Sydney, Australia - Part 2

The city's main thoroughfare and oldest street in Australia, George Street, named after King George III in 1810, runs up from Circular Quay, past Wynyard CityRail staion and Town Hall to Central Station. A whole host of streets run parallel to George, including Pitt, Elizabeth, and Macquarie. Macquarie Street runs up from the Sydney Opera House past the Royal Botanic Gardens and Hyde Park. Martin Place is a pedestrian thoroughfare that stretches from Macquarie to George Streets. It's about halfway between Circular Quay and Town Hall in the heart of the city center.

Nearby on Market and Pitt Streets are the Sydney Tower and the boutique-style chain stores of Pitt Street Mall. The Sydney Tower is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere and resembles a giant steel pole skeweering a golden marshmallow. The Sydney Tower was opened to the public in August 1981 and is ranked as one of the safest buildings in the world as its design was made such that the tower is capable of withstanding earthquakes and extreme wind conditions. Standing more than 984 ft, the tower offers stunning views across Sydney and as far as the Blue Mountains. The turret has a capacity of 960 persons and contains two levels of restaurants, a coffee lounge, an Observation Deck, two telecommunication transmission levels and three plant levels. Three high speed double deck lifts take approximately 40 seconds to travel from top to bottom. For the adventurers, Skywalk is a unique 45 minute high altitude outdoor walk on top of Sydney Tower. Dressed in protective clothing and safety-harnessed to external walkways, Skywalkers experience a buzz unmatched by any other Sydney attraction, at double the height of Sydney Harbor Bridge and the same height as the Eiffel Tower. Step out onto the clouds as you venture across the glass-floored viewing platform for unique 360-degree views over glittering Sydney and beyond.


In the heart of the city, the area is home to the main department stores and two Sydney landmarks, the Town Hall and a historic shopping mall, Queen Victoria Bulding (QVB). The Sydney Town Hall at George and Druitt Streets is possibly the only non-religious city building to retain its original function and interiors since it was built 120 years ago. Accommodation in the 19th century building includes the Council Chamber, reception rooms, the Centennial Hall and offices for the Lord Mayor and elected councillors.

The Queen Victoria Building has been described by Pierre Cardin as "the most beautiful shopping center in the world". This Byzantine style building which occupies an entire city block on George Street between Druitt and Market, was built in 1898 to replace the original Sydney Markets. It subsequently accommodated a concert hall which eventually became the City Library. The building was remodelled in the 1930s and used for different purposes, including municipal offices. In 1984 it was completely refurbished as a shopping center with more than 200 shops retaining the turn-of-the-century charm of the building.

The Australian Museum is on College Street down Park Street on the other side of Hyde Park. This museum is a natural history museum displaying thematically all things Aboriginal with its traditional clothing, weapons, and everyday implements. There are examples of stuffed Australian mammals and birds, an insect display, and a mineral collection.


Bordering the south-western end of George Street is Sydney Chinatown. Sydney’s original Chinese community settled in The Rocks, but moved here in the early 1900s. Many of these people were market gardeners and traders, and shops and restaurants naturally followed – especially in Dixon Street, the heart of Chinatown. At the corner with Hay Street, there is a tree stump gilded in gold which is said to bring good fortune to the Chinese community. Opposite the tree on the east side of Chinatown is the magnificent Capital Theatre that plays host to major internatinal and local productions including Australian singing superstar Kylie Minogue. Check the Friday edition of the Sydney Morning Herald, for informationon what's currently in production at the Capital or any of the local theaters. The annual Sydney Festival kicks off after New Year's and continues through January with recitals, plays, films, and performances at venues throughout the city.


Situated on a hill overlooking Chinatown is Cinema District with the three largest cinema in Sydney that merged into one complex. The Cinema District also houses many arcades, Internet cafes, fast food restaurants and pubs and is very popular after dark. Nearby Liverpool Street boasts Sydney’s growing ‘Spanish Quarter’.


To the west is Darling Harbour. Many tourist head to Darling Harbour for the Harbourside Festival Marketplace, a huge structure beside the Pyrmont pedestrian and monorail bridge that's crammed full of cheap eateries and a few interesting shops. Within Darling Harbour is the Australian National Maritime Museum, the largest Chinese Garden of its type outside of China designed by expert gardeners from China's Guangdong Province, an IMAX Theatre, and the world reknown Sydney Aquarium. After a long day of walking, take the ferry back from Darling Harbour if you are staying at the Rock or Circular Quay.

