Cape Sounion Temple: A Complete Guide to Ancient Greece's Coastal Sanctuary & the Legend of King Aegeus at Athens' Southern Point Near Aegean Sea
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A trip to the tip of Attica, Cape Sounion, is certainly one of the must-do excursions if you are in Athens for more than two days, and even more so if you are staying in a beach hotel near Athens.
In this article I will tell you how to get there and what to see at Cape Sounion, as well as, for those who are interested, a brief history and myths of this place.
Cape Sounion - why it is worth visiting and what are the special features of this place
Cape Sounion is located 70 kilometers from Athens. This place is popular among tourists because the temple of Poseidon is located there. This place is shrouded in myths and historical facts dating from antiquity to the present day.
A half day trip to Cape Sounion is a great idea to spend half a day outside Athens. Tourists especially appreciate the beautiful scenery with the ruins of the ancient temple, which can be seen at sunset.
Cape Sounion and the remains of the temple of Poseidon on top of the cape are quite a popular attraction in the vicinity of Athens. People come here to admire the ruins of the ancient temple of Poseidon and the remains of an ancient settlement. The columns of the temple are one of the visiting cards of Greece.
In short, Cape Sounion is one of the most poetic, picturesque and glorified in songs, stories and poems, a small point on the map of Greece.
By the way, it was on this very spot that the tragic event that gave the Aegean Sea its present name took place.
Panoramic views of Cape Sunion Alt: Panoramic views of Cape Sunion
How to get to Cape Sounion
Cape Sounion is located 70 km southeast of Athens. We went there by rented car. The roads in Greece are good. The problem is Athens traffic jams, because almost half of the population of modern Greece lives in Athens. But the traffic jams are surmountable, and outside the city the roads are quite deserted. In general, it took us an hour and a half to get to Sounion by car.
By car
The most convenient way to get from Athens to Cape Sounion is by car, because you will not be tied to public transportation, which runs quite rarely, and you can go back at any time.
You should keep in mind that the navigator shows several options for the way. From Athens there is a road along the sea (E91), you can enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.
I unknowingly chose the shortest one, which is an uninteresting road through unimpressive villages and farmland. Be sure to choose the road along the seashore.
I went back along the coast.
Location of Cape Sunion on the map
May be useful: I told you more about renting a car in Greece in this article.
These are the views along the coast on the road along the seashore to Cape Sounion
By public transportation
But if you come without a car and you don’t rent one, a cab ride will be very expensive, so it’s worth paying attention to how to get to Sounion by public transportation.
There is a Ktel Attikis bus from Athens to Cape Sounion.
The buses to Sounion leave from a place in Athens called Pedion Areos (Mavrommateon & Alexandras avenue) and then pass through the center of Athens (Klafthmonos square, Syntagma, Syngrou metro station – FIX), Syngrou Avenue and Poseidonos Avenue before passing through places like Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Lagonisi, Saronida, Anavyssos and Legrena.
The bus route goes along the sea and the approximate travel time is an hour/half.
Bus schedule from Athens to Cape Sounion:
Athens to Sounion | Sounion – Athens |
07:05 (Except Sunday) | 08:00 |
08:05 | 10:00 (Except Sunday) |
10:05 | 11:00 |
11:30 | 13:00 |
13:05 | 14:00 |
14:05 | 16:00 |
15:30 | 17:00 |
19:00 |
Ticket price from Athens – 6,90 Euro
Opening hours of the Temple of Poseidon and the archaeological area around it
Cape Sounion itself is not fenced off and can be accessed at any time of day or night. However, access to the archaeological part is limited in time:
The Temple of Poseidon and the archaeological part around it is open every day from 9 am until sunset. If you arrive early in the morning – the entrance will be closed and you will have to wait until the opening.
Closed: January 1, March 25, Easter, December 25 and 26.
Entrance is free
Poseidon Temple schedule
What to see at Cape Sounion
Arriving at the cape, I was at the edge of the Greek world – only the sea is farther away. And this cape looks like the edge of the world: steep cliffs, sea waves crashing against the rocks, seagulls soaring over the waves. Cold, cloudy and windy weather added to the severity.
Now there is a museum area on Cape Sunion, which can be accessed for 8 euros, in winter from 9-30 to sunset, and in summer from 9-00 to sunset. It is believed that the best way to admire the noble columns of the temple of Poseidon is at sunset, when the last rays of the sun paint them in extraordinary colors.
Near the museum area there is a parking lot for buses and cars and a large cafe with very high prices.
Café near the museum area at Cape Sounion
In classical Hellenic times, Sounion was the site of a substantial settlement, a fortress, and two temples. In the northern part of the cape, in a secluded bay, there was a port.
The temple of Athena of Sounion was located on a low hill 400 meters northeast of the temple of Poseidon. It is believed that the temple of Athena was dismantled in Roman times, around the 2nd century AD, and moved to the Athenian agora. Only the bases of the columns and the remains of the altar have survived. Nearby are the poorly visible remains of an even older temple. It is believed that it was dedicated to Artemis.
From city constructions remained mainly foundations. You can see how the streets of the ancient settlement were laid out. Once there was a large garrison here, and life was boiling. But during our stay only the wind and a cheerful flock of partridges walked between the foundations.
There were remnants of the fortress wall. The wall was only on the land side, as the cape was perfectly protected by steep banks on the sea side.
