Beyond Delphi: Discover Greece’s Peaceful Mountain Villages and a Magical Honey Farm

Travelers planning to visit the Archaeological Museum at Delphi, Greece, and its antiquities, including the Treasury and Temple of Apollo, cannot avoid the multitudes of tourists.

Its ranking as one of the most important sites in Greece compels many visitors to book a grueling, one-day, round-trip tour from Athens to squeeze in this ‘must-see’ attraction.

Arranging a two or three-day excursion instead offers time to also explore less crowded venues close to Delphi. An exhausting quick side-trip could be transformed into one of relaxation, renewal, and remembrance.

Arachova on Parnassus Mountain

The itinerary for our small Overseas Adventure Travel group did just that. First, we absorbed the marvels in the Delphi Museum, explored the ancient ruins, and made the arduous climb to the Theater at the top. Then, we headed to the enchanting town of Arachova, a 15-minute drive from Delphi, for an overnight stay.

The scenes from our room’s terrace left me awestruck. Plastered on the steep cliffs of the majestic Parnassus Mountain, two-story residences seemed to hang precariously on the stone.

Boutique shops, coffee houses and restaurants dotted the main road that cuts across the mountain face. However, to reach every other building in town, only two options loomed: straight-up or straight-down through cavernous ravines.

It felt like an alpine village, where signs of winter persisted in May. Meanwhile, vendors lined the sidewalk and peddled handmade hats of fox, rabbit, sheep and goat fur. I had to have a curly sheep, Cossack-style chapeau.

We enjoyed a short walk about this sleepy town, Greek pizza and beer. A restful night left me rejuvenated for our exciting, nearby, special venue the next morning.

We headed out of Arachova, down toward the Corinthian Gulf. We traveled through the valley of Itea in Fokida Prefecture on a winding, switch-back road through forests of tall pines and green scrub bushes.

Galaxidi, a Coastal Village

Less than a 20-minute drive from the Archaeological Park at Delphi, the intimate seaside village of Galaxidi emerged.

This town, facing the Gulf, was not a stop on our group’s itinerary. However, its ambiance could offer an alternative respite for travelers after the rigors of exploring Delphi.

Galaxidi is still undiscovered by mass tourism. The reviews of its two harbors, idyllic coastline, cobblestoned streets and rentals of a variety of boats made me want to visit and linger.

Once Greece’s second-largest shipbuilding center, its maritime history prevails along with quaint inns and local seafood restaurants. We zipped through Galaxidi, now on my wish list, toward our destination, the Moka Honey Farm, a short distance away.

The Magic of Moka Honey and Olive Tree Farm

Scattered windswept grasses, sprinkled with colorful spring wildflowers, passed by the vehicle’s windows.

At the dirt lane leading to the Moka Honey Farm’s entrance, we vacated the travel van. We roamed on foot through fields of olive trees, smelled the aroma of sweet buttercups, daisies and pure farm-fresh air.

Along the way, we gazed at the pink, blue, and green stacked beehives. I felt recharged and renewed in these open spaces free of the tourist crowds.

We finished our invigorating walk at the main hub of the first and only interactive, visitable apiary in Greece. Here, we were greeted by the Moka Honey Farm’s co-founders.

Nikiforos Kalafatis, farm owner and olive producer, was a sound engineer who left his post in advertising.

Ioannis Moraitis was a PhD agronomist from the Agricultural University of Athens, whose grandfather taught him the skills of beekeeping.

Together, they guided us through a full day of learning and discovery. In the end, they changed our perception of bees, honey and olive trees.

They spoke about the mission of the Moka-Honey Farm. This is to redefine eco-friendly local farming and to provide the highest quality honey and olive oil.

Their aim was also to minimize the environmental impact, demonstrate the farm-to-table approach and educate visitors.

Both inherited the passion for bees and olive trees, and the tradition of making pure, preservative-free honey and olive oil from their grandparents.

Moka Honey Farm became a reality in 2014, with the first harvests of both honey and olives.

Expert Team and Unique Experience

Rounding out the team of expertise was Konstantinas Koutrolikos. Konstantinas was a graduate of the University of Athens, History and Archaeological Department. He provided the teaching experience for the olive tree farm tours.

