Central Greece (Sterea Ellada) is best known as the home of Delphi, the famous ancient oracle and spectacular sanctuary that is one of Greece's "must see" destinations. Delphi has it all: a gravity-defying cliff-side location with the remains of treasuries, small temples, a stadium, and a theater -- not to mention the massive temple of Apollo and a view over a plain of gnarled olive trees to the Gulf of Corinth. The star of the Delphi museum is the famous bronze statue of the charioteer who raced his horses to victory in Delphi's stadium. North of Delphi, in the dusty plain of Thessaly, improbable cliffs dominate the landscape. For a thousand years, pilgrims and tourists have tried to figure out just how monks built the vertiginous monasteries of the Meteora atop these seemingly unscalable cliffs. Yet farther north loom the snow-topped peaks of Mount Olympus, once home to Zeus and the other Olympian gods, today a destination for mountain climbers, hikers, and nature lovers. Central Greece is also home to two of Greece's most famous and bloody ancient battle sites -- Thermopylae and Chaironeia -- and one of its legendary beauty spots -- the Vale of Tempe.
If you are a lover of vibrant nightlife, you may find that evenings in the neighborhood of the monasteries and ancient sanctuaries can be a bit tame. That said, the mountain village of Arakova, 10km (6 miles) from Delphi, has a lively (and very chic) après ski scene in winter.
Despite its famous sights and monuments, Central Greece is not as easy as some other sections of Greece to define: The Peloponnese, for example, is separated from the rest of the mainland by the narrow Isthmus of Corinth. Still, most Greeks would agree that Central Greece stretches from the Gulf of Corinth in the south to Mount Olympus in the north. As for the name itself, the term Central Greece (Sterea Ellada) dates from only 1821, when it was used as a shorthand term for the area of mainland Greece that had been liberated from the Turks.
If you're setting out from Athens, take the National Road toward Corinth and then the Thebes turnoff to Osios Loukas and Delphi; try to spend 2 nights in Delphi. Then, head north via Lamia to the Meteora for another night or two, before spending a night on or near Mount Olympos.
Tip: If you approach Delphi by car along the northern shore of the Gulf of Corinth, take a lunch-and-swim break at the miniature port of Galaxidi (35km/22 miles southwest of Delphi), but try not to do this on a weekend, when Galaxidi is taken over by excursion-loving Athenians.
Galaxidi is studded with the homes of 19th-century ship captains and seafarers, some of which are now restaurants, cafes, and small hotels on the narrow streets around the harbor. If you're tempted to stay the night, the eight-unit Hotel Ganimede, itself in a 19th-century sea captain's house, has a nice garden and comfortable rooms (tel. 22650/41-328; www.gsp.gr) from around 70€ ($91).
Museum Hours Update -- If you visit Greece during the summer, check to see when sites and museums are open. According to the tourist office, they should be open from 8am to 7:30pm, but some may close earlier in the day or even be closed 1 day a week.
