The Athens Riviera: A Coastline You Didn’t Expect

Most visitors to Athens don’t realize the city has a beach. In fact, it has 70 kilometres of coastline running south from Piraeus through Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, and Lagonisi to Cape Sounion — an accessible riviera with organized beaches, seafood restaurants, and some of the clearest water within driving distance of a European capital.

Key stops

Glyfada is the first major coastal town south of the city — upscale, with shopping, restaurants, and several beach bars and organized swimming areas. Vouliagmeni is the riviera’s most attractive town, built around a beautiful natural harbor with high-end hotels and fish restaurants lining the waterfront. The Vouliagmeni Lake — a thermal lake of brackish, warm water — is one of the most unusual natural features near Athens and can be visited year-round for swimming.

Varkiza and Lagonisi further south offer more affordable beach clubs and a less developed coastline. The drive ends at Cape Sounion, where the Temple of Poseidon stands on a cliff above the sea — one of the great coastal monuments of the ancient world.

Getting there

The coastal road (Poseidonos Avenue and its continuation) is the most direct route. By public transport, the direct bus to Cape Sounion is operated by KTEL Attikis and departs from Pedion Areos (Mavroimataion Street) — not from Syntagma. Note that the OASA E22 express bus terminates at Saronida, well before Sounion, and should not be used for this journey. The A1 express bus connects Syntagma with Glyfada quickly. By car, the drive from central Athens to Vouliagmeni takes 30–45 minutes depending on traffic — longer at weekend lunchtime.

Best time to go

The riviera operates properly from May through October. The beaches are organized (sunbeds, umbrellas, facilities) from June. The Vouliagmeni Lake and the fish restaurants operate year-round. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to visit the beaches; weekends get crowded from Athens.