# Cape Sounion

An afternoon excursion from Athens: the coast road to the Temple of Poseidon, a swim on the way and sunset over the Saronic Gulf. How to get there, opening hours and tickets.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/attica/cape-sounion · Revisado: 2026-11-12

Cape Sounion is the southern tip of Attica, about 70 km from the centre of Athens, and the most classic half-day excursion from the capital. At the top of the cliff stands the Temple of Poseidon, from the mid-5th century BC, and from there you watch the sun set over the Saronic Gulf. Part of the charm is also the journey: the coast road, with beaches and a warm-water lake right beside the road.

## How do you get there from Athens?

By car, about 65 minutes from the centre. The pretty route is the coast one, through Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza and Lagonisi, with the sea on your right; on the way back, at night, it is quicker to go up via Lavrio and Keratea to the Attiki Odos motorway. There is parking next to the entrance to the site, which fills up in summer around sunset.

By bus, the KTEL intercity buses leave from Aigyptou Square, next to Pedion tou Areos park, and take about two hours along the coast. It is cheap but slow, and on the way back, after sunset, they are full: check the return timetable before setting out.

From the airport, the cape is closer than central Athens: about 35 or 40 minutes by car. That is why it works well as the first or last night of a trip.

## What is there to see at Sounion?

The Temple of Poseidon is Doric, of marble, and was built on the ruins of another that the Persians destroyed before it was finished. Its frieze told of the fight between Lapiths and centaurs and of gods and giants, and some slabs are in the Lavrio museum. Look on the columns for Byron's name, carved in the early 19th century. On the hill opposite are the foundations of the Temple of Athena, and on the landward side, remains of the wall with which Athens turned the cape into a lookout post over the grain route and the silver mines.

The visit takes less than an hour. What stretches the afternoon is the rest: a swim in Lake Vouliagmeni on the way, the beach at Sounion at the foot of the temple and the sunset from the cape.

## How much does it cost and what are the opening hours?

Admission costs €20, and reduced, €10. It is bought at the ticket office or at tickets.hh.gr, the official portal. The site opens every day from 9:30 until sunset, in summer and in winter, and the last entry is 20 minutes before closing. It is free on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October and, from November to March, on the first and third Sunday of each month. It closes on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Orthodox Easter Sunday and 25 and 26 December.

## How do you plan the afternoon?

With a car, leave Athens around 13:00 or 14:00 depending on the season. Swim for a couple of hours at Vouliagmeni or in a cove at Varkiza, carry on along the coast and reach the cape an hour before sunset. Go up to the temple, stay until the sun touches the sea and have dinner in the bay, at the Aegeon Taverna, before heading back. You have the full plan in the day trip to Sounion from Athens.

If you have one more morning, sleeping here lets you see the temple in the first light, almost without people, and go over to Lavrio for the Thorikos theatre and the museum.

## Where to sleep?

Two options in the same bay. The Aegeon Beach Hotel is on the shore, below the temple, with rooms with a sea or temple view and family rooms. The Cape Sounio resort, by Grecotel, occupies the pine-covered slope opposite, with villas with private pools and the temple in view: it is an expensive treat for the last night before the flight.

## How does it fit into a trip to Greece?

Sounion is the free afternoon of a trip to Athens: two days of Acropolis and museums, and the third afternoon, the coast. From the port of Lavrio, ten minutes away, ferries leave for Kea and some of the Cyclades. If you are going on to the Peloponnese or the Saronic islands, such as Aegina or Hydra, leave Sounion for the last afternoon: the airport is less than 40 minutes away.

