KAPE beach (Sounion): Maybe the most beautiful beach in Athens
About an hour away from downtown Athens (and very close to the Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion), KAPE beach will make you feel like you’re on a Greek island.
- 04/08/2022
Located near Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon, with crystal clear turquoise waters, KAPE beach is perhaps the most beautiful beach in Athens, and here you can find all the useful information to help you discover it.
The beach is located in the Municipality of Lavreotiki, just before Legrena and a little further down from the settlement of Charakas (driving from Glyfada to Sounion). From Glyfada the trip takes 50 minutes (44 kilometers), from Piraeus the distance is about 75 minutes (60 kilometers), and from the center of Athens it will be about 55 kilometers – or an 1 hour and 15 minutes drive(without a lot of traffic, if you take Paraliaki Avenue). Being just an 11 minutes’ drive from Sounion, it’s an ideal place to stop on the way back from the Temple of Poseidon.
The entire route to the beach is wonderful – driving along the coast you will go through Varkiza, Agia Marina, Lagonisi, Saronida and Palaia Fokaia via the Athens – Sounion Avenue. A few meters away from the settlement of Charakas there is a sign for KAPE beach, but just in case, use your GPS.
After you turn onto the dirt road, in a minute you will find yourself in a free space where you can park your car. Before going down to the beach, you should stop at the beach bar with the little balcony overlooking the beautiful blue sea. Here you’ll find tables and chairs in the shade, but mostly you’ll be able to get all the essentials, since you won’t find water and snacks on the beach.
The descent to KAPE beach is not terribly difficult, but you need to walk down about 100 steps (we counted 95). You can already see from above that it is one of the most beautiful beaches in Athens, but when you finally arrive, the feeling is truly unique. It makes up for the distance and the heat and everything. The crystal clear turquoise waters will make you forget you are in Athens.
KAPE beach: Some extra information and useful tips
-Don’t expect to find golden sand here, the entire beach is covered in pebbles.
-While swimming in the magnificent waters, you can see on the other side a small island called Patroklos.
-It’s best to have an umbrella with you, as this is not an organized beach. You can also bring chairs, since, as we already mentioned, the beach is covered in pebbles, which however are not annoying if you want to simply lie down on your towel.
-Don’t forget your sunscreen, a hat, water and anything else you think is necessary. Walking up and down the 95 steps to the parking lot or to the beach bar in the summer heat isn’t a really pleasant option.
-On weekdays the beach is not very crowded, but on weekends it is admittedly busy. However, there is always room to put up your umbrella!