Sydney, Australia - Part 1

Sydney . . . the oldest and biggest city and gateway to Australia. Known as the "Emerald City", Sydney has been built around its beautiful harbour which extends either side in a golden chain of cozy sandy iconic beaches. Sydney's laidback outdoor lifestyle and physical allure make it one of the world's easiest and most pleasant cities to visit. The locals are a friendly energetic bunch with a tell-it-like-it-is approach to life. Sydney's harbour is its natural playground and wide-ranging cultural life, dynamic food scene and vibrant cityscape of outstanding contemporary and colonial architecture.

Sunny, sexy and sophisticated, Sydney has a temperate climate with over 340 sunny days per year. The seasons are reversed from the Northern Hemisphere. Summer here is December to February. Winter is June to August. With average temperatures of 72 F (22 C) in summer and 55 F (13 C) in winter, Sydney can be a year-round travel destination for the visiting tourist.

Officially called Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour is the focal point of Sydney and one of the features that makes this city so special. The best way to see Sydney Harbour is from the water. Several companies operate tourist crafts, but it is just as easy enough to simply hop on a regular passenger ferry. The main ferry terminal is at Circular Quay where you can purchase inexpensive tickets for the inner harbor ferry ride.

Circular Quay is the hub of Sydney Harbour and a stepping-off point for most attractions based around the harbour. The quay is a vibrant, bustling place with ferries leaving every few minutes to different parts of the harbour, including the beachside suburb of Manly, Watson Bay, Mosman, Darling Harbour for the area's entertainment, and Taronga Park Zoo. There are fantastic views of the Harbour Bridge from the Circular Quay. On the southern side of Circular Quay is a walkway that leads to the Sydney Opera House and Royal Botanical Gardens; while on the northern side, a short walk along lovely landscaped walkways takes you to the Harbour Bridge and The Rocks, one of the oldest, most attractive and most interesting parts of Sydney.

Circular Quay is also at the foot of the central business district and the older, historic end of the city. Buses depart here for Bondi and the eastern suburbs. There is a major railway station at the quay, which is part of the underground City Circle, which skirts around the CBD. Alongside the ferry terminals are a number of small outdoor cafes and the area is a magnet for buskers of every description.

The Sydney Opera House, situated on Sydney Harbour at Bennelong Point, is considered by many to be one of the wonders of the modern world. Designed by Jørn Utzon and constructed under some controversy, it was opened in October 1973. This white-sailed construction caught midbillow over the waters of Sydney Cove is a working building with a full-scale performing arts complex with five major performance spaces and the biggest and grandest being the world famous 2690-seat Concert Hall. The Concert Hall has the best acoustics of any building of its type in the world for opera, chamber music, symponies, dance, choral performances, and even rock 'n' roll. Choose from a one or two hour tour that take in the extraordinary history, breathtaking architecture and the unseen workings of the Opera House. The building’s cultural, heritage and architectural importance has been protected forever, thanks to its inclusion on the World Heritage List in 2007 and on the State Heritage Register in 2003, exactly 30 years after its official opening.

One thing few tourists do is to walk across the Harbour Bridge. The bridge, completed in 1932, is 3772 ft long and spans 1650 ft fromt he south shore to the north. It accomodates pedestrian walkways, two railway lines, and an eight-lane road. The entrance to the western walkway is near Milsons Point in the north and Observatory Hill in the south (access from Kent Street). You can walk from the city and catch a train back to Wynyard or Town Hall. It takes about 20 minutes to cross the bridge. Bicycles are allowed on the Cycle way which is on the western side of the bridge. Bridge Climb Sydney (http://www.bridgeclimb.com/) conducts tours over the arch. Clad in overalls and clipped to a safety line, you can walk and climb 1500 metres over the arch. The climb is open to anyone over 10 who is fit enough to handle some steep climbs on metal ladders and can cope with heights. The south-east pylon of the bridge includes a lookout for the less adventurous. It includes an exhibition explaining the construction and history of the bridge and offers great views of Sydney Harbour. The entrance is from Cumberland Street at the edge of The Rocks.

The imposing Art Deco-style former Maritime Services Board sandstone building and nestled between the Circular Quay ferry terminal and the historic Rocks precinct is the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). This museum is Australia's only one dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting and collecting contemporary art from across Australia and around the world. It houses the J.W. Power Collection of more than 4,000 pieces including works by Andy Warhol, Christo, Marcel Duchamp, andRobert Rauschenberg. With a continually changing program of exhibitions there's always something new, exciting and inspiring to see at the MCA.



