Central Greece
From the oracle at Delphi to the fir-clad mountains of Evrytania, Central Greece gathers ancient sanctuaries, seafaring towns and high country most visitors drive straight past.
About the region
The mainland heartland between Athens and the north
Central Greece, known in Greek as Sterea Ellada, is the broad swathe of the mainland lying north of the Gulf of Corinth and west of Athens. It is a region of mountains rather than coastline, dominated by the great massif of Parnassus and, further west, the wild highlands of Evrytania, and threaded by rivers such as the Spercheios running down to the sea.
Its fame rests above all on Delphi, the ancient sanctuary of Apollo set on the flank of Parnassus, where Greeks once came to consult the Oracle and where the ruins still command an unforgettable view over a vast olive plain. Above the site, the stone town of Arachova has become the country's favourite winter retreat, while below, on the Gulf of Corinth, the elegant seafaring town of Galaxidi keeps its captains' mansions and quiet harbours.
Beyond this well-trodden corner the region grows wilder and less visited. Amfissa guards the head of the olive plain beneath its medieval castle; Lamia, the regional capital, sits near the historic pass of Thermopylae; and the remote mountain town of Karpenisi anchors a highland of forests, gorges and stone villages that Greeks treasure for skiing, walking and river sports.
Most travellers experience Central Greece as a day trip to Delphi from Athens, but the region rewards those who linger. Spring and autumn are ideal for the ancient sites and the mountains, summer suits the higher country and the gulf, and winter brings snow and skiers to Parnassus and Velouchi. Compact, varied and easily reached by road, it offers a concentrated cross-section of the Greek mainland: antiquity, sea and high mountains within a single region.
On the map