The Athenians

🛈  Cape Sounio is a stunning headland located at the southern tip of the Attica peninsula in Greece, overlooking the Aegean Sea. It is situated approximately 70 kilometers southeast of Athens and is easily accessible by car or bus. Cape Sounio is renowned for its natural beauty, with rugged cliffs, crystal-clear waters, and panoramic views that stretch as far as the eye can see. The cape’s dramatic coastline and stunning sunsets make it a popular destination for photographers and nature lovers.

🏛️ Cape Sounio is best known for the ancient Greek ruins of the Temple of Poseidon, which stand proudly atop the cape’s rocky promontory. The temple, dedicated to the god of the sea, Poseidon, was built in the 5th century BCE and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding sea and islands.
The Temple consists of Doric columns, as well as the surrounding archaeological remains, which include fortification walls and a sanctuary dedicated to Athena.

🏖️ Cape sounio under the temple of Poseidon

☀️ One of the highlights of visiting Cape Sounio is watching the sunset over the Aegean Sea from the vantage point of the Temple of Poseidon. The golden hues of the setting sun against the backdrop of the ancient ruins create a magical and unforgettable experience.

🛈  Patroklos or Gaidouronisi (donkey island) is an isle located southwest of Attica, with a rocky and rugged terrain. It is characterized by its rocky coastline, low vegetation, and limestone cliffs.

🏛️ While Patroklos Island does not have any permanent inhabitants or significant historical sites, it is named after the mythical Greek hero Patroklos, as mentioned in Homer’s epic poem “The Iliad.” The island’s association with Greek mythology adds to its allure and
mystique.

🏖️ There are three beaches on the north side of the island

🛈  Known also as Arsida Island or Arzenta, but also as Eleousa, it is a mere 800-acre island, located opposite the coastline of Attica, west of Anavyssos.
The fact that an uninhabited island has made it a “home” for seabirds, migratory birds, and endemic flora. For this reason, it is also a habitat of the European Corine program.

🏖️ At Arsida, you can enjoy the crystalline waters reminiscent of the Cyclades and the tranquility offered by the landscape. It is worth diving on the south side of Arsida, with the rocky coves and the unique cave of Arzenta, with its deep blue waters that phosphoresce, its open “ceiling” (it is an open cave), where the sun enters and bathes it in light.

🛈  The islet of Fleves is located close to Vouliagmeni. In antiquity, it was called Phavra

🏛️ During the 1920s, the island passed into the ownership of the Greek Ministry of Defense and the Hellenic Navy, and in 1930, it was officially converted into a Naval Fortress, as artillery batteries were built to strengthen the protection of the port of Piraeus and the naval base of Salamis. After World War II, when the Special Underwater Demolition Unit (OYK) of the Hellenic Navy was created, Fleves became known as the “Island of the OYKs,” serving as a training ground for their education. Currently, the island is under the jurisdiction of the Hellenic Armed Forces Real Estate Utilization Service, and the OYKs conduct training 1-2 times a year.

🏖️ All around the island