archaeological site in Lavreotiki municipality, Greece

Sounio is a national park in Attica, the historic region of Athens city-state. It is a popular day trip from Athens because of its splendid Temple of Poseidon.

Get in edit

 
Temple of Poseidon, Sounio

A bus from Athens costs a little over €5. The buses drive from a terminal near the southeast corner of the Areos Park a few blocks east of Victoria Metro station (there are more bus terminals in the area - for more information ask in the KTEL kiosk). Buses arrive every hour, but they make a few other stops in Athens. The bus terminal in Sounio is just below the temple. The last bus back to Athens starts at 21:00 in Sounio, late enough for the famous sunset over the temple. A one-way drive takes about two hours.

Fees and permits edit

Get around edit

See edit

  • 1 Temple of Poseidon. A Doric temple built during 444–440 BC, is one of the major monuments of the Golden Age of Athens. It overlooks the sea at the end of Cape Sounion, at a height of almost 60 metres (200 ft). The sunset over the temple is very famous and absolutely gorgeous. The temple area closes just after the sunset.    
  • The temple of Athena, 300 m northeast of the temple of Poseidon, is built on a low hill. It was built in 470 BC. The temple of Athena was demolished in the 1st century AD, and little remains.
  • Fortress: In 413 BC, during the Peloponnesian War against the Spartans, the Athenians fortified the site with a wall and towers to prevent it from falling into Spartan hands.

Do edit

Buy edit

Eat edit

There is a taverna just below the temple, next to the bus stop. It is rather expensive and not very impressive.

Drink edit

Sleep edit

  • Grecotel Cape Sounio. On Cape Sounion near the Temple of Poseidon. It is a little far (~69 km) from the centre of Athens but the location is excellent. Bungalows with private pools.

Connect edit

Stay safe edit

Go next edit

This park travel guide to Sounio is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!