Tour Cape Sounio and the Athens Riviera

Cape Sounio is a stunning place be at sunset.  The last stop on Experience Taxi’s tour of the Athens Riviera.

Cape Sounio Tour: On the Athens Riviera

Not many visitors know that Greece’s capital has a gorgeous beach resort community called the Athens Riviera. It’s a thirty minute drive away from the center of the city, and a world away. There you’ll find palm tree lined esplanades, idyllic beaches and seaside resorts.

Maybe it’s the New Yorker in me but I love living in the center with its typical city feel and urban charm. So, I don’t go to the coast too much. When I do, it’s always a pleasure to spend the day at the beaches or check out the summer season nightlife.

I know there are some gorgeous spots that tourists can discover. So, when Experience Taxi invited Travel Bloggers Greece to experience their tour of the city’s south, I was interested. Thomas Fetsis, our guide and driver, was excited to show us his definition of an authentic Athens Riviera experience on his Cape Sounio Tour which reaches the cape in time for its famous sunset.

Here’s where we went:

Vouliagmeni Lake

I have a thing with natural thermal springs.  I loved soaking in the natural baths in Kythnos island and Evia island. Well, Athens has such a resource too. It’s called Vouliagmeni Lake.

In Greek, vouliagmeni means sunken, and legend has it that a lost city fell into the deep lake which is bordered by a huge limestone cave. It is consistently filled with 24-degree Celsius spring water that boasts mineral properties proven to heal various skin problems, rheumatism and arthritis.  The lake is privately managed as a stylish resort.

Athens Beach Scenes

We drove down the city’s scenic beach road, which borders on neighborhoods and resort towns like Glyfada and Anavissos, steps from the sea.  We stopped at the beautiful St. Nikolas beach, named for a charming little hilltop church.  Weeks before tourist season, our group had the place to ourselves!

Anavissos

Athenians head to Anavissos for two things: windsurfing and great seafood. It is also home to a variety of simple fish taverns with dining areas overlooking the sea.  I love going to Anavissos myself.  The beaches are always less crowded on this part of the riviera and the scenery is so Greek island. My favorite beach is there so when Thomas told us we’d make a stop there I looked forward to it and in the process discovered a local gem: an great Greek taverna.

Most people head to the Anavissos tavernas overlooking the sea, which is great, but Maria and Yanni of Ta Pefka ran an authentic kind of place that Greeks love to go to – kind of hidden, very non-touristic, great prices and excellent quality.

The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounio

Cape Sounio is the southernmost tip of Athens, where the ancient Greeks built an inspiring temple in honor of the god of the sea, Poseidon.

I had been many times to the café in its shadow that boasts a beautiful view of it. It had been years since I had entered the actual archaeological site. The temple is literally perched high on the rocky headland jutting out over the Saronic Gulf. In ancient times, the gleaming marble columns of the Temple of Poseidon once welcomed the ancient Athenians home as they sailed back into the Aegean Sea. How poetic is that?

It was magical to see the colors at sunset. A great way to tie the tour together.

The views from Cape Sounio stretched out to the Cycladic islands to the south and the Peloponnese to the west.

The Conclusion: Experience Taxi Tours

Thomas did a great job of showing us his view of the Athens Riviera. We definitely hit the hot spots that are great for photos and for the unique Athens Riviera experience. He’s a true local that loves showing off his city.  The stop at La Pefka was a great traditional taverna experience in terms of food and hospitality.  I’ll definitely be going back there now that I”discovered” it. Timing the trip perfectly to reach Cape Sounio at sunset was a wonderful experience.

Experience Taxi provided a large comfortable Mercedes van and a Mercedes taxi for the ride. We had access to WiFi, cell phone chargers and bottled water throughout the Cape Sounio Tour.

Experience Taxi Tours 
www.experiencetaxi.gr
Here’s the link for the Cape Sounio Tour / from €35 per hour
The Experience Taxi team also provides transfers and other city tours and trips.

Ta Pefka Traditional Greek Taverna
www.facebook.com/tabernapeuka
Pefkonos 28
Anavissos
+30 2291 301402

*I was a guest of Experience Taxi Tours. As always, all opinions are my own.

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