Rafina, Sounion, Marathon and Other Day Trips from Athens

Got some extra time in Athens? Seen the Acropolis? Walked through the Plaka? These destinations can be easily reached in less than an hours drive from the center of Athens.

One of my favorite places is Rafina on the other side of Mount Pendeli and Himitos. It's like driving to an island. Every year I visit Athens, whether it is summer or winter, I make a point to spend one afternoon in Rafina. If I can't get my family or friends to come I go alone. But it's almost like a pilgrimage for me. There are numerous restaurants that specialize in fried squid (kalamarakia), small fried fish(mareedes), shark with garlic sauce (galeos me skordaya) and other things from the sea. The most popular one is Agoni Grammi, the last one on the dock or the first one you come to when you get off the ferry. But it really doesn't matter because they are all just as good, or some people with an aversion to fried food would say, just as bad. If you love fried fish, beer, ouzo, wine and afternoons where you can drink and relax and not worry about tonight or tomorrow, spend an afternoon in Rafina.

There are ferries going to the Cyclades and Evia, going in and out of the harbor and lots of fishing boats.  It's just like being on an island. There is a long beach there that is usually only crowded on Sunday. The town itself has a few too many apartment buildings for my taste but the waterfront is nice. There is nothing like spending the day with some close friends, some fried fish and several bottles of ouzo. 

If you are going to the Cyclades islands the boat trip is two hours shorter from Rafina and boats leave later in the day though if you are coming from Athens you will lose most of the time you save. In the summer it's a very busy port with ships going in and out and the restaurants full of people. In the winter it is much quieter and much more enjoyable. The plan is that now that nearby Venizelos Airport has been completed, many people going to the islands will be leaving from here and the port of Lavrion further south, where they have done extensive expansion of the harbor. There is also a catamaran that makes it to Mykonos in less then 2 hours. The town has a fishing fleet and there are several fish markets with the freshest of fish and the biggest crayfish I have ever seen.
 

There are a couple ways to get there. The easy way would be to call my taxi driving friend George Kokkotos and invite him to be your host. If you split the cost between three or four people it will be quite inexpensive and you will have George there for translations and advice, not to mention entertainment. (Get him to stop at the Sanctuary of Artemis on the way back) For more info on George see his Greek Taxi Page. You can also go by bus . Take the metro to Victoria Square and walk up Heiden Street at the top of the square. The first large street you will come to should be 28th of October Street. If it's not you are walking in the wrong direction. Keep going up Heiden until you come to Areos Park and can't go any further. Find the bus that says Rafina and get on the one that has passengers on it. It's a forty minute drive depending on traffic. They usually leave every half hour. Another option instead of the metro is a yellow trolley from Venizelou (or Panapistimiou street) Take the number 18,13,11,5, or 3 and get off at Alexandras Ave, just beyond the Archeology museum. You will see the park and the buses one block up. In Rafina the bus will let you off in the harbor. Traffic can be heavy at certain times. Going there on weekends can be hell. Go during the week and leave Athens early on days when the stores close at 2.

The Avra Rafina Smartotel has just opened. This is a beautiful Three-star hotel convenient to the ferries to the islands. See www.hotelsofgreece.com/athens/avra-rafina

The Temple of Posideon at Sounion

The temple at Sounion was the first and last sign of 'civilization' Athenian sailors would see to and from their journeys. It's a magnificent site on top of a hill on the tip of the Attika peninsula. Not a bad place to watch the sunset either after a late lunch at a beach side taverna and there are two pretty good ones right below the temple. The small beach has sea almost as clean as you will find on the islands. Its one of the nicest beaches within striking distance of Athens. It is split into 2 sections and one appears to be a private beach owned by the Hotel Aegeon Beach. But guess what. You can't own the beach in Greece so don't feel you have to sit in the little stretch of sand outside the hotel boundry. If you are looking for a hotel on the mainland with an island feel (even though there is no village nearby, just Lavrion which is more of a city) the Aigeon is not a bad choice though it is a long way into Athens to see the sites. Again, if you are coming here on a day trip with three or more use George's taxi. Otherwise you can catch the bus at the same place as the buses to Rafina. Try to find Lord Byron's name carved in the marble. Most Travel Agencies offer a trip to Sounion at sunset for a pretty reasonable price. See also my pages on Sounion and Lavrion

