The summer is now a memory. Back from Kefalonia to Athens, it's a full circle. I was here back in June and here I am once again. It is 27th of September, a sunny day, ideal for a road trip.
It is Sunday and it's World Heritage Weekend so I decided to drive to Cape Sounion and visit the Temple of Poseidon.
Approximately 70km from Athens lies this perfect blend between a man-made wonder and nature. The road is wonderful, beautiful beaches on the right side and hills and mountains on the left. It takes us almost an hour and a half to get there. The Athenian Riviera offers a bit for everyone, restaurants and bars, long, sandy beaches, amazing sea views and wonderful marinas.
I have first visited the Temple 5 years ago. It is a wonderful sight with an extraordinary 360 view. It is part of the Sacred Triangle in Greece.
"These temples are the Parthenon, Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, and the Temple of Aphaia in Aegina. When seen on a map, these three temples seem to form an isosceles triangle. Even more interestingly, all 3 temples were built within a few years of each other, adding to the theory their positioning formed part of a grander design.
Some suggest that the temples were positioned on points of natural energy. Others, that they perhaps mapped the stars above. If they were built according to a grander design, it’s possible we will never know their true purpose." (greekmythologytours.com)
"The earliest literary reference to Sounion is in Homer's Odyssey (III. 278–285). The story recounts that as the various Greek commanders sailed back from Troy, the helmsman of the ship of King Menelaus of Sparta died at his post while rounding "Holy Sounion, Cape of Athens". Menelaus landed at Sounion to give his companion full funeral honours (i.e., cremation on a funeral pyre on the beach). Archaeological finds on the site date from as early as 700 BC. Herodotus (VI.87) mentions that in sixth century BC, the Athenians celebrated a quinquennial festival at Sounion, which involved Athens' leaders sailing to the cape in a sacred boat.
The Temple of Poseidon is perched above the sea at a height of almost 60 meters. Only some columns of the Sounion temple stand today, but when intact it would have closely resembled the contemporary and well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus beneath the Acropolis, which may have been designed by the same architect. The columns are of the Doric Order. They were made of locally quarried white marble.
Cape Sounino is a popular day-excursion for tourists from Athens, with the sunset over the Aegean Sea, as viewed from the ruins, a sought-after sight since the first development of modern tourism in the early 19th century. Cape Sounion itself is located between the villages of Kato Sounio and Legrena.
Forming the southeastern endpoint of the Athens Riviera, Sounio is now an upscale summer home location for Athenians. Construction of villas across the bay northwest of Cape Sounio flourished in the 1960s to 1970s. The Grecotel Cape Sounio luxury resort was built in 1973. The project Arrangement of the Archaeological Site of Sounion (2011–2013) was co-financed by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports and the European Union (ERDF)." (Wikipedia)
After wondering around the ruins we went down to Sounion beach. It is the first time I experience such an amazing feeling to swim next to the ancient ruins of such a beautiful temple.
On the way back we passed Lake Vouliagmeni and we decided to have dinner by the sea side. We chose Γαλήνη Restaurant, in Palaia Fokaia. A well deserved dinner by the sea side and admiring a wonderful sunset are all I need after such a long yet exciting day.
You want to discover more amazing places to visit in Athens? Look no further: HERE they are!
Otherwise delight your eyes with some of the most breath taking beaches in Kefalonia: Petani and Agia Eleni.
'till next time, take care.
Beldi
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