Poseidon’s temple & the Athens Riviera, Cape Sounion
The 2500 years-old Temple of Poseidon, the “Athens Riviera” and the cape of Sounion itself are all part of a lovely half-day excursion.
Sounion is the southernmost point of Attica (metropolitan area of Athens), a cape that has inspired worship of the divine from the pre-historic times due to its majestic natural beauty. In the classical times, the Athenians built there a temple in honor of Poseidon, the god of the sea, which is still standing on its spot until today, 2500 years later.
To go there from the centre of Athens, we drive alongside the beautiful coastal road of the west side of Attica, having the Argosaronic Gulf (Aegean Sea), with its beaches and little islands, by our side. This road is the so-called “Athens Riviera”. The drive is approx. 1 hour long. While admiring the scenery, you will hear about mythological stories connected to Sounion, like how Ulysses’ tribulations started there or how the tragic King Aegeas was looking over from Sounion to see if his son’s ship would come back from the south… More recent stories will include Lord Byron’s visit to the temple and craving his name on one of the marble stones.
However, maybe the most important story is that of the present, when you and your family or friends stand on this edge of land surrounded by the vast Aegean sea enjoying and sharing the beauty that people have always enjoyed no matter how far back in time one goes. It seems that the feelings of admiration of nature's wonders, while standing in front of the vastness of the sea and the sky above it, as well as the gratitude for the mere beauty of the scenery all around, never seem to change! They stand still throughout time like the marble columns of the ancient temple...
CHARACTERISTICS
- This is a private service and can take place every day of the year
- Duration of excursion: 4 hours (possibility to stop by the seaside for coffee/snack if so desired, then the duration is about 5 hours)
- Kms/Miles: Approx 130 kms (80 miles) in total (go and return)
- Time of drving: Aprox 1 hour each way
- Difficulty: Easy, just a little uphill inside the site