Marathon

Everyone has heard the story of the Persian defeat at Marathon at the hands of the Athenians. Imagine marching several thousand miles only to be wiped out 27 miles from the city you came to conquer by an army a fraction of your size. Marathon is an interesting place to visit. There is not much to see of the battlefield really. There is a burial mound in an olive grove and a plaque that commemorates the great victory and a nice statue. There is also the place where the race begins. The beach at Marathon is pretty nice and nearby Schinias is even better. But the most amazing thing about Marathon is the marble dam that holds the water that supplies Athens. It is the only marble dam in the world and it is quite spectacular. Just beyond Marathon is the seaside town of Nea Makri. Formerly a US Navy communications base, it is now a very nice place to come for lunch or a swim. The nearby town of Oropos is about 45 minutes from Athens. There are beaches, cafes, restaurants and you can catch one of the ferry to Eretria in Evia. Its also the kite-surfing capital of the universe on a good day. The waterfront is a very nice area for strolling on summer evenings. There are hotels on the coast and though not very well known to American travelers, the area is popular with Greeks and tourists from Eastern Europe. Another spot that few people visit is the ancient city of Ramnous.

Vouliagmeni

Besides having just about the best beach within an hour from Athens on the Gold Coast, the amazing healing lake a Vouliagmeni is the closest spa to the city. You may even have noticed it when you fly over Athens, just before your plane touches the runway or seen Lester Holt swimming in it during the Olympics. The water that pours into the lake from underground natural caves supposedly help relieve  different ailments such as Rheumatism-Arthritis, Neuralgia, Osfialgia, Gynecological Problems, Salpingitis, Psychological disturbances etc. In the early seventies some American servicemen from the base disappeared looking for the caves that connected Lake Vouliagmeni to the sea. We always thought this was some kind of Greek urban myth but in 2006 their bodies were found.  For more see my page on Lake Vouliagmeni

The town of Vouliagmeni has many restaurants and tavernas, especially fish restaurants, most of them located on the sea. There are also some great hotels on the beach like the Armonia. See hotels

Astir beach at Vouliagmeni is one of the nicest beaches near the city and it is one of the few beaches in the world that has the ruins of a temple, to Apollo the Sun God, of course. You have to pay to get into the beach but once you get in there are umbrellas, cabanas to change, beach chairs and a bar and snack bar. You can get here by taxi or by taking the A2 bus from Panapistimiou (The University) getting off at Glyfada square and taking the 114 or the 116. (Take a taxi). Don't get it confused with Astir beach in Glyfada which is also nice but does not have an ancient temple.

Across the street from the Astir beach is Vouliagmeni beach one of the most popular beaches of Athens. As you continue along the road towards Cape Sounion you will pass the coves of Varkiza and the long sandy beach there, then the beach at Lagonissi and various other smaller beaches like Agia Marina. During weekends these beaches are packed as are the buses going to them. Most of them have snackbars and some have nice fish tavernas too. The town of Anavissos is famous for its fish restaurants which are open year round. The waiters actually stand on the road and becken you in. Between Sounion and Rafina there are several nice beaches including Avlaki, Vavrona and Loutsa and there is a temple to Artemis somewhere along the way. There are also many beaches heading back towards Pireaus including Voula and Glyfada. If you go back to Athens by way of the airport you can stop at the Cave of Penonia on Mount Hymitos.

Be sure to visit www.athensguide.com/beaches too. Photos and descriptions of almost all the beaches in Attika. Also take a look at my Guide to Attika.

Other Ideas for Day Trips from Athens

Also recommended for day trips are wine tours of Attika which is one of the largest wine growing regions in Greece. You can combine this with a trip to the Athens Zoo and have lunch on the sea in Loutsa. Attika is a facinating area and you can read more about it at www.athensguide.com/attika

Other ideas for day trips outside of the Attic Peninsula are the beautiful town of Nafplion , former capital of Greece and sort of like a Plaka-on-the-sea. Nearby is Mycenae , Epidavros , Corinth which are pretty much required for anyone with an interest in ancient Greek history.
Read about my trip to the Argolis with George . You can see the whole area in a day if you start early. You can also do a daytrip to Delphi with George, by rental car or through the bus tours the travel agencies offer.

An excellent way to spend a free day is doing the One-day Saronic Gulf Cruise to Aegina, Poros and Hydra. The Spa-Resort town of Loutraki is famous for its beaches, natural spring water and world famous casino. The city of Kalavrita in the mountains of the Peloponessos offers the countries best skiing, the Cave of the Lakes, an amazing train ride through the Vouraikos Gorge and one of the worst tragedies of the Second World War.  See George the Famous Taxi Driver for transportation and beach excursions. You can visit several beaches in a day and a few cafes and ancient sites like Sounion and have a nice lunch in a seaside fish taverna before heading back to your hotel to rest up for the nightlife .

See Also:
George the Famous Taxi Driver, Hotels Avra Rafina, Delphi, Loutraki, Nafplion, Saronic Gulf Cruise

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