Athens travel guide — where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Athens, Attica, Greece.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Cape Sounion — Temple of Poseidon
This is a Doric temple of white marble standing on a cliff at the southern tip of Attica, built in the 5th century BC to honor the god of the sea. The columns are visible from ships far out in the Aegean, which was the point — it marked the edge of Athenian territory for anyone sailing home. Most visitors come for sunset, when the temple and the sea below turn the same color and the site empties out as tour buses leave for the return trip.
Highlights: The Temple of Poseidon itself — one of the few Attic temples still standing on its original site with columns intact · Lord Byron's carved signature on one of the columns — he inscribed his name here in 1810 · The cliff-edge views over the Aegean — this is the actual reason to time a visit for late afternoon · The small beach below the headland — a place to swim before or after the site visit
Delphi — Oracle of the Ancient World
Delphi was the sanctuary the ancient Greeks considered the center of the world, home to the oracle that kings and city-states consulted before wars, colonies, and major decisions. The site is built into the slope of Mount Parnassus, so the Sacred Way climbs past the treasuries and the Temple of Apollo up to a theatre and stadium with the valley dropping away below. It's a full day from Athens given the distance, but it's the most complete oracle site remaining from antiquity.
Highlights: The Sacred Way — the processional path lined with the remains of treasuries built by rival city-states to outdo each other · The Temple of Apollo — where the Pythia delivered her oracles from a chamber beneath the floor · The ancient theatre above the temple — built into the hillside with the temple and valley visible behind the stage · The Archaeological Museum of Delphi — holds the bronze Charioteer of Delphi, one of the best-preserved large bronzes to survive from Greece · The stadium at the top of the site — where the Pythian Games were held
Hydra Island
Hydra has no cars or motorbikes — the only transport is on foot, by donkey, or by water taxi — which is what makes it feel different from the moment the ferry pulls into the harbor. The town wraps around a horseshoe-shaped port lined with stone mansions built by 18th- and 19th-century shipping merchants, and the island's isolation from vehicle traffic has also kept it a draw for painters and, historically, musicians and writers who settled here. It works well as a day trip because the port town itself, without a car, is easily seen on foot in a few hours.
Highlights: The harbor and its stone captains' mansions — several now house the town hall, a museum, or galleries · The Historical Archives Museum of Hydra — covers the island's role in the Greek War of Independence and its shipping history · The monastery of Panagia Theotokou — right on the harbor, with a small ecclesiastical museum · Water taxis to nearby swimming spots like Vlychos or Kaminia — the easiest way to get in the water since the town itself has no real beach
Nafplio — Greece's First Capital
Nafplio was the first capital of the modern Greek state after independence, and its old town still has the Venetian and neoclassical character from that period — narrow lanes, balconied houses, and two fortresses guarding the harbor. It sits on the Argolic Gulf, which makes it a reasonable base for combining with Epidaurus or Ancient Corinth, but the old town and its fortifications are enough on their own for a full day.
Highlights: Palamidi Fortress — the hilltop Venetian fortress above town, reached by climbing several hundred steps or by road · Bourtzi — the small fortress islet in the middle of the harbor, visible from the waterfront promenade · The old town's Venetian quarter — narrow streets and balconied buildings around Syntagma Square · Akronafplia — the older, lower fortress complex behind the old town, with less foot traffic than Palamidi
Ancient Corinth & Corinth Canal
Ancient Corinth was one of the wealthiest cities of classical and Roman Greece, sitting on the isthmus that connects the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, and it's the city Saint Paul addressed in his New Testament letters. The archaeological site preserves the Roman-era forum and shops along with the Temple of Apollo, while the Corinth Canal, cut through the isthmus in the 1890s, is a separate stop nearby worth a short detour to see the sheer limestone walls from the bridge above.
Highlights: The Temple of Apollo — the archaic Doric temple that dominates the ancient site, with several of its original columns still standing · The Roman forum and shops — the commercial heart of the city Paul would have preached in · Acrocorinth — the fortified acropolis on the hill above the site, with Byzantine, Frankish, and Ottoman fortifications layered on top of each other · The Corinth Canal — the narrow cut through the isthmus, best seen from the road bridge looking straight down
Epidaurus — Ancient Theatre
Epidaurus was primarily a healing sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine, where ancient patients came to be treated through ritual and rest — but it's known today for its theatre, which is famous for acoustics so precise that a coin dropped or a match struck on the stage can reportedly be heard from the top row. The theatre still hosts performances in summer as part of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, and the wider sanctuary ruins around it are far less visited than the theatre itself.
Highlights: The ancient theatre — the best-preserved theatre from antiquity, still used for performances today · The Sanctuary of Asclepius — the healing complex the theatre was originally built to serve, including the remains of patient dormitories · The tholos — a circular building of uncertain purpose within the sanctuary, notable for its intricate foundations · The site museum — displays surgical instruments and votive offerings left by patients seeking a cure
Aegina Island
Aegina is the closest of the Saronic islands to Athens, which makes it the easiest island day trip from the city, and it was itself a major naval power that rivaled Athens before the Persian Wars. The town has a working harbor lined with fishing boats and pistachio vendors — the island is Greece's main pistachio-growing region — while the Temple of Aphaia inland is one of the better-preserved ancient temples in the country.
Highlights: The Temple of Aphaia — a well-preserved Doric temple in the island's hills, with most of its columns still standing · Aegina Town's harbor — lined with the island's fishing fleet and stalls selling local pistachios · The Church of Agios Nektarios — one of the largest churches in Greece, dedicated to a saint who lived and is buried on the island · Paleochora — the abandoned Byzantine hill town with dozens of surviving chapels, a short trip from Aegina Town
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
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Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
Multi-day tours from Athens
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
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Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Start early — most popular day-trip destinations get crowded by mid-morning.
Check return transport times before you leave — missing the last train or bus can be costly.
Carry water, snacks, and layers — weather and food options can be limited at smaller destinations.