The Rocks, on the Harbour Bridge side of Circular Quay, is Sydney's historic district. The Rocks contain some of Australia's oldest pubs, vibrant pocket of boutique cafes and restaurants, interesting tourist shops and stalls, and hotels. The Sydney's town planners and conservation program have been able to preserve the heritage and the area's Old World charm and historic buildings. Most activities at The Rocks center around walking, looking and eating. The Sydney Visitor Centre, Corner, Argyle and Playfair Streets, in The Rocks (Open daily 9.30am to 5.30pm [Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day]), is a logical and excellent starting point. The center has a wealth of information on points of interest around The Rocks and provides free information and literature, as well as having souvenirs and momentos that can be purchased.

Vienna, Austria

City of music, cafes, waltzes, parks, pastries, and wine . . . Vienna is a true cosmopolitan center where different groups and nationalities have for centuries fused their cultural identities to shape what is known as Viennese. The Romans in the 1st century AD selected Vienna (Wein) as a Celtic settlement on the Danube River as one of their most important European forts.

Austria subsequently grew around this city that has changed through the course of time because of war, siege, victory, defeat, the death of an empire, the birth of a republic, and foreign occupation. Vienna's importance began in the Middle Ages when it was made the residence of the Babenbergs and the city walls were raised in 1200. Vienna would subsequently become the capital of the Habsburg Empire and remain so for almost seven centuries. Today its imperial past is still visible in monumental structures such as the Imperial Palace (Hofburg), the Schönbrunn Palace, the buildings along Ringstraße, and many other sites throughout the city.

With the fall of the monarchy, the city was made a province in its own right in 1922. The Social Democrats then in power pursued comprehensive social policies. By 1933 more than 60,000 new and affordable apartments had been built known as the "rotes Wien" (Red Vienna) and found international recognition.

In 1938 Austria was "annexed" to Hitler Germany and ceased to exist as a state. Most of Vienna's Jewish population was driven away or exterminated. After the end of the Second World War and many years of Allied occupation, Austria regained its independence with the state treaty signed in 1955. Unperturbed by the nearby existing Iron Curtain, Vienna continued to build on its international role during the Cold War years and became a UN seat and was chosen as headquarters for the OSCE.


Vienna is composed in 23 districts which all have their own names. The heart and historical city of Vienna, the Innere Stadt (Inner City), was once surrounded by a mighty city wall which was eventually removed in 1857. The new space where the wall once stood is the impressive wide 2-1/2 mile long boulevard known as "Ringstrasse". Everything within the Ringstrasse are tiny cobbled streets leading to majestic squares.

In the center is Stephansplatz with Vienna's most familiar landmark, St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom). The cathedral is an impressive Gothic edifice of dark stone with a colorful diamond-pattern tiled roof and a north tower rising to 450 feet named Alter Steffl, "Old Steve." Originally built between 1359 and 1433, it was reconstructed after severe war damage. The tower has an elevator or a climb of 343 spiral steps to an observation platform that provides sweeping view of the city and a closeup of the glazed rooftop tiles from the top.

Take the guided tour below ground in the catacombs to see the usual assortment of sarcophagi holding the bones of dead rulers, archbishops, and other personages. Somewhat stranger are the bronze containers where kidneys, livers, etc. of Habsburg emperors were interred in what might be called an undertaker's waste dump. Bones of more than 15,000 Viennese have also been stacked in the catacombs like kindling since the 1700s.

At the broad pedestrian walkway known as the Graben, turn right. In the center is the Plague Column erected by Emperor Leopold I between 1687 and 1693. This baroque structure is dotted with statues of ecstatic saints thanking God for relief from an outbreak of the Black Plague in Vienna in 1679 that claimed as many as 150,000 people.

Continuing on Graben, walk and stroll the shops down Kohlmarkt. At the end of Kohlmarkt, you will reach Michaelerplatz, one of Vienna's most evocative squares where the feel of a medieval city remains very strong with its labyrinth of palaces, museums, and public buildings bordering Augustinestrasse. The vast and impressive Hofburg was once the official residence of the Hadburgs. This complex of imperial edifices is virtually a city within a city. For more than seven centuries, the great Austro-Hungarian Empire of the Habsburgs ruled from this palace. Today, the palace serves as a repository of Austrian culture and history with 22 separate museums, a 14th-century Augustinian church, the Gothic Royal Chapel where the Vienna Boys' Choir performs during High Mass on Sunday, the famous Spanische Hofreitschule (Spanish Riding School), the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (National Library), as well as the president’s offices. The most popular of the museums are the Imperial Apartments (the former apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth, which are open to the public), the Sisi Museum and the Imperial Silver Collection.