## Dónde está
- Cerca: Athens (a 45.4 km), Poros (a 53.1 km), Marathon (a 53.6 km), Aegina (a 53.7 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Temple of Poseidon and Sounion sanctuary** (1 h 15 · All ages; short climb without shade · €20 · reduced €10): What it is
At the top of the cape, in the centre of the sanctuary, is the Doric temple of Poseidon, built in the mid-5th century BC over the ruins of an earlier one that the Persians destroyed while it was still under construction. Its frieze showed the fight of Lapiths and centaurs and that of gods and giants, a way of celebrating Athens's victory over the Persians; some slabs are now in the Lavrio Archaeological Museum. On the hill opposite remain the foundations of the temple of Athena, and on the landward side, remains of the wall that made the cape a lookout post for ships heading to Piraeus and for the Lavrio silver mines.
Hours and tickets
Open every day from 9:30 until sunset, in summer and in winter; last entry is 20 minutes before closing. Entry costs €20 (reduced €10) and is bought at the box office or at tickets.hh.gr. It is free on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October and, from November to March, the first and third Sunday of each month. Closed on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday and 25 and 26 December.
Getting there
It is at kilometre 68 of the Athens – Sounion road. By car it is about 65 minutes from the centre of Athens; there is parking beside the entrance, with a shop, toilets and wifi. By bus, KTEL intercity buses leave from Aigyptou Square, in Pedion tou Areos, and take about two hours.
- **Sunset over the Saronic Gulf from the cape** (1 h · All ages): Sunset is the reason half of Athens comes to Sounion. The temple stands on the cliff edge, about 60 metres above the sea, and from the esplanade you watch the sun sink towards the Saronic Gulf, with the islands on the horizon.
Inside or outside the site
Inside you have the temple a few metres away, but the site closes at sunset and last entry is 20 minutes before: go in with an hour to spare. If you arrive late, Sounion beach, in the bay at the foot of the cape, has the temple above you and the sun in front; the terraces on the shore are the other place to watch it.
When there are fewer people
In July and August coaches arrive at that hour and the car park fills. In spring and in October the light is the same and there are far fewer people. In winter the sun sets before 17:30, so the site closes early.
- **The coast road from Athens to Sounion** (1 h 15 · 70 km · With a hire car): The classic way to Sounion is along the coast, not by the inland motorway. You leave Athens towards Faliro and follow Poseidonos Avenue and then the Athens – Sounion road: Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Lagonisi and Saronida, with the Saronic Gulf on your right almost all the way. It is about 70 km and a little over an hour without stops.
Where to stop

Vouliagmeni: the warm-water lake, about 25 km from the centre.
Varkiza and Lagonisi: beaches and coves beside the road for a swim.
Legrena: the bay just before the cape, with the temple already in view.

Out by the coast, back inland
On the way back, at night, you can go up through Lavrio and Keratea to the Attiki Odos motorway: it is faster to reach the airport or north Athens. Watch the coastal bends at dusk, with summer beach traffic heading back.
- **Swimming in Lake Vouliagmeni, on the way to Sounion** (2 h 30 · All ages): What it is
A small lake of brackish water, fed by springs, at the foot of a limestone rock wall in Vouliagmeni, about 25 km from the centre of Athens along the coast road: the first natural stop if you are going to Sounion. The water stays, according to the facility itself, between 21 and 29 °C, so you can swim almost all year. Small fish live in the water and come up to your feet.
How it works
It is a private facility with a platform, sunbeds, shaded areas and the abraOvata restaurant. The published hours are 8:30 to 16:30. The reserved areas (sunbeds, sofa sets, private area) are booked on their website and cannot be booked on the same day; in winter only the main platform opens. Check the day's entry fee on their website before going.
How to fit it in
If you are going to Sounion in the afternoon, leave Athens at midday, swim here for a couple of hours and continue along the coast to the cape: about 45 km remain.
- **Thorikos theatre and Lavrio Archaeological Museum** (2 h · Adults and teenagers interested in archaeology): What it is
Lavrio, about 10 km north of the cape, was the town of the silver mines that financed Athens's fleet. Beside it, on the hill of Thorikos, is one of the oldest theatres in Greece: its tiers do not form a semicircle but an elongated, almost rectangular curve that fits the slope. The Lavrio Archaeological Museum, on Fleming Street, holds pieces from Thorikos and the mining area and some slabs from the frieze of the temple of Poseidon.
How to visit
Museum hours change by season and sources disagree: call beforehand on +30 22920 22817. The Thorikos theatre is north of the town, beside the harbour road; out of season it is worth asking at the museum whether you can go in.
When it fits
If you sleep at Sounion, it is the perfect next morning before returning to Athens or the airport. From Lavrio the ferry also leaves for Kea and some Cyclades.
- **Sounion beach, at the foot of the temple** (3 h · Families; calm waters with a north wind): The bay opening north of the cape, at Kato Sounio, is the temple's beach: you have it above you, on top of the cliff, while you swim. The shore is sand and pebble, with sunbeds from the beach bars and a free part. Boats and sailing yachts anchor in the bay in summer.
How to organise it
A swim in the morning or early afternoon, lunch on a shoreline terrace and a climb to the temple for sunset: the site car park is a few minutes away by car. If you come by KTEL bus, you can get off at the bay stop and walk up the road, carefully.

