Nearby excursions of… 2 hours maximum from Athens

Sounion cape and the Temple of Poseidon… According to the myth, this is the rock that king Aegeus fell in the sea from, unable to bear the death of his son Theseus, so the sea that lies before it was named Aegean Sea… An enchanting place where you can enjoy one of your life’s most beautiful sunsets as well as the magic of the full moon… among the ruins of the ancient temple dedicated to the god of the sea, Poseidon… If you happen to be there in the summer months, pair your visit to the temple with a dive in the sea in the famous beach of Legrena…
Marathon… where, in 490 BC, the Greeks, led by the incredibly intelligent general Miltiades, destroyed with great determination the much more multitudinous army of the Persians, and forced them back in Asia. The tomb that’s there tells of the heroism without equal of the 192 Athenians that died in the battle. The soldier Pheidippides wanted to praise and announce this shining victory of the Greeks against the Persians to everyone, and he decided to run 42 kilometres (about 137 thousand feet or 26 miles)… Thus, Marathon became the starting point of the annual – and world-famous – marathon, where athletes from all around the world compete to reach the Panathenaic Stadium of Athens… If you find yourself there during the summer months, combine your visit with a dive in the longest beach of Attica, Schinias…
the islands of the Saronic Gulf… Taking one of the little boats that leave the port of Peiraias, in less than an hour, you can reach an island paradise…
Aegina, Angistri… The Temple of the Aphaia Athena in Aegina, along with the Temple of Hephaestus in Thiseio, and the Temple of Poseidon in Sounion create a perfect isosceles triangle, and it has often been put under the microscope of contemporary science, since the divine rule that seems to exist in this unexpected symmetry hasn’t been found yet… Aegina is a pole of attraction for thousands of visitors since, besides the mysticism and the various conspiracy theories about energy fields, it also has… beautiful beaches (Perdika, Agia Marina) and countless places to take a walk or eat fresh fish… Don’t forget to taste the world-famous superfood peanuts of Aegina… Angistri is a small island facing Aegina, less touristic but famous for its food and its beautiful beaches…
Hydra… This unique island has a complete lack of any means of transportation besides… its sweet donkeys… ah, and the sea taxis that will take us to one of its beaches… don’t forget to try one of its almond treats…
Spetses… Beaches with clear blue waters and a beautiful old city that’ll steal your heart… visit the house of the heroine Bouboulina – who fought in the Revolution of 1821 – and if you find yourself there on September, don’t lose the festival of the Armata, a re-enactment of the naval battle of Spetses that took place on September 8, 1822…
Poros, Methana, Troezen… Besides enchanting beaches and beautiful sites like the Lemonodasos (“Lemon forest”) of Poros, the active volcano of Methana is the reason for the important geothermic importance of the surrounding area as well as the presence of warm springs… it’s also part of the bow of volcanoes of the South Aegean sea… Troezen faces Poros and was the place that the women and children of the Athenians hid when the Persians invaded Attica, during the Persian Wars…
Faliro, Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Kavouri, Saronida (Mavro Lithari)… Sea-side places that are excellent for walks, shopping, food, or drink… Enjoy a bike-ride next to the sea or even a swim during, especially, the summer months, in the organised beaches, or the non-organised… And don’t forget to visit the lake of Vouliagmeni, a natural lake with healing properties inside an amazing landscape that ends up in an underground cavern that is connected to the sea through various tunnels… Take a swim there or enjoy a cup of coffee… The rocky coves of Vouliagmeni are also a very popular swimming spot, chosen by the Athenians during the summer months…
Kastella, Mikrolimano… A great spot for fish-lovers or those who enjoy romantic walks by the sea… In antiquity, it was one of the most important military ports…
Laurium… A rich city during the antiquity, famous for mining silver, and a main source of income for the city-state of Athens, for minting coins and funding the Athenian fleet,
Brauron… A sacred location for the Athenians during the antiquity where they built a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess-protector of the hunt Artemis… An area that’s been inhabited since the Neolithic era, and a part of the great power of Athens during the reign of king Theseus… It features a noteworthy museum…
Eleusis… A sacred city of ancient Attica… Famous for the worship of the goddess of the harvest and fertility, Demeter, and also for the world-famous Eleusinian Mysteries… It was also the birthplace of Aeschylus, the father of ancient Greek tragedy…
Paiania… A fertile land of grape cultivation and the birthplace of Demosthenes… Visit the Vorre Museum of folk and contemporary art and the biggest and one of the most beautiful caves of Attica, Koutouki…
Parnitha… Attica’s most beautiful mountain, participating to the Natura 2000 program, reported as a place of great natural beauty… Don’t forget to visit the Bafi Refuge for hot chocolate and our national food, the bean soup…
Chalcis… A unique natural phenomenon of the changing of the flow of sea waters every six hours, with a ten-minute pause of inactivity in between (the tides of Evripos) is found in the city of Chalcis…

