Mount Parnassus is the great limestone mountain that dominates central Greece, rising in pale, sculpted ridges above the Gulf of Corinth and the plain of Amfissa. To the ancient Greeks it was sacred ground, the mountain of Apollo and the Muses, and on its southern slopes stands Delphi, once believed to be the very centre … Read more
The Pythian Games were one of the great pan-Hellenic festivals of the ancient Greek world, staged high on the slopes of Mount Parnassus at the sanctuary of Delphi in honour of the god Apollo. Held once every four years, they ranked second only to the Olympic Games in prestige, drawing athletes, musicians, poets and spectators … Read more
The Oracle of Delphi was the most revered prophetic institution of the ancient Greek world, a place where mortals believed they heard the voice of the god Apollo himself. Set high on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, the sanctuary drew kings, generals, city-states and ordinary pilgrims who travelled great distances to put their questions to … Read more
Mykonos mythology tells how Hercules battled and killed the Giants here, their petrified bodies becoming the island’s huge rocks, how the island took its name from the hero Mykons, son of Apollo, and how neighbouring Delos was the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. This guide covers the myths, the name and how legend shapes the … Read more