Athens & Cape Sounion: Acropolis, Riviera & Poseidon's Temple

The Temple of Poseidon sits on a cliff where the Aegean meets the horizon

You're driven through Athens' main monuments in 4 hours (Acropolis, Plaka, Parliament, National Gardens), then along the Athens Riviera to Cape Sounion, where the Temple of Poseidon overlooks the Aegean from a cliff. An English-speaking driver handles all transport and narration. You customize stops within the itinerary. Lunch is on your own in a seaside town. Hotel or Piraeus pickup and drop-off included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Acropolispass by
2. Temple of Athena Nike15m
3. Parthenon45m
4. Erechtheion15m
5. National Gardens of Athenspass by
6. Parliament Building5m
7. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier5m
8. Academy of Athenspass by
9. National Library of Greecepass by
10. Plakapass by
11. Cape Sounion30m
12. Temple of Poseidon30m

Athens and Cape Sounion highlights

• Pick up from Piraeus port
• Drive along Athens Riviera coast
• Visit Acropolis and Parthenon
• See Propylaea entrance
• Explore Temple of Athena Nike
• Visit Erechtheion temple
• Admire Kallimarmaro stadium
• Walk through Plaka district
• Drive to Palaia Fokaia for lunch break
• Visit Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon
• Return to Athens or Piraeus port

The experience

The drive from Piraeus to Cape Sounion takes you along the Athens Riviera, a stretch of coastline where the city gives way to green-blue water and rocky coves. You'll spend roughly 4 hours in Athens itself: moving through the Acropolis and its temples, down into Plaka's narrow streets, past the Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, through the National Gardens. Then the road turns south and the urban landscape thins out. By the time you reach Cape Sounion, you're standing on a steep cliff looking at the Temple of Poseidon, built of local marble in the 5th century BC, with nothing between you and the sea.

An English-speaking driver picks you up from your hotel or Piraeus cruise pier and handles all the navigation. The tour is customizable within the itinerary, so if you want to linger in Plaka or skip the National Library, you can adjust. The driver has knowledge of Greek history and culture and will point things out as you drive: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Kallimarmaro stadium where the first modern Olympics took place in 1896. You won't have a licensed guide inside the archaeological sites themselves (drivers aren't licensed for that), but the route covers all the significant monuments: the Acropolis complex, Syntagma Square, the Academy of Athens, and the neoclassical buildings that make up the city's intellectual heart. There's free time for lunch in Palaia Fokaia, a seaside town on the way south, though food isn't included.

The Temple of Poseidon dominates the southernmost tip of Attica. It's perched on the cliffs of Cape Sounio, where Athens once controlled the sea passage to the Aegean and the port at Piraeus. The sacred precinct around the temple occupies about 5,000 square meters and includes a monumental gateway and porticos. You stand there and understand why this spot mattered. It's strategic, it's visible for miles, and it's impossible to forget. The marble changes color with the light: cool in the morning, bone-gold in the afternoon. The same Pentelic marble used for the Acropolis monuments.

Transportation is by air-conditioned vehicle sized for your group. If you're arriving at Athens International Airport instead of Piraeus, transfers can be arranged for an extra cost. Admission tickets to sites aren't included, but the tour operator can pre-purchase them for you under a small service fee: a practical move since availability isn't guaranteed, especially in high season. The whole day runs approximately 8 hours from pickup to drop-off.

What’s included

• Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle sized for your group.
• English-speaking driver with knowledge of Greek history and culture.
• pickup and drop-off from your hotel in Athens or from Piraeus cruise ship pier.
• drive along the Athens Riviera coastline.
• stops at Acropolis monuments (Parthenon, Erechtheion, Temple of Athena Nike), Plaka neighborhood, Parliament Building, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, National Gardens, Academy of Athens, National Library, and Kallimarmaro stadium.
• free time for lunch in Palaia Fokaia (meal not included).
• visit to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon.
• customizable stops within the itinerary.

Options for this experience

4 options

Sedan for up to 3 passengersUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English · 6 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 09:30This is a private tour only for you, your family, and your friends. Route planning: we will collect you from your hotel or accommodation in Athens, where the tour begins, and bring you back there at the end. Travel in style: groups of 1-3 ride in a Mercedes sedan or similar, 4-7 in a luxury Mercedes-Benz minivan, and 8-15 in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with air conditioning and leather interior. Pickup is included.

Minivan for up to 7 passengersUp to 7 per booking · Guide in English · 8 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:30This is a private tour only for you, your family, and your friends. Route planning: we will collect you from your hotel or accommodation in Athens, where the tour begins, and bring you back there at the end. Travel in style: groups of 1-3 ride in a Mercedes sedan or similar, 4-7 in a luxury Mercedes-Benz minivan, and 8-15 in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with air conditioning and leather interior. Pickup is included.

Minibus, for groups of up to 11 peopleUp to 11 per booking · Guide in English · 8 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:30This is a private tour only for you, your family, and your friends. Route planning: we will collect you from your hotel or accommodation in Athens, where the tour begins, and bring you back there at the end. Travel in style: groups of 1-3 ride in a Mercedes sedan or similar, 4-7 in a luxury Mercedes-Benz minivan, and 8-15 in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with air conditioning and leather interior. Pickup is included.

Minibus for up to 15 passengersUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English · 8 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:30This is a private tour only for you, your family, and your friends. Route planning: we will collect you from your hotel or accommodation in Athens, where the tour begins, and bring you back there at the end. Travel in style: groups of 1-3 ride in a Mercedes sedan or similar, 4-7 in a luxury Mercedes-Benz minivan, and 8-15 in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with air conditioning and leather interior. Pickup is included.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:30

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Athens Tours Greece

Is this one for you?Book this if you're docking at Piraeus or staying in Athens and want to see the main monuments plus Cape Sounion in one day without arranging your own transport. The driver handles navigation and narration, and the fixed route fits both the city and the coast into a single afternoon and early evening.

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Top questions

How long is the tour?

Approximately 8 hours total, including roughly 4 hours in Athens and the drive to and from Cape Sounion.

Is entry to the Acropolis and Temple of Poseidon included?

No. Admission tickets are not included, but the tour operator can pre-purchase them in advance for a small service fee.

Do I need a licensed tour guide inside the sites?

The driver is not licensed to accompany you inside archaeological sites or museums. If you want a licensed guide, one can be arranged at an additional cost, subject to availability.

Is lunch included?

No. There's free time for lunch in Palaia Fokaia, a seaside town on the route, but meals are at your own expense.

Can I customize the stops?

Yes. The tour is customizable within the itinerary, so you can adjust which sites you visit or how long you spend at each.

What if I'm arriving at Athens airport instead of Piraeus?

Airport transfers can be arranged on request for an additional cost.

Is the vehicle air-conditioned?

Yes. Transportation is by air-conditioned vehicle sized to fit your group.

What language does the driver speak?

The driver is an English speaker with knowledge of Greek history and culture.