Nick Bougas, a transplant from Great Britain, was a natural conservation specialist who led tropical and subtropical projects in Belize and Indonesia.

He discussed the worldwide plight facing the bee industry and offered extensive knowledge of ‘everything we never knew about bee colonies.

The ‘show and tell’ demonstrations from Nikiforos, Ioannis and Nick of the communal working relationships within a beehive kept me almost hypnotized.

Nick reported that after analysis, AI concluded that a working beehive proved to be so efficient it needed no improvements.

Archaeologists discovered 3,500-year-old pots of edible honey in Egyptian tombs, making it a perfect food, a ‘forever’ source of nourishment.

Interactive Learning and Delicious Treats

After learning ‘bee basics,’ the fun, interactive part of this unique experience began. We suited up in protective white coveralls, long-sleeve gloves, and a mesh face, head covering that zipped tight around the neck to keep ‘the sting from the skin.’

Bees become aggressive when threatened by dark colors, so bee suits are always solid white.

Nikiforos lifted one frame after another from a hive to point out the one queen. The queen’s only function is egg-laying. The drones do the fertilizing once, then die, and the main decision-makers of the hive are the worker bees.

Through innate ingenuity, the worker bees keep the cells on frames one, two, nine and ten clean, ready to store the produced honey in comb configurations.

Wrapped in my cocoon, I felt the thrill without the fear of holding a frame of buzzing bees. As promised, I will never look at a honeybee the same way again.

Hands-On

The outdoor kitchen became our next classroom. Here we learned how to prepare phyllo dough as the base for the authentic Greek spinach pie, spanakopita.

I took on the task of rolling the dough from a thick disk to a large paper-thin round using a slender wooden rolling stick.

The delicate, almost transparent dough is pressed into a deep baking dish. This is then filled with spinach, fruit or vegetables, and sealed over with the remaining phyllo. The result is a scrumptious baked pie.

We sipped on the strong, Greek, distilled spirit with an alcoholic content of 40-45%. It is often referred to as the drink of the poor. Additionally, we sampled flavorful olive oil and traditional Greek dishes.

Contented and sated, we drifted down the hill to the wooden barn where a diverse selection of farm-based products waited.

Thyme or oat honey, extra-virgin olive oil, beeswax sachets, soaps and candles could be purchased to remember our experience long afterwards.

A Memorable Experience

The ‘Day in the Life’ at Moka Honey Farm unfolded as one of the most special, soothing, and exciting experiences in all of Greece. It has made my ‘must-see, must-do’ list and private tours can easily be arranged with only 24-hour notice.

Families, small or large groups and individuals have the choice of a variety of tours. These include the Honey Stories Tour, the Olive Stories Tour and the Wax and Soap Stories Workshop.

On the Wax and Soap Tour, participants make their own wax products and take their creations home. Tour prices are available online.

If You Go

When you visit the archaeological ruins of Delphi, Greece, get a respite from the crowds with an overnight stay in nearby picturesque villages of Arachova or Galaxidi.

Complete your excursion with an unforgettable, magical hands-on experience at Moka Honey Farm and participate in the effort to ‘Save the Bees.’

I came away being a forever bee enthusiast with an understanding that our lives and natural food supply depend on the life of honeybees.

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Author Bio: After a lifelong profession of treating the mentally ill at a PA psychiatric hospital for 33 years, Carol retired to Lake Chapala, Mexico, in 2006 with her husband to pursue more positive passions. Her family thought that she too had ‘gone mad.’

Carol has taught English to Mexican adults and disadvantaged local children for the past 18 years. She writes for local, international, online, and print publications. Using her adventures in over 120 countries, she has captured a niche in travel writing, and her stories have been featured in Go World Travel Magazine. A frequent contributor to El Ojo del Lago, the largest distribution English magazine in Mexico, she’s won several literary awards from that publication.

Her psychiatric field work netted a contribution to the anthology, Tales from the Couch. Recently she has also been featured in two more anthologies, Insider’s Guide to the Best of Mexican Holidays, and Bravados, Life, Love and Living in Lake Chapala, Mexico, all available on Amazon.com.

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