Sounio Beach: Everything you need to know
Sounio Beach, located under Poseidon’s Temple, is a sandy beach with clear waters, archaeological importance and the perfect spot to enjoy beautiful sunsets.
- 15/07/2024
Sounio is a cape and at its top stands the Temple of Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the sea, one of the most important landmarks and archaeological sites in Athens. Sounio Beach lies right under the temple.
Sounio Beach: Access and details
Sounio Beach is located 66 kilometers (an hour and 10 minutes by car) from the center of Athens and from Piraeus.
From Glyfada or Varkiza, Sounio is, respectively, 50 or 40 kilometers away.
If you don’t have access to a car, you can get to the beach by using Attiki’s KTEL (a bus service for longer commutes- regular city buses don’t reach the area).
The coastal journey to Sounio is magical, going past some of the most beautiful beaches of Attiki. The buses with destination Sounion depart from Pedion Areos (Mavrommateon str. & Alexandras avenue) and they pass through the centre of Athens (Klafthmonos Square, Syntagma, Metro Station Syngrou – FIX), Syngrou Avenue and Poseidonos Avenue following an amazing route by the sea, passing through places such as Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Lagonisi, Saronida, Anavyssos and Legrena.
Right before you get to Sounio Beach you can’t but notice the Temple of Poseidon, standing tall over the cape.
The beach, with all its incomparable beauty, will, without a doubt, impress you immediately. The access is very easy and there is also parking space (if you decide to drive there).
The beach is organized for the most part. In front of the 4-star Aegeon Hotel, you will find sun lounges where you can relax and enjoy food and drinks all day long.
The cost for the set (2 sunbeds and 1 umbrella) is 50 euros for the first row on weekdays and 40 euros for the second row and back. On weekends the cost goes up, with the price for the set reaching 80 euros for the first row and 70 euros for the second row and back. These prices apply to 2024. You can alternatively lie on your towel on the sand, in a small area next to the organised part. On the right side of the beach you can find a couple of traditional tavernas for a nice meal by the sea.
Beach or sightseeing first?
Poseidon’s Temple is right on top of Sounio Beach, therefore many visitors combine the two and grab the chance to explore Sounio. Given that most museums and archaeological sites close at dusk, you should really think about visiting the Temple first, so you can have time exploring it and visit the beach afterwards. You should expect bigger crowds during weekends. The general admission fee for the Temple is 10 euros, while the reduced admission is 5 euros.
Remember to bring your sunscreen as you’ll constantly be out in the sun. You will also need a hat and sunglasses, a cold bottle of water and most importantly, a camera.
After relishing the Temple’s beauty and the wonderful view from the rock, and after spending your day under the warm sun, you can cool down and enjoy the lovely sunset by diving in the calm waters of Sounio. There is no doubt that the experience will be unforgettable.