## Dónde comer
- **Aegeon Taverna and The Veranda** (Restaurant, Sounion, €€€). Qué pedir: something grilled and a salad on the terrace, before or after going up to the temple
- **Aegean Grill, at Cape Sounio** (Restaurant, Sounion, €€€€). Qué pedir: grilled fish or meat with the house salads, at midday, to see the temple in daylight

## By car: Along the coast by car, with stops for a swim
By car you do Sounion as you should: along the coast road, with a swim in Lake Vouliagmeni or in a Varkiza cove, and you reach the temple for sunset. From the centre of Athens it is about 70 km and a little over an hour. On the way back, the inland motorway is faster.
Presupuesto orientativo: 90–220 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Cape Sounio, Grecotel** (Hotel): A whole resort looking at the temple
Cape Sounio occupies a pine-covered slope on the bay west of the cape, and almost everything faces the temple of Poseidon, which you see head-on across the water. You stay in bungalows, suites and villas scattered through the pine wood, many with a private pool. Below it has three private beaches on the Aegean, a large pool, a renovated spa with a gym with a sea view and eight restaurants and bars, among them the Aegean Grill, beside the pool, and Yali, on the shore.
Getting there
It is at kilometre 67 of the Athens – Sounion road. According to the hotel, it is about 40 minutes from Athens airport, 50 from the centre and 10 from Lavrio port, from where ferries leave for Kea and some Cyclades. Without a car you depend on taxis or transfers: KTEL buses pass along the road, but the resort is large and on a slope.
Who it is for
For one or two nights of luxury at the end or start of a trip to Greece, near the airport and away from the noise of Athens. It is among the most expensive places to stay in Attica; the hotel does not publish fixed rates, and offers change by season. It has offers for families, but the spa pool is for over-16s only.
- **Aegeon Beach Hotel** (Hotel): Sleeping with the temple above
The Aegeon Beach is on the shore of Sounion bay, right below the cape: the beach in front and the temple of Poseidon above. It is the place for anyone who wants to see sunset at the cape and not drive back to Athens at night, or to have a beach base 35 minutes from the airport.
The rooms
The hotel has standard rooms with a sea or temple view, triples and family rooms with a garden view, a family suite, panoramic suites and a presidential suite with a view of the sea and the temple. If you travel with children, the family rooms and the four-bed suite are the ones that fit. There is free wifi, 24-hour reception and breakfast from 7:30 to 11:00, with an early breakfast option.
Eating without going out
It has the Aegeon Taverna, The Veranda, à la carte with a view of the sea and the temple, and two beach bars. It is handy at dusk, when you come down from the temple.
### Servicios
- **Sounion site car park**: Beside the sanctuary entrance · shop, toilets and wifi · fills up at sunset in summer
- **From Athens airport to Sounion by car**: About 35–40 minutes from the airport (ATH) via Markopoulo and Keratea · hire car at the airport itself