Mycenae… One of the largest centres of the Greek civilization, a powerful military fortress; the ancient city of Mycenae gave its name to one of the most brilliant periods of Greek history between 1600 BC and 1100 BC, the Mycenaean period… thanks to Heinrich Schliemann who started it, and then other important archaeologists who managed to bring to light important findings of the Mycenaean civilization, like the famous Lion Gate and the Cyclopean Walls, the two royal Grave Circles A and B who were part of an extended prehistoric burial site, the Treasury of Atreus (a tholos, or beehive tomb), the beehive tomb of Clytemnestra, the royal mansion on top of the acropolis, and more. Many of the findings are exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens and the new, modern Museum of Mycenae,
Nafplion was the first capital of the free Greece in 1828 to 1833, ruled by Ioannis Kapodistrias… Take a small boat to visit the perfectly maintained Burtzi, a small fortress built in an islet inside the port… Climb the 999 steps to the top of the Palamidi if you can, a Venetian fortress that overlooks the city, or you can take the car… The view from up high is rewarding… Walk to the Acronauplia, the second Venetian fortress of the city, and of course, get lost in the tight corridors of the old city… Don’t forget the archaeological museum on the Syntagma square… Enjoy the local delicacies in one of the many beautiful taverns of the city and if you find yourself there during the summer months, take a dive in the organized beach of Arvanitia…
Epidaurus… Its perfectly maintained ancient theatre is the main reason to visit it… Plays are organized during the summer months, in the context of its festivals, and the small port of Epidaurus is also a place worthy of a visit…
On the road to the Mycenae, Nafplion, and Epidaurus, take a rest stop in the Isthmus of Corinth…
Delphi… Or, the omphalos (navel) of the earth, since according to mythology, it was the point where the two eagles met that Zeus sent from the edges of the universe to find the centre of the world; the most important oracle of the ancient Greek world was in Delphi, one of the most important sacred cities of the ancient Greek civilization and for many centuries, the spiritual and religious centre and the symbol of unity of the ancient Greek culture… One of the most important – and world-famous – findings is the Temple of Apollon, the Tholos of Athena Pronaia, the Treasure of Athens, the Castalian Spring, and more,
Arachova… Very near Delphi, the picturesque village of Arachova with a great view, is one of the most popular winter resorts, thanks to its ski resort and the – high level – of services offered… Don’t forget to get the Formaela cheese…
Itea, Galaxidi… If, on the other hand, you love the sea, there’s Itea and the picturesque Galaxidi…
Kalavryta… Don’t miss out on the gauge rack railway Odontotos route to Diakopto… Important sights of the area are the Mega Spilaion Monastery, and the Agia Lavra Monastery, with the banner of the Revolution of 1821, as well as the Cave of the Lakes…

A little further out from Athens…

Kalabaka, Meteora… Meteora is a huge dark-coloured sandstone rock complex which stand a little out of Kalabaka. The monasteries of Meteora, built on top of some of those rocks, are currently the second most important monastery complex of Greece, after Mount Athos. From the thirty that historically existed, only six function today, which are included since 1988 in the catalogue of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO.
Lake Plastiras… No matter the day of the year you find yourself in Lake Plastiras, and no matter the activity you choose… be it trekking, kayaking, lake boating… it’s simply magical…