Top Athens Day Trips: Find Greece Outside the City
So, Athens is often the beginning point for explorations of Greece. Yet, with all its ancient monuments and busy vibe, like your standard big city, it is, too, sometimes appealing to get out and discover what lies beyond the city limits. Fortunately, the region around Athens is rather filled with interesting places just waiting to be found. From well-known ancient ruins to attractive islands that seem almost dropped into the Aegean Sea, that region offers so very many options for short outings. Here is, in effect, a peek at the top five Athens day trips that will let you expand your Greek visit and take in a fuller sense of the beauty and historical importance that Greece has to offer.
Delphi: Go Find the Navel of the Ancient World
First off, Delphi is quite possibly one of the most historically charged places you could hope to go to, just a small drive from Athens. As a matter of fact, in ancient times, this spot was believed to be like the center of everything, more or less, the literal navel of the Earth. The Temple of Apollo was there, apparently, drawing folks hoping to hear the Oracle’s forecasts – really, the advice from somebody believed to channel prophecies coming straight from Apollo. These days, you could walk among the well-worn stones, check out what’s left of the temple, and think about the huge impact this place once had on old-time politics and culture. The museum found near the site has some seriously impressive sculptures and old items that explain the site’s long and storied past. Expect it to take like, two to three hours driving one way, so maybe plan for a pretty early beginning to actually take everything in. Read our full review: Delphi Day Trip Full Review and Details
Cape Sounion: Observe the Temple of Poseidon and the Aegean Sea
Then again, just picture the Temple of Poseidon, perched way high up on the cliffs at Cape Sounion, like your sentinel supervising the Aegean Sea. As I was saying, this trip’s only just a short drive from Athens, and it is definitely perfect if you’re into seaside vistas combined with some seriously old architecture. Sunset’s seriously special here; apparently, seeing the sun sink beneath the horizon, painting the old stones in all kinds of colors, that just makes the temple really, really come alive. You know, legend claims that it was from these very cliffs that King Aegeus looked, mistakenly thinking his son Theseus got wasted when facing the Minotaur, so then he threw himself right into the sea – which, in a way, gave the Aegean Sea its name. Now, the site could actually get fairly busy, more or less around sunset, so possibly go a bit early to sort of stake out a decent spot and also see the temple when it’s less busy. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Cape Sounion tour)
Hydra: Experience a Car-Free Island Escape
Then again, if you’re after a seriously different pace, perhaps picture Hydra. You know, Hydra’s this island, basically only about a quick ferry trip away from Athens, that’s actually known for one seriously notable thing: basically, there aren’t any cars. You see, every thing travels by foot, donkey, or water taxi, which adds this seriously awesome touch to the place. The island is pretty picturesque, I mean the harbors filled with boats, there’s these stone streets, and you get that vibe which is very relaxing. Do some exploring on foot, visit some hidden beaches, or even take it easy at a seaside cafe. So, just remember, this could be fairly walk-intensive because there’s very little vehicles to depend on. Getting there might take anything from 1.5 to 3.5 hours, this depends, in a way, on what sort of boat you catch from Piraeus. Read our full review: Hydra Day Trip Full Review and Details
Ancient Corinth: A Walk Down the Past
Very often, people gloss over Ancient Corinth, that, yet it gives this actually remarkable glimpse at a very potent city-state of old-time Greece and, following that, Rome. This is due, seemingly, to it being conveniently positioned involving two busy ports. Actually, Corinth played, more or less, a really big part in both business and culture back then. While roaming there, one is very able to check out the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, that, plus also the remains of old shops, as I was saying, which gives a sense, perhaps, of like how daily life may have been back in that time. That said, a seriously standout point will very likely be the Bema, the podium from that Saint Paul apparently dealt out preaching. Getting there would possibly only mean like an hour and a half of drive, then it may be mixed, perhaps, simply, with a tour to the Corinth Canal so that it is likely made for an entire day outing. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Ancient Corinth tour)
Nafplio: Picture Yourself in a Picturesque Coastal Town
So, Nafplio often features involving Greece’s list of attractive towns. Formerly, it served like the first capital involving modern Greece. Really, you may discover so very much charm involved in its Venetian buildings and the seriously old fortresses of Palamidi, along with Acronauplia. What makes Nafplio great involves walking about, really looking at stuff, trying many local restaurants and perhaps really enjoying the view about the Argolic Gulf. If people would feel, possibly, very adventurous, they could really climb the seriously hundreds of steps headed to Palamidi Fortress. It actually does bring out expansive viewpoints. Being that, it really can take around about two hours to get there simply by driving, rendering it very suited simply to a chilled day far from Athens. That said, just be certain, if you intend climbing all those steps during the fortress, bring many fluids; specifically that you’re hiking it back there within the heat! Read our full review: Nafplio Day Trip Full Review and Details