Our days in Athens were eventually coming to an end. There was, however, one place I wanted to visit before we continued to Italy. This was the Temple of Poseidon located at Cape Sounion on the southern tip of Attica. Sadly it was a bit too inconvenient to bring Little A on a long bus ride, so Susann and Little A stayed in Athens.
KTEL Bus to Sounion
I got up early in the morning. The plan was to take the metro to Victoria metro station (Σταθμός Βικτώρια). From the station, it’s just a short walk to the bus stop for KTEL. The bus stop is right next to the Pedion tou Areos and it was quite easy to find – with a bit of help from the locals. It was a really old bus stop and even though it was marked with Sounion, I wasn’t really sure if I was waiting at the correct stop.
The bus did, however, eventually arrive. It was the first bus in the morning to Sounion. It was destined to arrive at the archaeological site right before it opened in the morning. The bus was quite old, but it was still a comfortable ride. I just didn’t understand how to pay, several of the locals paid when entering the bus, but the driver did not want to charge me. He didn’t really speak English, making it hard to understand the system. About halfway a conductor entered the bus and took care of selling tickets for everyone still on the bus. It turned out that it was only the persons getting off before the final stop that paid to the driver.
The bus goes along the coast and it offers a great view for most of the ride.
Temple of Poseidon
There are actually two temples at Cape Sounion. There is the main attraction – the Temple of Poseidon – and there are the remains of another temple. The Temple of Athena Sounias is not as impressive. The only part still visible is its foundation.
I concentrated my time on the Temple of Poseidon. Arriving at the site just minutes before it opened meant that I was the first one to enter. I was able to enjoy the view of the temple on my own for several minutes before I got company. The company did not seem to be a visitor, he or she seemed a lot more sure of the area. The turtle became my companion for around 10 minutes while I took a few photos of the temple.
The area also includes the remains of a fortress and port, but these are mostly gone. Instead, it is really nice to walk around the site enjoying the view out over the Aegean Sea and the coastline of Attica.
Heading Back to Athens
After an hour exploring the site, I took the bus back to Athens. It turned out to be the same bus that I had taken to Cape Sounion. It was a really nice trip for a half-day. Even though it was an early morning trip, it was perfect to be able to be back in Athens in time for lunch.
