# Cerca de Athens

From Athens you set out by land and by sea. To the east and south, Marathon and the coast down to Sounion; to the west, the Corinth Canal, Nemea, Mycenae and Nafplio; to the northwest, Delphi and Parnassus, and from Piraeus, Aegina, Hydra and Poros.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/athens/getaways

## Planes de un día
- [Athens: Acropolis, Plaka and Filopappou](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/athens/itineraries/acropolis-agora-plaka-and-filopappou.md) (0 min en coche): The Acropolis in the first slot, the Ancient Agora, lunch on a Plaka rooftop, the Acropolis Museum in the afternoon and the Parthenon face on as the sun sets.
- [Marathon: tumulus, Rhamnous and Schinias](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/marathon/itineraries/museum-tumulus-rhamnous-and-schinias.md) (50 min en coche): The museum and tumulus of the 490 BC battle, the sanctuary of Nemesis at Rhamnous, the afternoon on Schinias beach and dinner with the Acropolis in front of you.
- [Marathon: tumulus, fish and Schinias](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/marathon/itineraries/sunday-dam-museum-and-nea-makri.md) (50 min en coche): The marble dam of the lake, the museum and the 490 BC tumulus in the morning, grilled fish at Argo in Nea Makri and the afternoon on Schinias beach.
- [Corinth: canal, Acrocorinth and Temple of Apollo](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/peloponnese/corinth/itineraries/canal-acrocorinth-and-ancient-corinth.md) (1 h en coche): The canal from the bridge and from inside on a boat, the bridge that sinks at Isthmia, Acrocorinth before 13:00 and the Temple of Apollo in the afternoon.
- [Sounion: coast, swim and sunset at the temple](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/cape-sounion/itineraries/vouliagmeni-coast-and-temple-of-poseidon.md) (1 h 5 en coche): A half-day from Athens along the coast road: a swim in Lake Vouliagmeni, a beach at the foot of the cape, the Temple of Poseidon at sunset and dinner in the bay.
- [Nemea: Sanctuary of Zeus and two wineries](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/peloponnese/nemea/itineraries/sanctuary-of-zeus-and-agiorgitiko-tastings.md) (1 h 20 en coche): A Sunday outing to Nemea: the Temple of Zeus and the athletes' tunnel, a tasting in Palivos's train carriage, a village lunch at 17 Choria and Barafakas in the afternoon.
- [Aegina in a day: temple, monastery and Perdika](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/aegina/itineraries/aphaia-pistachios-and-fish-in-perdika.md) (1 h 40 en coche): The morning ferry from Piraeus, the Temple of Aphaia among pines, Agios Nektarios and the chapels of Paleochora, fish in Perdika and pistachios before the boat.
- [Mycenae, Nafplio and Epidaurus in a day](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/peloponnese/nafplio/itineraries/mycenae-epidaurus-and-lunch-in-nafplio.md) (1 h 50 en coche): The classic Peloponnese day from Athens: the Corinth Canal in passing, Mycenae in the morning, lunch in Nafplio's square and the theatre of Epidaurus in the afternoon.
- [Hydra in a day: harbour, swim and Kamini](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/hydra/itineraries/donkey-harbour-and-swim-at-kamini.md) (2 h en coche): A fast boat from Piraeus to the island without cars: captains' houses, the 1821 museum, a swim off the rocks at Spilia, lunch by a pool and a walk to Kamini.
- [Arachova: Corycian Cave and stone village](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/central-greece/arachova/itineraries/parnassus-corycian-cave-and-spit-roast.md) (2 h en coche): A guided climb to the Corycian Cave from the Livadi plateau, kokoretsi in Arachova's oldest taverna and the village up to the clock tower.
- [Delphi and lunch in Galaxidi harbour](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/central-greece/galaxidi/itineraries/delphi-and-lunch-by-the-harbour.md) (2 h 30 en coche): The sanctuary of Apollo and the Charioteer first thing, the drop through olive groves to the sea, lunch in a former captains' café in Galaxidi and the afternoon in the harbour.
- [Poros: village, Galatas and Askeli](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/poros/itineraries/ferry-from-piraeus-and-askeli.md) (2 h 30 en coche): The Piraeus ferry, the village up to the clock tower, the boat to Galatas and its lemon grove, lunch by the sea and the afternoon on Askeli beach.
- [Delphi in a day: the oracle, the Charioteer and Arachova](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/central-greece/delphi/itineraries/osios-loukas-oracle-and-arachova.md) (2 h 30 en coche): A long day from Athens, two and a half hours away: the mosaics of Osios Loukas, the sanctuary of Apollo up to the stadium, the Charioteer in the museum, home cooking and Arachova.
- [Poros by land: lemon trees, village and Neorio](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/poros/itineraries/sunday-by-car-lemon-grove-and-neorio.md) (2 h 30 en coche): Drive to Galatas, a walk through the lemon grove, a five-minute boat to the village, the clock tower and museum, lunch on Neorio beach and the sanctuary of Poseidon.
- [Galaxidi: guided pine forest, museum and taverna](https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/central-greece/galaxidi/itineraries/sunday-guided-walk-and-nautical-museum.md) (2 h 30 en coche): Three hours on foot with a guide through the pine forest, the last shipyard and the ancient walls, the Nautical Museum, lunch at the harbour taverna and Delphi on the way back.

