A drive from Athens to see the incredible Temple of Poseidon at Sounio is one of the most popular day trips out of the city. I lived in Athens for a little while so I’ve been to Sounio a few times and can confirm it is one of the most beautiful and special spots you can visit, but with a couple of caveats.
The main consideration is the time spent getting there, and your mode of transport. It’s a good 2-hour drive down the coast from central Athens, depending on the traffic. It’s not always straightforward to get there by public transport during the day, so most visitors either drive or take one of the main minibus trips available. It’s a popular tour with the cruise ship crowd so there are plenty on offer on platforms like Viator and Getyourguide, plus the travel agencies in Athens.
I’ve visited all three ways. If you can take a car, that’s definitely the best way to do it. Once you get out of downtown, it’s an easy drive and you can make a day of it and visit some other scenic spots on the way (I recommend Vouliagmeni, Anayssos, and Lagrena). But the real benefit is the timing – you can stay for sunset, then have a relaxed seafood dinner at one of the tavernas.
The last time I was in Athens I took one of the minibus tours. The specific one I took was Athens: Cape Sounion & Temple of Poseidon Half Day Tour with GETAWAYS GREECE. Looking at the websites, I’m not sure that specific iteration of the tour still exists, but I’ll go over the differences below.
If you’re taking the tour in winter, like me (I did it in March), then one thing to bear in mind is the early sunset time. The first half is through city highways and suburbs, whilst the second half hugs the coast and is very scenic. But it’s a long way for a relatively short time at Sounio. Pickup for me was at 3pm; once you get to Sounio you have just enough time to wander around the archaeological site before the sun goes down, grab a snack, and then find your minibus again. I still think it’s worth it, as long as you’re happy to spend a big chunk of time on the bus and it fits in with your overall schedule.
If you take the tour in summer, it often includes a swim stop and sometimes lunch too. This makes it feel more worth it, in my opinion, but then travelling in winter always comes with a few drawbacks. But sometimes the swim and lunch stops are on full day trips which don’t stay for sunset. The itineraries seem to change a bit every year so make sure you read the small print.
If you’re looking for a full day out, a trip to one of the nearest islands (like Aegina or Hydra) is a better option. There’s plenty of public transport, you’ll find more restaurants and facilities, and there’s more to fill a full day. I also think that the day trips to the big ancient sites like Mycenae and Epidaurus are a better way to spend a whole day out of Athens. But if you’ve already done those, or you have just a morning or an afternoon to fill, that’s when Sounio comes into play.
But back to the tour review. We travelled in a minibus with excellent AC and plenty of cold bottles of water. Communication around the pickup was great – very prompt, and you get a link to follow the minibus on an app before it arrives (a bit like on taxi apps).
There are several different tour providers offering variations on the same thing. Our driver was friendly but I wouldn’t describe him as a guide. There are lots of tour vans plying the same route for sunset – if you’d rather have the site to yourself you’ll be better off going during the day. The entrance ticket isn’t usually included; you buy it at the kiosk when you get there, so you’re really just paying for transport.
Just having a quick flick through the tours offered on Getyourguide, the main differences seem to be:
- pick-up points available
- photo stop at Lake Vouliagmeni or not (I love it there but wouldn’t consider this a deciding factor)
- audio guide app included or not
Only licensed archaeological guides are allowed inside the ancient sites in Greece, so if you do want a proper guide, the price will be a lot higher than the €3035 that these minibus tours cost.
Sounio is pretty small, that goes for both the archaeological site and the village, which really just consists of a couple of hotels and tavernas, and a beach. It does feel like being on an island, so if you want to visit the coast but not take any ferries then it’s an option. If you’re tempted to stay overnight, the Aegeon Beach Hotel is right by the beach here, or a few bays back is the ultra-luxury Cape Sounio hotel.
There is a cafe outside the archaeological site, for snacks and drinks and toilets, but there isn’t time on the tour for a proper dinner so I recommend having a big lunch if you’re doing the sunset tour.
Sounio is a really dreamy spot though, right at the end of the cape, and you can easily spend a leisurely couple of hours here seeing the temple, swimming, and eating which is why taking a car is the best way to do it, if you can.
And what about getting there by bus?
Admittedly, it’s a long time since I’ve done this but, looking at the timetables, it seems that the options have improved. You used to have to change buses a few times, but now there is one direct KTEL Attikis bus, including an extra sunset route in the summer – here’s the timetable. The bus leaves from the bus stop at Pedion Areos just outside the city centre. The prospect of not getting a ticket for that one bus would stress me out though! So there’s still an argument for the minibus, although you do get a lot less time.
And the sunset itself?
One of the best I’ve seen in Greece. The sun goes down over a small uninhabited island called Arki which is just opposite the temple. Everyone in the archaeological site gathers underneath the temple to watch. Good vibes!
Read more about Athens:
Where to Stay in Athens: Boutique on a Budget
Image credits: © The Mediterranean Traveller