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    Sounion

    Greece

    Sounion

    CityCulture

    Cape Sounion is the southernmost tip of Attica, and on its cliff stands the Temple of Poseidon, built between 444 and 440 BC. Of the original 34 Doric columns, 15 still stand, almost 60 meters above the sea.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Greece
    7. Attica
    9. Sounion
    Cape Sounion is the southernmost tip of Attica, and on its cliff stands the Temple of Poseidon, built between 444 and 440 BC. Of the original 34 Doric columns, 15 still stand, almost 60 meters above the sea. For sailors returning to Athens, the temple was the first sign of home.Most visitors come at sunset when the sun sinks behind the columns over the Saronic Gulf. Those who prefer a quieter experience come in the morning and combine the visit with the bathing cove below the cape or a drive along the coastal road of the Athenian Riviera.

    Sights in Sounion

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Observation point opposite the temple

    1Observation point opposite the temple

    From the parking lot and the slope west of the excavation, you see the temple in profile against the open sea, without admission or crowds in your photo. At sunset, the sun stands behind the columns, attracting photographers. To enter the site itself, you'll need a ticket and should arrive before the last entry time.
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    Temple of Poseidon, Sounion

    2Temple of Poseidon, Sounion

    The Doric temple was built between 444 and 440 BC on the foundations of an earlier structure, which the Persians had destroyed in 480 BC. Of the original 34 marble columns, 15 still stand, almost 60 meters above the sea on the cliff. For returning sailors, the temple was the first sign of Attica; for Athens, it served as an outpost for monitoring the sea lanes. Lord Byron's name is carved into the base of one column, though it is not confirmed whether he himself was responsible.
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    Athena Sanctuary of Sounion

    3Athena Sanctuary of Sounion

    Approximately 300 meters northeast of the Temple of Poseidon, on a low hill, lie the foundations of a second sanctuary, dedicated to Athena Sounias. The temple had an unusual ground plan with colonnaded halls only on its south and east sides, a feature already noted by ancient authors. Little more than the ground plan of the complex remains; visitors rarely come here.
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    Bay and Beach of Sounion

    4Bay and Beach of Sounion

    Directly below the temple is a sheltered sandy bay with shallow access, reachable via a side road off the coastal road. From here, you see the temple from below, which better conveys its true scale than the view from within the complex. A few tavernas and a beach club share the waterfront, well-frequented on summer weekends.
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    Old Boathouses at the Cape

    5Old Boathouses at the Cape

    To the northwest of the fortress, built by Athens on the cape in 413 BC, are the remains of a shipshed for two warships pulled ashore here. Sounion was both a sanctuary and a military base, securing grain shipments from Euboea to Athens during the Peloponnesian War. The walls are low, but easy to discern in the terrain.
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    Dining & Drinks

    Yali Restaurant

    Fish restaurant of the Grecotel Cape Sounio hotel resort, a few kilometers northwest of the Cape. The cuisine concentrates on fish and seafood, and tables are situated by the water, offering bay views. The restaurant is also open to guests who are not staying at the resort.
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    Taverna Syrtaki

    Family-run tavern in Kato Sounio, a few minutes' drive from the Temple of Poseidon. The menu features fish by weight, grilled octopus, Mezedes, and Greek classics like Moussaka. You can also eat on the terrace.
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    1

    Naos Cafe - Restaurant

    Cafe and restaurant right by the archaeological site, a few steps below the Temple of Poseidon. Serving coffee, snacks and simple Greek dishes; from the terrace you look out over the Saronic Gulf. Convenient for a break before or after visiting the temple.
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    2

    Acrogiali

    Fish tavern on Sounion Bay below the temple, directly on the coastal road from Athens. Serving grilled fish, seafood and mezedes; from many tables, you can see the temple on the cliff.
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    3

    Ilias

    Fish tavern on Sounion Bay, just a few meters next to Akrogiali. Focusing on grilled catch of the day, grilled octopus, and fried calamari, along with classic appetizers. The terrace overlooks the beach.
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    Food and Drink

    At the cape itself, there is little more than the café at the excavation. Dining takes place in the coves below and in the towns along the coastal road, where fish dictates the menu.