## The car, only to leave Athens

There are direct flights to Athens airport (ATH) from Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga and Bilbao. It is about 30 km from the centre by road, and you get there on metro line 3, the blue one, to Syntagma and Monastiraki, by train or on the X95 and X96 buses; the latter goes direct to Piraeus.

In the city a car is a nuisance: there is nowhere to park and traffic is slow. The historic centre of [Athens](/en/greece/attica/athens) is covered on foot and the metro reaches the rest. A hire car only makes sense for getting out to the coast, the Peloponnese or Delphi.

For the islands you do not need one. Metro line 1, the green one, runs from Monastiraki or Thissio to Piraeus without changing, and from there ferries and fast boats leave for the Saronic Gulf. Without a car you can also reach Sounion on the coastal KTEL bus, in about two hours, and Delphi by bus, in about three.

## A whole day is barely enough for the Acropolis and the Agora

**In the city**, a whole day does not stretch beyond the essentials: the Acropolis in the first slot, the Ancient Agora, the Acropolis Museum and the Parthenon face on from Filopappou at sunset.

**Up to an hour and a quarter** by car are Attica and the isthmus. [Marathon](/en/greece/attica/marathon) bay, 50 minutes away, combines the tumulus of the battle of 490 BC, the sanctuary of Nemesis at Rhamnous and Schinias beach. The [Corinth Canal](/en/greece/peloponnese/corinth) is an hour away, and [Cape Sounion](/en/greece/attica/cape-sounion), 65 minutes along the coast road, with a swim in Lake Vouliagmeni on the way.

**Between an hour and a quarter and two hours** you enter the Peloponnese and the nearby islands. The wineries of [Nemea](/en/greece/peloponnese/nemea) are 80 minutes away; [Aegina](/en/greece/attica/aegina), 100, with the metro to Piraeus and the ferry; [Nafplio](/en/greece/peloponnese/nafplio), with Mycenae and Epidaurus, 110, and [Hydra](/en/greece/attica/hydra), the car-free island, and [Arachova](/en/greece/central-greece/arachova), on Parnassus, two hours.

**Two and a half hours away** are [Delphi](/en/greece/central-greece/delphi) and, going down through olive groves to the sea, the harbour of [Galaxidi](/en/greece/central-greece/galaxidi). At the same distance is [Poros](/en/greece/attica/poros), by ferry from Piraeus or by car to Galatas and a five-minute boat. These are days of twelve hours or more.

## In summer you leave early and end up in the water

From March to May and in October and November the heat lets you walk at midday around Athens, and it is also the season for the Peloponnese sites and Delphi. September and October bring the Nemea grape harvest.

In summer you leave early and finish in the water: the Acropolis at 8:00, Mycenae first thing, Schinias beach in the afternoon, and the islands, with plenty of boats from May to October. At Hydra it is wise to book the return boat. In the Galaxidi pine forest there is shade and coves.

In winter the sites close early, at 15:30 at Delphi, Mycenae, Ancient Corinth and Marathon, which is why the plans put the ruins before lunch. On the first and third Sunday from November to March admission to the sites is free. At sea there are fewer boats, wind cancels the fast ones and many island tavernas close; on Parnassus, on the other hand, from December to March there is snow for skiing or snowshoeing. Watch out for Tuesdays: the Marathon sites close and, in winter, the sanctuary of Nemea and Ancient Corinth.

## Hydra, the car-free island, by fast boat from Piraeus

- **The first day, on foot:** [a day in Athens](/en/greece/attica/athens/itineraries/acropolis-agora-plaka-and-filopappou). The Acropolis in the first slot, the Agora, lunch on a Plaka rooftop, the Acropolis Museum and sunset on Filopappou.
- **By boat, without a car:** [Hydra from Athens](/en/greece/attica/hydra/itineraries/donkey-harbour-and-swim-at-kamini). A fast boat from Piraeus to the car-free island, captains' houses, a swim off the Spilia rocks and a walk to Kamini.
- **By car, to the Peloponnese:** [Mycenae and Epidaurus from Athens](/en/greece/peloponnese/nafplio/itineraries/mycenae-epidaurus-and-lunch-in-nafplio). The Corinth Canal in passing, Mycenae in the morning, lunch in Nafplio's square and the theatre of Epidaurus in the afternoon.

For a half-day, [Sounion along the coast](/en/greece/attica/cape-sounion/itineraries/vouliagmeni-coast-and-temple-of-poseidon), with the Temple of Poseidon at sunset. For the longest day, [Delphi from Athens](/en/greece/central-greece/delphi/itineraries/osios-loukas-oracle-and-arachova), with the mosaics of Osios Loukas and Arachova on the way back.