Delphi, the centre of the universe and dwelling place of Greek god Apollo

Arundhuti Dasgupta finds herself surrounded by Greek legends and fables in the mythical centre of the world

The bus turns a corner to park by a winding road, disgorging our group of 30-odd tourists into the light. It is barely after 9 in the morning but already feels like noon. The sun beats down on us, spreading out against the majestic countryside and glinting off the blue of the ocean — like a god resplendent in his heaven. Delphi is home to the Greek god of light, Apollo, and this morning he is in full attendance.

The city seamlessly straddles multiple worlds and timelines. In our imagined geography of the ancient world, it is home to spectacular