Ultimate Balkans and Transylvania Travel Talk Tour: Delphi, Day 17

Day 17: Monday 24th October 2022

Start: Thessaloniki, Greece (Currency: Euro)

Finish: Delphi, Greece (Currency: Euro)

Temperature: 16 degrees departing Thessaloniki

This morning we had a great breakfast at the ABC Hotel! I wish I’d taken photos of it. Don’t get me wrong, the spread was simple, but so fresh. A small individual portion of freshly cut fruit and the thickest Greek yoghurt I’ve ever tasted, drizzled with honey. There was also a little fridge that contained a series of ‘sweet desserts’ including chocolate mousse. Pastries with egg and bacon or sweet egg filling and crepes with cheese.

We were back in the van at 8am and on our way to the Monastery. Now, I’ll preface this with saying, I did zero research about what we were doing in Greece on this trip. I booked it knowing we would drive down to Athens over three days, but beyond that I had no clue where we were going or what we were doing. I knew nothing about Thessaloniki and really enjoyed our night there, so I was interested but not particularly excited about visiting the umpteenth Monastery for this trip. Boy was I wrong. The Meteora Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron is one of the most magnificent places I’ve ever set foot. Perched on the face of a cliff, the (age) structure stands proudly against the sky, nestled amongst limestone towers. The most impressive part of the experience is the view of the monastery slightly below the Great Meteoron. Both structures appear to have been built impossibly precariously atop the tall rocky outcrops below.

An hour later and we made our way by bus down to a restaurant at the base of the mountains for a Greek lunch. The staff were helpful and allowed us to pay separate bills for our variety of dishes. I ordered a salad and moussaka, both were delicious and huge! Portions are crazy, so feel free to share between two.

Tonight we stop for the night in Delphi, before visiting the ancient ruins in the morning. Again, I had no idea what we were seeing or where we were going on this leg of the trip, so driving into the little ski town, I was blown away. Winding alleyways abutting two main streets littered with restaurants and cafes. After such a large lunch, I don’t believe anyone went for dinner tonight! We checked into the hotel and by 9pm were out and about the streets by ourselves, taking in the little cafes, restaurants and locally owned souvenir shops. I walked to the top of the hill to take photos of a lovely little church perched there.

 Tips:

·       Have three euro in coins available for the Monastery entry fee today.

Accommodation: Hermes Hotel, Delphi