Crossing over back towards the pedestrian-only Karntnerstrasse, spend some time enjoying the heart of Viennese life with shoppers parading along the shops and merchandise-laden boulevard and among the street performers. There is even a mini-museum of glassmaking that decorates the second floor of the world-famous glassmaker, Lobmeyr (no. 26). For a break, retreat to one of the cafe terrances on or off Karntnerstrasse or duck into the Hotel Astoria (no. 32-34) that preserves the old turn-of-the-20th-century Austro-Hungarian Empire decor. The most famous cafe in Vienna is Cafe Demel that has a long-standing feud with the Hotel Sacher Wien Hotel restaurant that won the right to sell the legendary and original Sachertorte. Sachertorte is a rich chocolate cake with a layer of apricot jam and worth the calories.


At the southernmost loop of Ringstrasse on Karntnerstrasse, you will reach Staatsoper (State Opera House). Built between 1861 and 1865 and reconstructed after sustaining damage in World War II, the Vienna State Opera House is one of the most important venues in the world. The State Opera House was the first building erected on the Ringstrasse when the old city's fortifcations were torn down and replaced with massive public works project. However, when it was built, controversy and cost overruns drew critics that were apparently so upset that one of the architects, Eduard van der Null, killed himself. After World War II, the public was outraged that the city started restoration of the theatre over more pressing needs for public housing. Today, the outside walls, the façade, and the grand staircase are the only portions of the building to survive a direct hit by an Allied bomb during World War II. Though it attempts to capture the grandeur of the original building, an exact reconstruction would have cost too much. Still, the Staatsoper is symbolic of Vienna's emergence as one of the world's cultural capitals. The first performance when it was open on 25 May 1869 was Mozart's Don Giovanni.



If you are indeed a fan of Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Strauss, or Haydn, you will be able to hear their music in the concert halls and places where they performed and visit the houses and apartments, now a part of the Historical Museum of Vienna, in which they lived and worked as well as the cemeteries where they were buried. Haydn's Memorial House at Haydngasse 19 and U-Bahn stop Zieglergasse is where Franz Josef Haydn lived from 1797 until his death in 1809. Here, Haydn not only conceived and wrote The Seasons and The Creation at this house, but gave lessons to Beethoven. The Johann-Strauss-Memorial Rooms is at Praterstrasse 54 where the King of the Waltz lived and composed "The Blue Danube Waltz". Figarohaus (The Mozart Memorial) at Domgasse 5 in the Inner City is the 17th century residence of the composer from 1784 to 1787 when he composed his opera The Marriage of Figaro.


No visit to Vienna is complete without a tour of Schönbrunn outside of the Inner City. Schönbrunn Palace with its surrounding buildings and huge park is one of the most significant cultural monuments in Austria. The castle was build to rival French Versailles in Baroque beauty and importance but failed in its attempt due to the lack of funds. It served in earlier times as the summer residence to various Habsburg rulers. Emperor Franz Joseph (ruled 1848-1916), who was born here in 1830, spent the last years of his life entirely in Schönbrunn. In 1918, the palace became the property of the new republic. Due to this historical importance, its beautiful location and its gardens this palace is one of the very top sights in Vienna and the entire complex was added to the UNESCO's world cultural heritage list. Tours of almost 40 rooms of the 1441 room residence are encouraged to get a glimpse and admire the magnificent apartments of Maria Theresia, her sitting rooms, bedroom and the parlour in which 6 year old Mozart played for the Empress, as well as the parlors and apartments of the Imperial couple Franz Joseph and Sisi. The interior is an orgy of frescoed ceilings, crystal chandeliers, huge mirrors and gilded ornaments.

If time permits, another attraction worth a visit beyond the Ringstrasse complex is Sigmund Freud's apartment from 1891 to 1938 at Berggasse 19 (now a museum). The three-room collection of memorabilia at Sigmund Freud Haus is mostly a photographic record of Freud's life with some documents, publications, and a portion of his collection of antiquities also on display.