    Fish in the bays

    In Legrena, Charakas and the bay below the temple, fish tavernas sit directly on the water. Order by the daily catch; ask about the kilo price beforehand. On weekends, Athenians come here, so a reservation is advisable.

    Wines of Mesogeia

    The wine region begins a few kilometers north. The white Savatiano variety is now mostly produced dry and without resin, and features on menus in coastal establishments.

    Mezedes with the Setting Sun

    Places with temple views charge extra for the vista. Just an Ouzo and a few small plates will be cheaper than a fish dinner.

    Lavrio and the Market

    The port city 10 km north has the nearest proper weekly market and several taverns favored by locals, not tourists.

    History and Culture

    Sanctuary of PoseidonOn the cape, a temple for Poseidon already stood in archaic times, destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. The current Doric structure was built between 444 and 440 BC, during Pericles' era. Of its 34 marble columns, 15 still stand; two more collapsed only in 1825. According to legend, King Aegeus plunged into the sea here when he saw his son Theseus' black sail, giving the Aegean Sea its name.Fortress and Sea RouteDuring the Peloponnesian War, Athenians fortified the cape in 413 BC to protect grain transports from Euboea. Inside the fortress was a small naval base with a boathouse for two warships. About 300 meters northeast of the Poseidon Temple lies the Sanctuary of Athena Sounias, whose temple had columned halls only on its south and east sides.Modern-Era TravelersFor 19th-century travelers, Sounion was a mandatory stop. Lord Byron's name is carved into a column's base, but it's not confirmed if he carved it himself.

    Local explorations

    By BusKTEL Attikis buses depart from Athens along the coastal road, stopping at places like Varkiza, Lagonisi, and Anavyssos, en route to Sounion. It's best to check departure points in the city center and timetables with the operator in advance, especially for the return trip after sunset.By CarBy rental car, you can drive either along the coastal road of the Athens Riviera or inland through Mesogeia and Lavrio. At the entrance to the excavation site, there is a parking lot which quickly fills up around sunset in summer.On SiteThe excavation site, the viewpoint on the slope, and the Athena Sanctuary are close by and reachable on foot. An access road from the coastal road leads to the bay below the cape.

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    Nearby

    Plaka

    Plaka

    Plaka is the Old Town of Athens, situated on the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis. Narrow alleys, neoclassical townhouses, and small Byzantine churches characterize the district, which stretches between Syntagma and Monastiraki. Adrianou Street divides it into Upper Plaka, directly below the Acropolis Rock, and Lower Plaka.
    Kolonaki

    Kolonaki

    Kolonaki is an upscale residential and commercial district on the southern slopes of Lykavittos. Around Kolonaki Square are boutiques, galleries, cafes, and embassies, while several major museums line Vasilissis Sofias Avenue. The district is named for a small column in the square.
    Monastiraki and Psyrri

    Monastiraki and Psyrri

    Monastiraki is the market and flea market district of Athens' Old Town, named after the small monastic church of Pantanassa on the square of the same name. To its north lies Psyrri, a former artisan quarter, where today tavernas, bars, and workshops are densely packed. Both districts are lively until late into the night.
    Athens

    Athens

    Athens is a city that doesn't keep its 3,400 years in a museum, but lives them daily: Beneath the Acropolis lie districts full of tavernas, record shops, and rooftop bars. If you only seek antiquity, stay two days. If you want to get to know the city, you need four.
    Attica

    Attica

    Attica is the peninsula surrounding Athens and, with almost four million inhabitants, by far the most populous region of Greece. Here you'll find the Acropolis and the capital's major museums, but also sanctuaries like Eleusis, Brauron, and Rhamnous, which only a few visitors see.For those planning a few days beyond Athens, you'll find swimming coves and the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion along the coast; to the north, the battlefield of Marathon; and Parnitha, a forested mountain range that is reachable from the city in less than an hour.

    Sources & method

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