Best beaches on the way to Sounion
A walk to Sounion can be combined with wonderful dives at some of the best beaches of Attica and the South Suburbs. Organized and unorganized, we have compiled them in this list.
- 29/05/2023
A one-day getaway from Athens that combines nice beaches, good food and archaeological interest or a romantic walk with a beautiful sunset? Just take the route towards Sounion.
From Agia Marina to Legrena, there are beautiful beaches – organised and not – that prove that Attica and the Southern Suburbs have some very nice places to swim. With the final destination being the Temple of Poseidon in Sounion, we recommend some of the most beautiful beaches you will encounter on your way.
Organized Beaches
Mojito Bay (36 km from Sounion)
The first beach on the list that is closest to your route, crossing the coastal road from Varkiza to Sounion, is Mojito Bay. This particular beach is organized and has everything for your stay there.
You’ll start to get excited as you pass by the crystal clear waters. At the first traffic light you come across, you will turn right and see a place to park your car.
The sandy beach is ideal for families as there are sunbeds, a beach bar for food, coffee and refreshments and a lifeguard. You can definitely bring mattress, inflatables, rackets, volleyballs or canoes here as the opening is wide and the sand is great for all sea games.
It is 27 kilometers from the centre of Athens and about 45 minutes (without much traffic).
Mavro Lithari (23 km from Sounion)
The second organised beach on the list is Mavro Lithari in Saronida. This beach has a very large parking area, three beach bars, water sports and nice music.
On this particular beach there are small pebbles and sand while on the bottom you will see a lot of seaweed. Its crystal clear waters will amaze you while those who love exploring the seabed can find many fish in the small caves on the left side of the beach.
It is 39 kilometers from the centre of Athens and about an hour.
Unorganized Beaches
Althea (35 km from Sounion)
This hidden gem, which keeps its pure virgin form without sunbeds and other “unnecessary” things, has lovely turquoise waters and plenty of spots to set up your own umbrella.
Althea is of course full of people every day, mainly young, who choose it to experience moments of relaxation, sunbathing and diving either from the beautiful bays or by walking across the islet. There you will also observe the natural phenomenon of the tide with the high and low tides, as one time access to the islet will be easy and the other time perhaps more difficult.
The only thing to watch out for, apart from the hot sun, is parking. There is only room for a few cars at the site and the road is very bad as there are thousands of potholes. So it might be better to park in the streets of the settlement.
Althea is 28 kilometres and, depending on traffic, about 50 minutes from the centre of Athens, while it is 15 kilometres.
Thymari Inlet (15 km from Sounion)
The beach in Athens that reminds you of a bay on an Aegean island and makes you forget everything because of the tranquility it offers, is the Thymari creek in Palea Fokaia. We are not talking about the homonymous beach with the beach bar, but about a secluded bay with wonderful waters just below.
The beach is very small and does not usually attract many people. It’s a bit rough compared to the others, as you have to walk down a gravel path, but it’s worth it for those who want to get some peace and quiet and sunbathe.
The water is turquoise and crystal clear and there is hardly ever a wave. On this particular beach you definitely want to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and some snacks and, of course, water.
It is one hour and 48 kilometres from Athens.
KAPE (7 km from Sounion)
The last and definitely the most beautiful beach of Attica is KAPE in Legrena. Together with Kato Sounion, they are the southernmost settlements of the mainland part of the prefecture of Attica, but the 60 kilometres or so you’ll have to travel from the centre of Athens is nothing compared to what you’ll see when you arrive.
On the way to the beach you will pass by the settlement of Harakas and where the Municipality of Anavyssos changes to Lavrio, you will turn right at the sign that says “Property of KAPE”. KAPE is an acronym for “Centre for Renewable Energy Sources”. Then there are about 100 stairs to descend to reach the heavenly destination.
The beach has deep blue waters and people are getting to know it more and more. The weekends are crowded while on weekdays things are better. However, whichever you choose, make sure to stay for hours to enjoy the best swim of your summer, in the South Suburbs (where else?)!
As we said, KAPE is about 60 kilometres – 1 hour and 10 minutes – from the centre of Athens. From there, the archaeological site of Sounion is another ten minutes away!