At a glance

  • The 3 days in this article are full sightseeing days, after you’ve arrived in Athens and spent the night. If your trip is only 3 days including arrival and departure, skip Delphi and stay in Athens.
  • Split your visits across three days: the Acropolis and a nearby museum on day 1, the Agora and National Archaeological Museum on day 2, and a round trip to Delphi on day 3. These are different museums, so double-check the address on your reservation.
  • Plan for about 6 hours just for the bus round trip to Delphi. Spend the night in Athens after you return; don’t connect to an international flight or island ferry that day.
  • Check seasonal opening hours and last-entry times separately for each archaeological site and museum. Don’t assume they’re all closed on a particular day of the week; check the official calendar and temporary notices for your visit date.

Day by day

Suggested itinerary

See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.

Day 1 · Acropolis

Visit the archaeological site in the morning with a reservation, then take time for lunch and rest. For midday, choose the Acropolis Museum if it’s open. Finish with an evening walk through Plaka.

Day 2 · Agora and National Archaeological Museum

Visit the Agora in the morning, then head to the National Archaeological Museum after lunch. If the museum’s hours and last entry don’t work with your schedule, just walk around the Agora and don’t book overlapping visits.

Day 3 · Full day in Delphi

Take a reserved bus from Liosion 260 and visit only the Delphi archaeological site and museum. Confirm round-trip service, your seat, and opening hours the day before, then spend the night at your accommodation in Athens.

History and context

City-states and democracy

The archaeological sites in Athens show the origins of city-states, civic politics, and philosophy.

Center of the oracle

In the ancient Greek world, Delphi was a place where religion and political decision-making met.

Places and meals

Acropolis of Athens

A starting point for exploring ancient Greek sites.

Google Maps
Ancient Agora of Athens

A good place to understand civic life and political spaces in the ancient world.

Google Maps
National Archaeological Museum

Put the historical periods into context through the artifacts after visiting the site.

Google Maps
Delphi Archaeological Site

A day trip to see a major center of the ancient world outside Athens.

Google Maps

Food and restaurants

  • Souvlaki and gyros are quick, convenient meals on the go; a taverna is a good choice for dinner.
  • On days spent visiting ancient sites, water and a light lunch matter because of the heat.
O Thanasis

A good place to get souvlaki in central Athens.

Athens Google Maps
Strofi

Known for meals with views of the Acropolis.

Athens Google Maps
To Kafeneio

A good choice for dinner in the Plaka area.

Plaka Google Maps

How to fit it in

If you’re more interested in history than islands on your first trip to Greece, two days in Athens and one day in Delphi are a good start.

Reality check

Transport

KTEL Fokidas buses to Delphi depart from the Athens terminal at Liosion 260. Don’t confuse it with Kifissos Terminal. Plan a separate trip from your accommodation to the terminal, and allow extra time for road delays on the roughly 3-hour bus ride each way. In Delphi, check your ticket for the drop-off and return stops, and plan a 15–25-minute walk from town to the archaeological site and museum. The bus ticket does not include museum admission.

Time

For a day in Delphi, leave 11–12 hours for around 6 hours of round-trip travel, 3–4 hours at the archaeological site and museum, plus meals and getting to the terminal. Finish your visit in time to return to the stop 30 minutes before your reserved return bus. If you can’t see both sites during their official opening hours, move Delphi to another day or extend your stay.

Cost

Check what current tickets cover separately for the Acropolis, the Agora, and each museum. Don’t assume old combined-ticket prices still apply; check the amount for your visit date on hhticket and each museum’s official ticketing site. Add up the Delphi bus round trip, archaeological site and museum tickets, lunch, and water separately. Don’t assume a city metro pass covers an intercity bus.

Safety

There’s no shade at archaeological sites in summer, so bring a hat and water. Watch your step on worn, slippery marble stairs.

If plans change

Alternative plans if bus connections to Delphi are unreliable

If the bus to Delphi seems unreliable, stay in Athens and visit a museum

Alternative plans for extreme heat at Athens archaeological sites

In extreme heat, move your archaeological site visit to the morning

Small tip

There’s little shade at archaeological sites in summer. Plan morning visits and afternoon rest breaks.

Final check before departure

  • Check entry and departure requirements for the Acropolis.
  • Save reservation details and travel times for the Ancient Agora and museums.
  • Check the last transport service back to your accommodation after your day trip to Delphi.

Check the official pages for the Acropolis and museum opening hours, including temporary changes due to extreme heat. Include Delphi on day 3 only if you have confirmed the departure terminal and return service for the bus on your visit date.

Information checked: 2026-10-03