → Meteora

Athens
"Athens_Acropolis_at_Daybreak.jpg" by Andrew Parlette, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Athens Acropolis at Daybreak (Athens)
Photo: Andrew Parlette, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ancient Greece Best season (general guide): Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

This route travels from Athens into mainland Greece, to the oracle of Delphi and the cliff-top monasteries of Meteora. From Dubai there are direct flights to Athens. The rest of the trip is by road, or you can return by train from Kalambaka, so you don't need to fly again. The itinerary spends three nights in Athens, one night in Delphi and two nights in Meteora.

How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Athens: day one, Plaka; day two, Acropolis and museum; day three, National Archaeological Museum. Then spend day four in Delphi: drive to Delphi, then sanctuary. Then spend days five and six in Meteora: day five, travel to Kalambaka; day six, monasteries and trails.

In Athens, give the Acropolis a full morning, then spend time in the National Archaeological Museum, one of the greatest collections of ancient art in the world. The road north-west climbs to Delphi, where the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, the theatre and the stadium are spread across a mountainside above an olive valley. Staying overnight lets you visit early before the tour buses arrive. Further north, the monasteries of Meteora sit on huge rock pillars above the plain of Thessaly. Several are open to visitors, reached by steps cut into the rock, and the hiking trails between them are a good way to see the landscape.

Spring, from about April to June, and autumn, September to October, bring mild weather for walking around the sites. Midday in July and August is very hot, and the main sites are at their busiest.

The Meteora monasteries require covered shoulders and knees, and women are usually asked to wear a skirt. Each monastery closes on a different day of the week, so check before you go.

Between Delphi and Meteora, the road crosses the plains of central Greece, and the drive takes most of a day with stops. The small town of Kalambaka, below the rocks, and the village of Kastraki have family-run guesthouses with views of the pillars, which glow at sunset.

Suggested outline

  1. Dubai

    Start

  2. Athens

    By air · 3 nights suggested

    Beyond the Acropolis, the National Archaeological Museum and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

  3. Delphi

    Overland · 1 night suggested

    The sanctuary of Apollo on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, reached by road from Athens; the site and museum are UNESCO-listed.

    Delphi
    "Delphi,_Greece_-_panoramio.jpg" by tamara semina, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

  4. Meteora

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    Monasteries built on top of sandstone pillars above the town of Kalambaka, reached by road or train.

    Meteora
    "Meteora's_monastery_2.jpg" by Stathis floros, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Athens — Arrive; Plaka· Dubai → Athens (by air)
  2. Day 2 · Athens — Acropolis and museum
  3. Day 3 · Athens — National Archaeological Museum
  4. Day 4 · Delphi — Drive to Delphi; sanctuary· Athens → Delphi (overland)
  5. Day 5 · Meteora — To Kalambaka· Delphi → Meteora (overland)
  6. Day 6 · Meteora — Monasteries and trails
  7. Day 7 · Meteora — Travel home from Meteora· Meteora → Athens (overland), then Athens → Dubai (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Athens

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Delphi

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