Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon Half-Day Trip from Athens

Athens, Greece

Take your own postcard-perfect snaps of Cape Sounion's Temple of Poseidon on a scenic afternoon trip from Athens. Cape Sounion is only 45 miles (70 kilometers) from Athens, making it the perfect lazy afternoon destination.

The road to Cape Sounion passes the idyllic beaches of the Saronic Gulf - Glyfada, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza - as well as countless caves. The ancient Greeks certainly knew how to choose a temple location, as Cape Sounion is a remarkable site. The Cape's Temple of Poseidon is perched on a rocky hilltop overlooking the sea, a gleaming white beacon for ancient (as well as modern) travelers along this dangerous stretch of coast.

The view across the Aegean is magnificent, extending all the way to Kea and the Peloponnese on a clear day. The Temple of Poseidon was built in 44 B.C., and many of its original Doric columns are still standing. One of the columns has a graffito left by none other than Lord Byron in the early 1800s.

This is a great half-day tour option if you're looking to explore Greece beyond Athens, complete with stunning views and world-class Greek ruins.

USD $54.72

Traveler Reviews

Review by: Lora F	April 2012
Wonderful trip. Great guide with lots of personality and full of information on history, myths, area, even gave us a lesson (asked if we like to do it) in learning some greek words. The Cape is beautiful and a must see.

Review by: miller	April 2012
We really enjoyed this tour, We had enough time to enjoy it and our guide was very knowledgable.

Review by: Ee Von G	April 2012
A good one, but could be better if the trip started on time so we could have spent more time admiring the beauty of the temple of poseidon overlooking Aegean sea.

Review by: Ann L	March 2012
A most see for those committed to getting acquainted with Athens and the surrounding area. It really contributes to understanding more about Athens' influence via the sea.

Review by: Nora H	January 2012
This trip was our first tour after we landed in the morning. We got a good look at the Greek coast and understood why Poseidon was such an important god to the ancient Greeks. Our guide did an excellent job of explaining how and why temples were built as they were._br/_ She was well-informed and clear.

Review by: Diana C	November 2011
The bus that brought us there was tiny and cramped. No leg room. The guide who brought us there was nice but i seriously couldnt make out his accent. It was generally alright. Probably unwise to go in late Nov - very chilly and very windy.

Review by: Mama Penguin	November 2011
Excellent way to spend a lovely afternoon and an early evening outside the busy city of Athens. The drive to the Cape is gorgeous, and we left right on time, and arrived in time to hear the history, walk around the temple, AND I even made it down the hill (and back up) to swim in the Aegean Sea. What a blast!! _br/_ Katia was our guide and she was excellent-so brilliant and her love for her countrymade the trip even more special.

Review by: Debbie	November 2011
This tour seems to be very popular and there were a lot of visitors at the site. The temple itself was excellent to see, however the tour consists of a 1 hour drive to get there, a short time at the temple then a 1 hour drive back again.

Review by: Pedro T	November 2011
Interesting but too few contente.

Review by: Marcus H	October 2011
The tour was great! One of the highligts was seeing various neighborhoods in Athens. It seems the farther away you go from the heart of the city, the more eye catching it seems. Viewing the Temple was awesome and our tour guide was quite knowledable.

Review by: Laura C	October 2011
guide was very good, scenery interesting. Really rnjoyed the ruins.

Review by: Alan W	October 2011
Great view and information... worth the trip

Review by: Ena S	October 2011
Wonderful afternoon tour. Our guide was a archiologist and she was very informative

Review by: Katherine A	September 2011
this is a beautiful site and gorgeous drive along the coast but it's a half day tour and you only have an hour at the site... not that you need much more time but it could be better spent. I signed up for the afternoon trip thinking we would see the sunset (which is supposed to be fantastic from the temple) but we didn't stay late enough to catch it.

Review by: kingfanshelly2004	September 2011
Good bus pickup and good tourguide but the drive would have been 20 mins shorter each way if we wouldn't have had to go pick up two people at this hotel out of our way. What an ordeal. Not really to much to temple of Poseidon but I like getting out of the city and driving along the coast.

Review by: JJJ	September 2011
If you have a rushed trip in Athens and want to get in some ocean beauty, this is a great trip. My only wish would have been to include a few minutes at a beach along the way. But the scenery and the temple is amazing.

Review by: Jessie	September 2011
Beautiful drive up to Cape Sounian. Amazing views and landscape. Temple was very nice. Lots of history. Felt the time we had to spend at Cape Sounion was a little bit short but aside from the temple, there isn't much else to see. Cape Sounion was beautiful.

Review by: Natalia T	September 2011
Terrible guide! She was rude, rushed us around and ignored people's questions about the temple... Spent most of the time bragging about how Greeks speak great English, all while it was very hard to understand her in English and French, of course! I would recommend negotiating a private ride to cape sounion so that you can see it at sunset. If you take this tour, you may want to waive hotel pick up and join the bus at their starting location. Otherwise, you may end up wasting 1.5 hours going all over Athens picking people up from hotels for diff. Tours before you actually set off on your tour. It's an afternoon tour, so another option is to go to the beach in glyfada or voulas in the morning and then arrange for pickup at one of the hotels in those areas.

Review by: Rebecca M	September 2011
Really great. Wonderful views and great commentary. Such an amazing place - a must see!

Review by: rubytxxx	August 2011
Absolutely fantastic, the drive up by the coast was beautifull. _br/_ The tour guide was very informative along route and whilst at Cape Sounion._br/_ Definitely a must if travelling to Athens.

Review by: Nishant S	July 2011
The trip was well organized.The bus was nice and comfortable.Way to the temple is absolutely stunning with view of the sea throughout.Our guide was very informative and gave very satisfactory information.We had just enough time to explore the area and take photographs.Though i feel the trip should last until the sun set for people to enjoy the beautiful sunset of Cape Sounion and the temple.

