Livadeia

Livadeia is a great stop on your way to Delphi. The trip from Athens to Delphi is about two hours long. The first part of the trip is a rather monotone, flat, straight road that crosses a valley. After one hour though, when you begin reaching the foothills of the Mountains Helicon and Parnassus, the scenery out of the window is much more exciting. A plethora of ancient cities and monuments are hidden in this beautiful and variable nature. Almost all villages and little towns are the continua of a long ancient history.

This non-touristic town of Central Greece, well known to Greeks for its traditional souvlaki. It is worth spending a few hours here even if you are not hungry, as there are some very interesting spots.

Livadeia, according to the historians is a very old city, dating back to the age of Homer and some of them identify it as the Homeric Midia. The ancient city was famous for its Oracle of Trophonius and was built on the right side of the Erkyna River. The archaeological excavations brought in light ruins from the 4th B.C. century.

The Oracle of Trophonius was one of the four oracles connected to God Apollo and probably the most dangerous one. The petitioner entering the temple would drink from the black Fountain of Memory, Mnemosyne, and the Fountain of Forgetfulness, Lethe, in order to prepare the mind.

Whether dangerous for the ancients or not, the grove of Erkyna River today is just a fascinating spot for its visitors with its beautiful green waters, waterfalls, the two fountains and the ruins of the Oracle. A path with cobblestones and small bridges, under the shadow of over a century years old plane trees, leads you to the entrance of the ancient Oracle. You can admire nature and enjoy your café beside the river. If you are lucky enough you can watch a play or a concert at its open air stone theatre.

This area today is named Krya (the cold one) as the atmosphere is always cooler here, especially during the hot summer and it also provides the whole town with fresh water.

On a 240 m hill over Livadeia is standing the Castle of Livadeia, where a little church of Saint Sophia (Wisdom) is also situated. It is a beautiful old castle that was rebuild by the Byzantines and later on by the Francs and the Catalans. The view from the Castle is really impressive. You can admire the wild and steep rocks of the Erkyna Canyon and the magical fountains on its foot.

The panoramic view of Livadeia is so interesting. A mixture of old and new buildings, her four squares and her four main temples create a mix of a modern town and a sample of 20th-century urbanization.

You must not miss the Clock Tower and its interesting story. The clock was gifted to the town by Lord Elgin in order to ensure the excavation of the ancient Oracle of Trophonius would go on with no issues. The local authorities built a stone tower in a privileged spot of the town to embody this precious gift.