Thermopylae

Central Greece


One of the greatest military feats of antiquity, still legendary 2500 years on, took place at Thermopylae, signposted off the road to Athens 17km southeast of Lamia. In this narrow pass, in 480 BC, Leonidas and 300 brave Spartans sacrificed their lives to halt Xerxes’ vast Persian army long enough to secure an ultimate Greek victory. A large statue of Leonidas marks the battle site, while a modern museum alongside shows a short 3D movie but holds few other exhibits.

Sea levels have dropped considerably since Leonidas’ time; Thermopylae now stands at the edge of a broad coastal plain. However, the thermal springs that gave the site its name – ‘Hot Gates’ – are still here, down a short lane on the left roughly 200m north of the museum. A rushing sulphur hot spring fills a small natural pool, where you can relax in water that reaches up to 40°C.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Central Greece attractions

1. Gorgopotamos Railway Bridge

8.28 MILES

On 25 November 1942, in one of the greatest acts of sabotage of WWII, a combined Greek and British guerrilla force blew up the Gorgopotamos Railway Bridge…

2. Archaeological Museum

9.2 MILES

Lamia's medieval castle commands great views atop a wooded hill directly above the centre, a steep 1km hike or longer drive up. Within its walls, the city…

3. Parnassos National Park

18.47 MILES

Towering northwards above Delphi and Arahova, Mt Parnassos was sacred to the gods Dionysos and Apollo. The modern Parnassos National Park holds three…

4. Agathon Monastery

18.53 MILES

A tortuous mountain road climbs 7km west from Ipati to reach the lovely, still functioning Byzantine Agathon Monastery, into which visitors can freely…

5. Amfissa Castle

20.38 MILES

Set in wooded grounds atop a hill northwest of the town centre, Amfissa’s ruined 13th-century castle retains around 600m of its original fortified wall.

6. Archaeological Museum of Amfissa

20.39 MILES

This handsome museum, housed in an impressive mansion, holds a wonderful assortment of local finds dating from the Bronze Age to the early Byzantine…

7. Museum of Greek Revolution

20.4 MILES

The former home of Dimitrios Panourgias, a hero of the 19th-century struggle for Greek independence, opened in 2019 as a museum of the revolution. In the…

8. Moni Profiti Ilia

20.73 MILES

East of Amfissa towards Delphi, the 19th-century convent of Moni Profiti Ilia rests on a hillside with superb views across the olive groves to the Gulf of…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "greece/lamia/attractions/thermopylae/a/poi-sig/506550/359482",
      "destination": "Central-Greece",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Greece",
      "region": "Central-Greece",
      "position": "superzone"
    }