## By plane: Fly to Athens and drive to the cape
Sounion is visited by flying to Athens: there are direct flights all year from Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga, and in season from other Spanish cities. The cape is closer to Eleftherios Venizelos airport than to the centre: about 35 to 40 minutes by car to the south. You can do it as an afternoon excursion from Athens or as the first or last night of the trip, by the sea.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Cape Sounio, Grecotel** (Hotel): A whole resort looking at the temple
Cape Sounio occupies a pine-covered slope on the bay west of the cape, and almost everything faces the temple of Poseidon, which you see head-on across the water. You stay in bungalows, suites and villas scattered through the pine wood, many with a private pool. Below it has three private beaches on the Aegean, a large pool, a renovated spa with a gym with a sea view and eight restaurants and bars, among them the Aegean Grill, beside the pool, and Yali, on the shore.
Getting there
It is at kilometre 67 of the Athens – Sounion road. According to the hotel, it is about 40 minutes from Athens airport, 50 from the centre and 10 from Lavrio port, from where ferries leave for Kea and some Cyclades. Without a car you depend on taxis or transfers: KTEL buses pass along the road, but the resort is large and on a slope.
Who it is for
For one or two nights of luxury at the end or start of a trip to Greece, near the airport and away from the noise of Athens. It is among the most expensive places to stay in Attica; the hotel does not publish fixed rates, and offers change by season. It has offers for families, but the spa pool is for over-16s only.
- **Aegeon Beach Hotel** (Hotel): Sleeping with the temple above
The Aegeon Beach is on the shore of Sounion bay, right below the cape: the beach in front and the temple of Poseidon above. It is the place for anyone who wants to see sunset at the cape and not drive back to Athens at night, or to have a beach base 35 minutes from the airport.
The rooms
The hotel has standard rooms with a sea or temple view, triples and family rooms with a garden view, a family suite, panoramic suites and a presidential suite with a view of the sea and the temple. If you travel with children, the family rooms and the four-bed suite are the ones that fit. There is free wifi, 24-hour reception and breakfast from 7:30 to 11:00, with an early breakfast option.
Eating without going out
It has the Aegeon Taverna, The Veranda, à la carte with a view of the sea and the temple, and two beach bars. It is handy at dusk, when you come down from the temple.
### Servicios
- **From Athens airport to Sounion by car**: About 35–40 minutes from the airport (ATH) via Markopoulo and Keratea · hire car at the airport itself

## As a family: A temple, a warm lake and a beach in one afternoon

Sounion works for families because it mixes things: a swim in Lake Vouliagmeni or in the bay, a short climb to the temple and the sun dropping into the sea. Children cope well because the visit to the site lasts less than an hour.

### What works best
Looking for Byron's signature on the temple's columns

Lake Vouliagmeni, with warm water and small fish

Sounion beach, with the temple above

### Where to sleep
Aegeon Beach Hotel, with family rooms on the same beach

Cape Sounio, with family offers and three beaches

### Eating
The bay terraces, without taking the car

### Keep in mind
Watch children near the cliff edge

The path to the temple is a short climb with no shade: hat and water

Under-25s from the EU usually enter state-run sites free: bring ID

### Qué hacer as a family
- Temple of Poseidon and Sounion sanctuary
- Sunset over the Saronic Gulf from the cape
- The coast road from Athens to Sounion
- Swimming in Lake Vouliagmeni, on the way to Sounion
- Sounion beach, at the foot of the temple

## With teenagers: Ruins at sunset, a coast drive and a swim

For a teenager, Sounion is less museum and more stage: the temple on the cliff as the sun sets, a drive with the sea beside you and a lake to swim in even in November.

### What works best
The temple of Poseidon at sunset, with the story of Aegeus, who gave the sea its name

Swimming in Lake Vouliagmeni

The Thorikos theatre, with its odd plan, if they like history

### Where to sleep
Aegeon Beach Hotel, with the beach in front

### Eating
Something grilled on the bay after sunset

### Keep in mind
With an EU ID and under 25, entry to state-run sites is usually free

In summer, sunset coincides with the coaches: arrive earlier

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Temple of Poseidon and Sounion sanctuary
- Sunset over the Saronic Gulf from the cape
- The coast road from Athens to Sounion
- Swimming in Lake Vouliagmeni, on the way to Sounion
- Thorikos theatre and Lavrio Archaeological Museum
- Sounion beach, at the foot of the temple

## Consejos

### Arrive an hour before sunset
The site closes with the sun and the last entry is 20 minutes before.

### Out by the coast, back by the motorway
The coast at night is slow and winding; the inland route is quicker.

### Bring swimwear
Lake Vouliagmeni and the coves of Varkiza are on the way.

### A jacket for the wind
It blows almost constantly on the cape and gets cool when the sun goes down.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Athens to Sounion?
About 65 minutes by car from the centre. On the KTEL bus, about two hours.

### How much does admission to the Temple of Poseidon cost?
€20, and €10 reduced. From November to March it is free on the first and third Sunday of each month.

### What time does it close?
At sunset, all year. The last entry is 20 minutes before.

### Can you go without a car?
Yes, on the KTEL bus from Aigyptou Square. Check the return timetable before setting out.

### Is it worth sleeping at Sounion?
If you want to see the temple at sunset and first thing in the morning, or if your flight leaves early: the airport is about 35–40 minutes away.

### Where is Byron's signature?
Carved on one of the temple's columns; it can be seen from the visitor route, which does not go inside.