Cape Sounion

Cape Sounion is the rocky promontory that closes the southern end of the Attic peninsula, about 70 kilometres from Athens along the coast road. It is one of the most photographed places in Greece for a single reason: the ruined Temple of Poseidon stands on the very edge of the cliff, some 60 metres above the Aegean, with sea on three sides and nothing beyond but the horizon and the islands of the Saronic and Cyclades.

The temple was built around 444 to 440 BC, in the same period as the Parthenon, from local marble quarried nearby. Fifteen of its slender Doric columns still stand, weathered to a pale grey-white that turns gold in the late afternoon. For ancient sailors this was a landmark and a place of thanksgiving, the first and last sight of the mainland; today it draws visitors for the same commanding view. One of the columns famously carries the name of the poet Lord Byron, carved during his travels in the early nineteenth century.

The site is compact and best treated as a visit rather than a stay. A short walk from the car park and ticket office leads up to the temple platform, where paths let you circle the columns and take in the sweep of coastline. There is a small archaeological area including the remains of a fortification wall and a sanctuary of Athena on a neighbouring rise. Interpretation is limited, so many people come with a guide or a good deal of imagination.

Sounion is best known for sunset, when the sky behind the columns colours and the crowds gather along the western edge of the headland. Arriving an hour or two before dusk gives time to explore in daylight and settle in for the show. Just below the cape there is a sandy cove and a couple of tavernas for a meal by the water.

Most travellers come as a day or half-day trip from Athens, either self-driving the scenic Riviera route or joining an organised afternoon tour. The nearby towns of Lavrio and Anavyssos make the closest bases for anyone wanting to stay overnight in the area rather than return to the city.