Top 5 day trips from Athens in Greece
Sarah and I just got back from a long weekend in Athens for my 30th birthday (a moment of silence, please) and as well as exploring the city we also found the time to take a few jaunts a little further out to explore.
There is so much to see in Athens, and in southern Greece, among the heart of the ruins of Ancient Greek civilisation and the bustling life of modern Greece. Just staying in the city you’re overflowing with choices and sights that will blow your mind, but it’s 100% worth it to take a step further and become fully immersed in the dazzling
I’m a nut for ancient history and Greek mythology, and so is Sarah, so the ruins of Ancient Greece were a must for us on our trip and we got the opportunity to explore , but it just wasn’t enough! We needed more walking, more history, more dust and more to marvel at. Southern Greece DELIVERED.
We took two days outside of the city and hit most of the sites mentioned below, and it was completely doable and possible, but some of these locations really, really deserve the time and appreciation of an entire day exploring and taking it all in. And there was still so much more to see. It’s safe to say that we’ll be back to Athens, and heading out for as many day trips as we can.
But if you only have a few days, these are the ultimate must-dos.
1. Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon
Our first afternoon and evening in Athens was spent on the beaches approaching the Cape and exploring the Temple of Poseidon. The Temple is located around 60-90 minutes from the centre of Athens, depending on the traffic in and out of the city.
We could easily have spent a full day or two exploring the beaches and coast up to Cape Sounion before hitting the Temple of Poseidon for sunset - the second best sunset in Greece after Oia in Santorini as we were reliably informed. Sadly, the clouds blocked our sunset, but the clouds made for some dramatic pictures as we loved watching darkness fall over the temple and it was a stunning start to our trip.
2. Mycenae
Located around 90 minutes from the city are the sprawling ruins of Mycenae, the ancient city that launched the Greek attack on Troy under the rule of King Agamemnon. It is also believed to be the burial place of the mythical king.
You can climb to the top of the citadel and marvel at the vast landscape of the Poloponese, before heading backdown for a mooch around the small museum and grab a slushy before checking out the incredible Treasury of Atreus as you leave the archeological site. The Treasury is believed to be the burial place of Agamemnon’s father, King Atreus, though it was pillaged far before it was ever ‘re-discovered’ and recorded by early nineteenth century archaeologists.
3. Nafplio
At just under two hours from the city, the gorgeous little seaside town of Napflio is a wonderful day trip, and an even better trip for a few days.
We only had a few hours to explore the town, but we headed into the little town in search of some lunch and we stopped at a lovely little bakery and sat out watching the world go by before heading back to the harbour the explore. It has the feel of the Amalfi Coast in Italy and I could have wandered the town for days.
4. Delphi
Photo credit: https://www.greeka.com/sterea/delphi/
This is the only site on this list that we didn’t make it to, and it was a close call between Delphi and Mycenae, and it’ll be top of our list when we return.
Located around two and quarter hours from Athens on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, Delphi is home to the ancient site of the Oracle of Delphi. In Ancient times people would travel from all over the Mediterranean to receive the premonitions of Pythia, the Oracle, as a direct line from Apollo.
5. Epidaurus Theatre
The Epidaurus Theatre, formally named the Ancient Theatre at the Asclepieion of Epidaurus, completely blew us away. We were in awe of the scale of this ancient theatre located two hours west of Athens in Epidavros and the mere thought of performances still going on at this location where Homer’s plays were performed in the 8th Century BC.
The whole theatre is a marvel of architecture and maths. It’s designed in such a way that you can hear clearly and perfectly from every seat in the theatre, and it holds up to the test nearly 2500 years later. An utter wonder.
We booked our tours with Get Your Guide, choosing small groups with Covid precautions (listed on the booking but not mentioned or adhered to) and either hotel/Air BnB or local pick-up. not sponsored or affiliated in any way.
Have you been to Athens? Are you a fan of day trips or do you stick to the city? We’d love to hear your favourite spots in Athens and Greece!
Written by Sophie