Corfu, Greece

Many visit Athens as the departure port at Piraeus for their Greek vacation cruise through the popular Greek Islands of Mykonos, Santorini, and Rhodes. Corfu (or Kerkyra), is the most northern island of the Ionian Islands of Greece and located just off the West coast of Greece. Corfu continues to be a favorite destination that attracts many tourists, especially Italians, who want to escape civilization and head for the water. It is a beautiful mountainous island with impressive landscapes and dense green vegetation dominated by over 2 million olive trees. Corfu is rainier and has a more temperate Mediterranean climate than the southern Greek islands. It is one of Greece's prettiest towns with their modest villages and farms, Byzantine churches, several museums, impressive Venetian fortresses, and some lively resorts spread all around the island. Besides the cultivation of the olive trees, tourism provides the most income to the island.

The cosmopolitan Old City Corfu town is definitely a browser's town as you stroll through a labyrinth of narrow streets paved with cobblestones. Start at the sea with the Venetian citadel (the Old Fort) which originally was a promontory attached to the mainland and now a man-made island separated by a moat. The entire perimeter is surrounded by fortification. The interior has been restored and is used for cultural events, such as concerts and lights and sound productions which recreate historical events.

The Archaeological Museum was built between 1962 - 1965 on a site that was donated by the Municipality of Corfu and was inaugurated in 1967. The museum is small, but the main purpose of its construction was the exhibition of the huge Gorgon pediment from the Artemis Temple, an example of Archaic temple sculpture extant. You will see all the other artifacts that were excavated from the ancient town of Corfu and the island including a stone lion dating from around 575 BC.

The Museum of Asian Art was founded in 1927 after the donation of 10.500 items by Gregorios Manos and is the only one of its kind in Greece. Until 1974 it was a Chinese and Japanese Art museum, but later it was enriched with other private collections of items from central Asia, so it became an Asian Art museum. It is housed in an impressive neoclassical building of the British Protectorate, designed by the British architect George Whitmore. It was initially used as the Residence of the Lord High Commisioner and as the headquarters of the Knights of the Order of St. Michael and St. George until the unity of the Ionian Islands with Greece.

Leading into the heart of old Corfu is Kapodistriou with a variety of fine shops sellling jewelry, leather goods, olive wood objects and handmade needlework, old churches, souvenir stands, and other stores in a maze of streets, alleys, and squares. The broadest and most stylish is Nikiforio Theotoki. In the northern end of Kapodistriou, you will find the Ayios Spiridon Cathedral dedicated to the 4th century patron saint of Corfu, Spiridon. Locals credit Spiridon with saving Corfu from famine, plagues and a Turkish siege. The saint's embalmed body in a silver casket and precious gold and silver votive offerings can be found in the cathedral. A trip to Corfu would not be complete without trying kumquat liqueur. The kumquat has been cultivated on this island since the late 1800's and the liqueur makes a unique treat and gift from Corfu.

Athens, Greece - Part 3

Besides the Acropolis and world famous museums, there are other interesting places to visit in and around Athens as time permits. Athens has two main centers approximately 1 mile apart: Syntagma (Constitution) Square and Omonia Square.

Syntagma is considered by most as the heart of Athens. At Syntagma Square, you will find the major banks, travel agencies, and several hotels including the splendid Grande Bretagne with its Beaux Arts lobby. Syntagma is also the location of much of governmental Athens. The neoclassical building at the head of the square and across from the metro stop is the Greek Parliament Building, formerly the Royal Palace built between 1836 and 1840 by King Otto and financed by his father Ludwig I of Bavaria. Impressive are the stones used to build this building that changes color in the sunlight throughout the day before it is lit at night. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the parliament building is guarded by the elite soldiers, Evzones, who also guard the Palace and are chosen for their height and strength. They are like the guards at Buckingham Palace with their big furry hats and are treated the same way by tourists who come to take their pictures and see if they blink. Every so often they do a little march and dance to break the monotony of standing still all day and they occasionally do this little kick step with their sarouchi shoes with the pom-poms. The pleated skirt, the foustanela, was worn by the Greek fighters of the 1821 revolution and today it serves as the official uniform of the Evzones. At 6pm you can see the Changing of the Guard while dodging pigeons. There is also the beautiful National and Zappeion Gardens adjacent to the Parliament.

