Long before the sun-drenched ruins of ancient temples and the echoing stones of Delphi made their way into her journals, Agatha Christie had already begun to fall for Greece.
Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller—better known as Agatha Christie, the queen of detective fiction—was more than just a master of mystery. She was a tireless traveler, curious about the world and deeply inspired by the cultures she encountered. Her journeys across the globe left indelible marks on her imagination, influencing many of her stories. While the Orient Express and Egypt are famously linked to her work, one country in particular captured her heart time and time again: Greece.
Christie first set foot in Greece in 1928. Her initial encounter with the country was anything but easy—she found herself stuck on a mule for 14 grueling hours en route to Andritsaina. Yet, instead of being deterred, she fell head over heels for the country’s beauty, history, and mythology. Greece became a recurring destination in her life, a place she returned to with admiration and enthusiasm.
Agatha Christie’s fascination with the ancient world and Greece
Her fascination with the ancient world only deepened when she married Max Mallowan, a prominent archaeologist. Early in their marriage, Max proposed a research trip to Greece, and Agatha eagerly accepted. This journey, often referred to as their unofficial honeymoon, began along the Dalmatian Coast. They arrived in Patras and then endured a crowded train ride—“full of people and fleas,” she would later write in her autobiography—to Ancient Olympia.
Olympia lived up to her high expectations. “It is as unique as I expected it to be,” she confessed to Max. But the adventure didn’t stop there. Determined to see the remote Temple of Apollo Epicurius in Vasses, Max arranged for another challenging leg: a 14-hour mule trek from Andritsaina. Agatha, ever candid in her recollections, later wrote:
“I had no training in riding mules! When we arrived, I collapsed! I didn’t know when I was in more pain—riding the mule or walking alongside it. I told Max, ‘You are neither fit for marriage nor for a wife, if you cannot understand how one feels after such a journey under these conditions! Know that this is grounds for divorce!’”
But there was no divorce—only a renewed spirit and, two days later, a second (shorter) mule ride, this time just five hours, to reach the majestic temple. Her passion for Greece was undeterred.
Epidaurus, Nafpio and Delphi: “Damn, Greece is indescribable!”
From there, their journey became a whirlwind of archaeological wonder and romantic escapade. They explored Mycenae and Epidaurus, where Agatha felt the stirrings of an unexpected passion for archaeology itself.
At Epidaurus, while Max was engrossed in deciphering an ancient inscription, she roamed the ancient theater, climbed to the top tier, and took in the sweeping view in awe. When she returned to check on Max, he hadn’t moved—still immersed in his translation. She waited in the sun, soaking in the beauty and serenity of the place.
In Nafplio, they stayed in what she described as a lavish hotel suite, complete with red velvet curtains and gold brocade. They had breakfast on their balcony overlooking the sea and swam near the charming island of Bourtzi—until jellyfish interrupted the serenity.
One of her most enthusiastic accounts was of their visit to Delphi. The place overwhelmed her senses. “Damn, Greece is indescribable!” she wrote to her first husband, Archie. So captivated was she by Delphi’s mystical aura that she seriously considered buying land to build a home there. Years later, when she returned and saw the commercialization that had taken over—souvenir shops, taverns, and busloads of tourists—she felt relieved that the dream never materialized. “The magic of Delphi is gone,” she lamented.
Agatha Christie finally visits the Acropolis
Agatha and Max’s Greek explorations also extended to the islands. During the interwar period, they visited the Dodecanese, starting with Rhodes, a place that mesmerized them both. Max delved into the island’s antiquities while Agatha absorbed the unique charm of the Old Town, walking the Street of the Knights and admiring the medieval architecture. It’s no surprise that in 1937 she penned Triangle at Rhodes, a short story set on the island, later included in her collection Murder in the Mews.
Humor colored many of her observations too. After spending time in the Peloponnese, Agatha joked that every Greek surname seemed to end in “-opoulos”—a quirky insight into her growing familiarity with the culture.
Two decades later, in 1958, Agatha and Max returned to Greece for what would be one of their most meaningful visits. This time, they had a clear goal: to finally see the Acropolis of Athens.
They checked into the elegant Hotel Grande Bretagne and made the iconic hill their first stop. A photograph published in Kathimerini on August 30, 1958, captured Christie smiling with the Parthenon in the background—a moment that symbolized her lasting connection with Greece.
For Max, this visit was profoundly emotional. As he stood before the Parthenon—what he once called the “older brother” of the temple at Vasses—he wept. It was the first time Agatha had seen him cry in front of an ancient monument.
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