The urban ruins of Cape Sunion, or rather what’s left of them
The rocks, from one of which the unfortunate Aegeus threw himself, rise straight out of the sea waves.
On the northern side of the cape, well protected from the sea waves, the remains of the port facilities are visible. The remains of the docks have been preserved.
Barely visible ruins of port facilities and remains of docks
On the highest point of the cape stand the columns of the temple of Poseidon. Seventeen columns have been preserved. Made of local Agrilesian marble, they, unlike the columns of the Athenian acropolis, are light gray in color, but against the sky seem bright white. They look beautiful.
The temple of Poseidon on the top of Cape Sounion has a long history. The first temple on this place was built in the 8th century BC. The new monumental temple was built in the early 5th century BC, but was destroyed in 480 BC, during the Persian invasion. The Greeks defeated the Persians and by 440 BC rebuilt a new temple, the columns of which have survived to this day. This temple was active at least until the 1st century AD.
It was apparently not destroyed. Simply the Greeks adopted Christianity, the pagan sanctuary was abandoned and gradually eroded by time.
Nevertheless, to this day, the lonely temple on a high promontory presents a majestic picture. And Cape Sounion is certainly worth a visit.
Lonely Temple of Poseidon
Temple of Poseidon
Not much time passed, and the citizens of Athens decided to erect two temples on Cape Sounion, dedicated to Poseidon and Athena. Alas, there is almost nothing left of the second temple, but the temple of Poseidon still pleases the admirers of antiquity with its amazing photogenicity against the background of the sunset sky.
Construction of the temple in honor of the Greek deity began around the 5th century BC, but was not completed. Already in 480 B.C. it was destroyed almost to the ground by the Persians. All that survived from the sanctuary to our days belongs to 444 BC, when a new temple was erected on the ruins of the old.
Today you can see the remains of the frieze, which depicts scenes of battles of centaurs, gigantomachy, as well as a picture of the battle of Theseus with the Minotaur; nine columns; the remains of the architrave.
In those days, when tourists could be counted on the fingers of a hand, these travelers were not afraid to leave their autographs on the sights. For example, the temple of Poseidon was lucky enough to get the signature of Lord Byron himself, which can still be seen today.
Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion
Sunset at Cape Sounion
It is the dream of many Helladophiles and fans of the great Odyssey to see the sunset on this legendary promontory. By the way, it is not so difficult to do it – the entrance to the cape is open at any time of the day.
The only thing to keep in mind is the working hours of the buses. If you look at the fantastic sunset, you can spend no less fantastic night surrounded by temple ruins.
Interesting fact: According to legend, at sunset at the temple of Poseidon you should make your deepest wish – then it will definitely come true.
Usually tourists are brought to the cape half an hour before sunset. There is an opportunity to shoot the temple in the rays of the setting sun, and then in the evening twilight.
The Temple of Poseidon in the setting sun
And yes, the sunset at Cape Sunion was one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever witnessed in my life. Even just for that alone, it’s worth the trip.
Another strong impression was the wind literally knocking you off your feet. You could lie on the air currents, finding your balance in an inclined position. Apparently such an effect is given by the cape, strongly extended into the sea. The wind was warm, pleasant. Go! You will remember it!
This is what the sunset looks like at Cape Sounion and it is very Impressive
History and Myths of Cape Sunion
For those who are interested, I will tell you a little about the history and myths of Cape Sounion.
This high promontory, the southernmost point of Attica, has always had strategic importance. Since ancient times there was a fortress here, controlling the passage to Athens from the sea.
For the inhabitants of Attica this place was sacred, because on the cape, as well as on the Athenian acropolis, neighboring temples of Poseidon and Athena. From the temple of Athena only the foundation remains, and the surviving columns of the temple of Poseidon harmonize amazingly with the place.
In the days of antiquity, the temple of Poseidon on a high promontory was a kind of lighthouse. Upon seeing it, the Athenian sailors were glad that they had practically reached home. In the port of Sounion it was possible to rest and repair the ship before arriving at the Athenian port of Piraeus.
Cape Sounion was well known in ancient Hellas. Homer mentioned it in the Odyssey. The father of history Herodotus, tragedians Sophocles and Euripides, comedian Aristophanes, historians Strabo and Pausanias told about Sunion and the temple of Poseidon.
Among the famous people of the new time on the ruins of the temple marked Lord Byron, scratched on the stone his name. Byron generally liked to leave his autograph in places where he was, not considering it something reprehensible.
Now the promontory has lost its strategic importance. There is no significant settlement or port there. Now it is a tourist site, which is visited by many tourists.
This is what Cape Sunion looked like in ancient times
Cape Sounion and the Aegean Sea
There is a beautiful and sad legend associated with Sounion.
Long ago, a thousand years before Christ, King Aegeus ruled in Athens. His son Theseus traveled to Crete to fight the monstrous Minotaur, a half-man half-bull who devoured young men and women. These young men were sent to Crete as tribute by the Athenians.
Theseus promised his father that if he died, there would be a black sail over the returning ship. If he defeated the Minotaur, he would hoist a white sail.
Theseus is known to have won. But the storm carried away the white sail, and had to return under the black one.
Aegeus, who was waiting for his son’s return from Crete on the southernmost point of Attica, Cape Sounion, saw the ship under a black sail. He could not bear the grief and threw himself off the cliff into the sea, which has been called the Aegean ever since.