Driving from Athens to Delphi
 

I'll be landing in Arhens in the evening and driving directly to Delphi. I would like to stop for the night at a hotel somewhere along the way. The towns of Thiva and Livadia look like possible stopping points, with a couple small hotels. Perhaps there are other towns to consider.

Looking for suggestions on best 3 or 4 star hotel along that route that is under 100 euros.

Thank you.

I would go to Delphi immediately (ca. 3. hours). You will find a much better selection of hotels than in Tiva and Levadia, where the lack of competition keeps prices high. Both towns are rather boring, whereas in Delphi (alternatively: Arachova) you will enjoy good mountain scenery. Moreover, when staying in Delphi, you may enjoy the (rather cramped) museum in the morning before the bulk of tourist busses will arrive. If you travel on a budget, I can recommend hotel Levas, if you want more comfort, hotel Iniochos. Both have, like a couple of other hotels in the vicinity (the name of which I have forgotten) a terrace offering a fine view on the Corinth gulf.

In Delphi, right on the Main Street are 2 facing hotels (owned by brothers), hotels Pan & Artemis http://www.panartemis.gr/eng/facilities.htm Hotel Pan, on the downhill side, from its BACK rooms, has stunning views down the mountain across olive groves to the sea (as I stood on my balcony, hawks circled BELOW me). Doubles range 40-70 depending on season. We were there June 1, checked in at 5, and owner told us museum was open until 7:30or 8, so we walked the scenic road (sidewalk is right by low wall, mountainside goes straight down), enjoyed museum almost empty, had llight dinner @sundown on outside terrace 200 yards the other side of Pan.
Breakfast was included at Pan & if you want early start to enter site at 8, owner will serve early. We had over 2 hours to enjoy almost empty ruins site before tour busses arrived. PS; if you go up the very steep hill to reach the stadium u may be disappointed because cannot enter it due to rockfalls.

I second the suggestion to go straight to Delphi, which is what we did. We landed in Athens coming from Crete, took the care from the airport and drove to Delphi. Very easy. You can stop on the way at Osios Lucas.
It is better to spend the night in Delphi and visit the museum and the sights in the morning before the tour buses arrive--very tranquil and nice.

I would recommend staying in Arachova. The hotel selection is much better and it is only a 10 minute drive to Delphi. I was there 2 weeks ago and enjoyed the restaurants and all the food and crafts shops. Delphi is ok but the shops and restaurants aren't as nice. Both places however, do have great views from the restaurants looking over the valley below.
You can get up early and drive to the Delphi museum and site first thing.

I am sorry to say this, but Thiva is a really dull rural town, it is the commercial center for the surrounding agricultural villages and the near-by army bases, but nothing to write home about. And this awful humidity....
I hear the new archeological museum will host some amazing collections and will be very worthing a visit, but for the time been it is still under maintenance, aka closed.

Levadia has similar features to Thiva and awful traffic at times but has slightly better street plan and a few nice pedestrianised areas to get a coffee or window-shop, while Krua spring area is a nice bonus, one could spend a few hours there. A few caffes and taverns and running water and watermills and the like and the location of Trophonios Oracle on top...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4genZFLs9E

I very much doupt you will find any real 4* hotel on either town, there are a couple of small rural hotels serving business representatives, local football teams and the like maybe, but those places rarely get Greek or foreign tourists or international buisiness travelers...

From Delphi you get the sea and valley view while from Arachova you miss the sea view. If you are looking for some luxurious and some supposed to be luxurious hotels, Arahova has difinately more choices. Both places have nice taverns and shops, depends what you look for and if you know to recognise the real stuff among the tat. Ask localy for advice and be specific on your likes and needs as those things are a bit personal.

Good input folks. Clarifying my itinerary concerns:

1. Arriving Athens rather late. How treacherous is the drive in the dark for someone unfamiliar with driving in Greece?

2. I'm going to have half a day in Delphi, unfortunately will be a quick visit. No time for pretty views from hotels etc - just need something utilitarian. Need to do Delphi quickly in the morning and head back to Athens in the afternoon.

Thanks

Jco, I wish your parameters had been clear from the start and it would have saved us the time to work out suggestions that now seem irrelevant.

Reluctantly, I don't think you have time for Delphi.

You do not share the exact time you are arriving, or the dates, which makes it harder to advise. If you'd be in your car by 6:30 or so, and going in late May or June, it doesn't get truly dark until after 9. But if you'll have a later start. and another month, the last leg of your trip would be in the dark and there is NO lighting on that highway, infrequent signage and it's in the mountains. I've done the trip twice, in daylight, not being the driver, and the twisty turns are something. Arachova is too near Delphi to avoid driving in mountains and in darkness -- and something in the flatter areas would mean an hour of driving in the AM.

You also do not say where you're from, but thru detective work, I figured out you're from Canada so unless you're coming from another European country, you'll be coming off a tiring trip of at least 16 hours, and groggy despite coffee. I know this is not what you want to hear, but I don't think Delphi works on your crammed schedule. It's trying to pour a quart into a pint bottle.

My own Delphi experience, on trip #1 (bus tour), was crammed into 12 hours (7 of it consumed in driving to/from) and was frustrating and unsatisfactory. Years later, I took about 1 day, on public transit (out of Athens about 3 pm, back by 4 pm next day) but it was completely different -- relaxed, enjoyable, inspiring .. a transformed experience. A rushed attempt while jet-lagged could put you off a wonderful place.