Omónia Square is often a gathering place for protesters and strikers and the working heart of Athens. The Polytechnic University is not far away and that tends to be a flash point during times of protest. In the center of the square are gardens and a fountain; but around it tall modern blocks of city offices have almost completely displaced the low Classical-style buildings of the 19th C., creating a cosmopolitan atmosphere in sharp contrast to the male society of the typical old Greek coffeehouses. From this square radiate two sides of the isosceles triangle which was the basis of the city plan - Pierós Street to the southwest and two parallel streets, Panepistimíou and Stadíou Streets, to the southeast. The third side of the triangle is formed by Ermoú Street, which is bisected by Athinás Street, running south from Omónia Square. A third of the way down Athinás Street is Kótzia Square, with the Town Hall and Head Post Office. Athinás Street also has Athen's Central Market where you can browse fish and meat halls, buy vegetables and fruit from all over Greece, sample cheese from distant islands, and a pair of shoes or sunglasses from street vendors. Be wary though of drug dealers, junkies, and prostitutes which have taken over Omonia square area at night.

Everyone's favorite excursion from Athens is to Delphi. Delphi is about 3 hours from Athens by bus. Built on the slopes of Mount Parnassos, the town and ancient site overlook the Gulf of Corinth and a valley filled with olive and cyprus trees. The town of Delphi sits on the edge of a cliff and despite the number of tourists and tourist shops down the road in the village of Arachova, this is still a very remarkable place to be. The ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the center of the world. According to Greek mythology, Zeus released two eagles from opposite ends of the earth and they met in the sky above Delphi. Impaling one another with their beaks, they fell to the ground on the very center of the world. The site was marked by the Omphalos, or "navel" stone.

According to legend, the serpent Python was the ancient guardian of Delphi's Castalian Spring before he was killed by Apollo. Python was the son of the Greek goddes Gaia, "Earth." And significantly, the name Delphi is related to δελφός (delphos), "womb." It is probable that an Earth Goddess was originally venerated at the site before Apollo arrived.

Regarded as the center of the world and the dwelling place of Apollo, Delphi attracted pilgrims from across the ancient world. Generals, kings, and individuals of all ranks came to the Oracle of Delphi to ask Apollo's advice on the best course to take in war, politics, love and family. After the inquirer made a sacrifice, the oracles most famous for its accurate predictions of the future are given by a woman known as the Pythia uttered incomprehensible sounds as a possessed medium which were then translated by a priest which were notoriously ambiguous.

Today, visitors enter the Sanctuary of Apollo and follow the exact marble path along the "Sacred Way" that was followed by ancient pilgrims and visitors to the site. The path begins at the southeast corner of the site and winds its way up the hillside, past ancient treasuries and monuments, to the Temple of Apollo. Every available space along the Sacred Way at Delphi was once filled with treasury buildings, statues and votive offerings. These were donated by important cities to thank the Oracle for helpful advice that led to victories and to establish a presence at the important site of Delphi.

The most notable of these treasuries and offerings is the Treasury of the Athenians, dating from 490 BC. It was funded by the spoils of Athens' victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon, which was won after an oracle advising the Athenians to put their faith in their "wooden walls" and understood as the navy. The small, Doric-style building with two central columns was reconstructed in 1906 by French archaeologists.

The focus of Delphi, both in ancient times and today, is the Temple of Apollo, dating from the 4th century BC. It originally had 6 columns on the front and 15 on the sides, which were stuccoed over. The exterior was decorated with shields captured from the Persians at Plataea. Visitors today can see one complete column of the facade and portions of five more columns. Also visible are the foundations of the outer colonnade and the interior sekos. Behind the Temple of Apollo is the well-preserved theater with complete tiers of seating and up the hill, an impressive long oval stadium with seating still intact.

The Pythian Games took place every four years to honor Apollo, and hosted poetry and music competitions besides the staple of athletic events. It is believed that the games were first organized sometime in the 11th c. BCE, and included only musical contests, but by the 6th c. BCE, the games grew to include athletic events. The games ceased to take place in the 4th c. CE.

The on-site Delphi Museum should not be missed. The Delphi Museum contains attractive displays of a wide variety of artifacts from Delphi, most of which were extravagent gifts from far-away cities. Each room has a specific focus, such as sculpture from the elegant Siphnian treasury; finds from the Temple of Apollo; works from the Roman period (including a marble sculpture of the epicene youth Antinous, the beloved of the emperor Hadrian); bronzes; and finds from the countryside around Delphi. The star exhibit of the museum, with a room to himself, is the famous 474 BC Charioteer of Delphi, a larger-than-life bronze figure that originally included a four-horse chariot. He was a gift from the wealthy Sicilian city of Gela to honor its tyrant Polyzalos's chariot victory here. The statue is justly famous: the handsome youth's delicate eyelashes shade wide enamel-and-stone eyes and realistic veins stand out in his hands and feet.