Hi all. Was thinking we would do a day trip to Delphi, but looks like a 10 hour commitment. Looking for an alternative day trip, shorter, perhaps to a beach or Cape Sounion? Ideas?
Family of six, late May 2022 visit. Not opposed to public transportation. Will not have a car. Thanks!
Nemea, southwest of Athens on the Peloponnese peninsula, is an under appreciated treat. There’s a small temple with a couple standing columns (reminiscent of Delphi), a smallish but fantastic museum, more archaeological foundations, but best of all, remains of a surprising Olympic-type stadium, complete with a unique tunnel where athletes entered. It’s in much better shape than the one at Ancient Olympia - which is even farther away than Delphi - and you can even run your own 100 yard dash, where others ran so long ago.
There’s even ancient graffiti, scratched into the wall of the tunnel, were athletes noted their wins. We got there by rental car, so I’m not sure of the details how to get there by other means, but definitely consider a visit to Nemea.
Did a half day tour from Athens to Corinth with a stop at the Corinth Canal with Fantasy Travel. Travel was in a comfortable small bus with guide and driver. They offered a good choice of half and full day tours.
Does you trip to Greece include any islands prior to Athens?
If not then a wonderful day trip would be the island of Aegina which is a short ferry ride away. It has everything one would want in a Greek Island.
You can leave mid-morning, spend several hours on the island and return late afternoon.
You'll still have more than enough time for a night out in Athens.
If an island doesn't work then it's possible you could do a day trip to Nafplio which is about 2 1/2 hours bus ride from Athens. It's one of Greece's prettiest towns with nice waterfront and the Old Town is very charming. Nice walking on narrow lanes with lovely architecture and lots of choices for shops, markets and tavernas. Relatively inexpensive bus trip, I think around 23 euros round trip.
If you are more interested in guided tours then there are numerous ones available from Athens that don't involve as much travel time as going to Delphi. You can do a search on-line for tours in Athens.
If it were me, I’d go to Hydra for the day.
If you like to spend just a few hours outside Athens but not the whole day, I'd suggest you first visit Lake Vouliagmeni, and then head to the Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion.
I too would suggest you visit Nafplio. There are virtually buses pretty much every hour. Nafplio is a weekend get away for Athenians so that's a pretty good recommendation.
Here is what it is like.
Nafplio https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157632094108982
Corinth is really cool and you get three terrific locations to visit in one place, the Corinth Canal, Acrocorinth Castle and Ancient Corinth site. Only an hour from Athens.
willhays please read;, the OP said they will not have a car.. your corinth suggestion only posible with car or paying expensive pvt taxi or car service from athens.
I like the Hydra idea. You can take the train from central Athens to the port and then catch the ferry. Another option is the beach town of Porto Rafti southeast of the airport.
No answer yet from Original Poster, so who knows if she even came back to the forum ... also she notes trepidation at the idea of a 10-hour commitment.... so, hmmmm. Almost anything would involve at least an 8-hour commitment: You'd need a hour to get from Central Athens to either the ferry Port & Board a ferry... or take a Plaka area trolley to a fairlly nearby beach like Vouliagmeni. Cape Sounion -- a great ruin overlooking the sea -- excursions go there for the sunset, but then T EN busloads of people all elbow each other for snapshots! And public bus = 3 hrs each way. All the other options either $$ or time-consuming, or both.
Our inquirer tells us only"family of 6" Are there toddlers? Grandparents with mobility issues? Budget issues? Going anywhere except on Metro or city bus will require 2 taxis. Is this family in Athens after or prior to an island vacation? Or would this be their only chance to visit island? Unless we know the big picture we are just spinning our wheels.
TOmmy K has one of the least complicated/expensive suggestiona...island of AEGINA. If they can easily access the GREEN LINE Metro ( stations @Omnia & Monastiraki) they would not even have to change trains... a straight shoot, 20-30 mins, to PIRaeus, less than $2 each (OR 2 taxis, about €20 each). They can catch a "COnventional Ferry" (I.e. open decks) -- NOT a Hydrofoil (closed in/no view)... and enjoy a 1-hr "mini-cruise" ... watching the wake, seeng everything from giant cruise ships & freighters to 3-masted schooners, speedboats, and tiny sloops.. maybe even a dolphin. Aegina has a charming port town complete with a few ruins... a bus takes you to a mid-island ancient Temple atop a hill... a walk downhill gets you to a beach where u can have a dip & lunch at a taverna... back by bus or taxi to port & return to Athens @ sunset. Here's a photo album of a june daytrip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36264706@N03/sets/72157621604646139/detail/ Only challenge at all - to get to Pireaus in time for an 8:30 or 9 am conventional ferry.
As for Hydra -- it's much farther, and u can go only in closed-cabin hydrofoil.