Review by: GREGORY K F	July 2011
We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. We got an appreciation of a beautiful side of Athens along the southern coast plus the visit to the historical temple was exciting and enhanced by excellent information from the tour guide.

Review by: Nick M	July 2011
It was a long trip and very little to see. It should include other sites along the way.

Review by: Brenda M	July 2011
The Temple of Poseidon itself was AMAZING! However, the drive there was very long (approximately 1.5 hrs each way), and the temple is all you see on this tour. The only redeeming feature of the drive was the incredible views of the Aegean Sea. Only go if you think the temple and the views are worth at least 3 hours on a coach.

Review by: David M	July 2011
A very pleasant trip. Only 1 hour spent actually at the temple, the rest was on the bus. I would have liked more time and more information, or perhaps some time down on the beach near Sounion.

Review by: SILAS O	June 2011
The guide was nice and willing to give information. Not as scenic as advertised...and that was the reason I took it.

Review by: Jeffrey W	June 2011
It was just a nice way to get away from Athens for a while

Review by: Margaret D	June 2011
Unfortunately it was raining very heavily on way to Cape Sounion but were lucky at Poseidon temple. Coast route would have been very attractive in fine weather. Bus driver went out of his way to get us back to our hotel because of the demonstrations much appreciated.

Review by: Ray	June 2011
Well organized with a useful commentary.However, on all three tours from local operator reneged on the pickup at our hotel, despite it being listed as one of the pickup points.They should be admonished for this failure to deliver.

Review by: Kip P	June 2011
Interesting 1/2 day resbit from busy Athens. Beautiful site.

Review by: Michelle J	June 2011
I thought this tour was a bit expensive given what you get. You spend half your time in the bus to Cape Sounion and back. Only an hour is actually spent at Cape Sounion which is plenty of time to see the temple but given this, the tour should be cheaper.

Review by: Janet R	June 2011
I really enjoyed this trip once we got away from the city and could see the beaches and the ocean. The temple itself was very interesting and we got some beautiful photos. It's a bit of a climb on an uneven pathway, so my 72 year old mother decided not to go up.

Review by: Ian M	June 2011
Good value for money also taken to a pistachio nut farm to view the harvesting process (interesting). Scenery beautiful

Review by: John g K	May 2011
Good half day trip and gets you away from Athens in along the coast.Good ruins to view but not overwhelming.

Review by: Laurence H	May 2011
beautiful ride along the coast; pleasant and knowledgeable guide; very thorough; a pleadant afternoon trip.

Review by: Jessica H	May 2011
Lovely side trip to the Cape and the Temple of Poseidon. The timing is a bit off-would prefer if they offered sunset or sunrise tours. Otherwise, very beautiful ruins, knowledgeable guide, excellent pacing (not too much or too little time at the site). Try to go on a day when it is not windy if you can.

Review by: Marcela C	May 2011
Cape Sounion is wonderful and the temple of Poseidon is imponent.

Review by: Jeffrey M, United States of America	June 2010
Very long drive, but nice scenery took about 2 hours to pick everyone up. Short time at the Temple of Poseidon, but probably enough.

Review by: André A, Brazil	June 2010
Incredible view of Aegean Sea. It was also part of the famous 'Athena Triangle', whose mistery is still around. There is a very good restaurant there, so if you have time go to have lunch or dinner. The pity is that the tour is too fast 1 hour in the temple so you basicly have time for some pictures in a rush. My suggestion would be to go in the morning and return after lunch.

Review by: Theodore J, United States of America	May 2010
This is a nice ride to Cape Sounion and our guide was nice and very knowledgable and the Temple of Poseidon is worth seeing up over the sea.

Review by: James E, United States of America	April 2010
A true highlight to our trip to Greece. Tour guide was exccellent!!

Review by: Barbara B, Australia	March 2010
Sit on the right side of the bus the scenery on the drive out to Cape Sounion was captivating, it is a shame that you have to leave before sunset which would have made it quite a spectacular trip.

Review by: Jennifer D, United States of America	March 2010
This was by far the most beautiful drive from Athens to the cape. Wow, it was breathtaking. Our guide was terrific and she made everything come to life for us. We never intended this vacation to be an educational trip but we sure learned a lot! This was my favorite place on our Athens trip.

Review by: ASIM F, United States of America	February 2010
Quite a good trip,the drive itself was worth it. I did however think it was slightly costly.

Review by: Josie M, United States of America	February 2010
Nice quick tour!

Review by: Anonymous, Switzerland	February 2010
It was a very nice and smooth ride; the tour guide gave precise info. We had to wait more than 30 minutes for the nice lady to show up though.

Review by: Sabyasachi G, United Kingdom	November 2009
The backdrop of the Cape Sounion with the temple is brilliant.Our guide was very well informed and she kept us telling us little tit-bits of good information even while we were leaving athens......a very good experience.

Review by: Larry T, United States of America	November 2009
Beautiful drive south along the coast, very good tour guide, quite informative about yet another overwhelming site we've visited on this trip to Athens.

Review by: Anonymous, Canada	November 2009
This was a beautiful and scenic excursion. On the way up to Cape Sounion, it would be best to sit on the right hand side of the tour bus, and on the left for the return trip. Fortunately the day was beautiful, and we had a fabulous time.

Review by: Garry H, United States of America	November 2009
It would have been better had we not had a guide with a terrible cold. She could barely speak for coughing. She should not have led a group that particular day. As a result, her commentary was very limited. The view along the coastal highway is beautiful. The time at the temple is limited and the return drive is the same route we took on our way to the cape. Hotel pick-up and return was done in a timely manner.