DAY TRIPS FROM ATHENS

Which day trips from Athens should you book?

You will notice the many of these day trips are with Get Your Guide or Viator

These are large, well known, global companies and we have chosen to partner with them ( yes, we will earn a small commission if you book one of these tours) for the following reasons.

1. They have a solid reputation across the planet for providing reliable, safe and enjoyable tours.
2. In most cases, bookings can be cancelled up to 24 hours prior to starting.
3. Their customer service is available 24/7 in multiple languages.
4. In many cases, they are transparent about who the tour is with and name the operator in the description. Most of their competitors do NOT do this.

Of course, there are other operators out there that are also great. Our other recommendation is to tap into locals via either Airbnb experiences or direct. That way the money you spend stays in Greece too.

Athens private tours on day trips

Sometimes you may want to hire your own car and driver and enjoy a curated tour tailormade just for you. Perhaps you are a group or just someone wanting a more intimate experience and are happy to pay more for that.

We use and recommend a couple of great guys – Terry and Dimitri at CATTaxi.

They have a brand new Mercedes Benz Minivan fully equipped with free wifi AND they offer Virtual Reality technology that allows you to experience various sites exactly as they once were. Pretty mind blowing actually!

You can read more about them in this recent article for an Australian Food Magazine.

Meteora

Meteora was first inhabited by various natives between 50,000 and 5,000 years ago. Today it is one of the most well-known places in Greece, and an area well worth exploring – it truly is remarkable!

You can get to Meteora yourself from Athens by train or bus, but if you do that I really recommend you stay at least overnight as it’s a very long day. Once you’re there, you can experience Meteora and its numerous caves and rock formations through one of the numerous hiking tours or train tours, or by choosing a trip that explores Meteora’s hermit caves.

Read more in our complete guide to Meteora! 

Mythical Delphi

The area was inhabited as early as 4000 BC, and is home to ruins of neolithic settlements, a cave where early rituals took place and a Mycenaean settlement featuring a cemetery. Here you can also find the first remnants of the cult of Apollo, dating back to the 8th century BC, where the ruins of the first temples of Apollo and Athena can be found, linked to some of the other Greek gods, including Artemis, Poseidon and Hermes.

Visitors that visit Delphi from Athens can explore two separate sanctuaries, which are dedicated to Apollo and Athena. The well-known Temple of Apollo is located in the central area of the site, is the most important attraction of all. Many votive monuments are also found scattered among the buildings, having been dedicated to Delphi by various cities and wealthy individuals throughout history.

Corinth, Nafplio and the Argolis

If you want to learn about Greek history, there is no better place than Corinth – or Korinthos, as the Greeks refer to it.

Corinth is a veritable gem where you can explore everything from Greek culture and religion, in the Ecclesiastic Museum and the famous Historic-Folklore Museum, to the municipal library on 84 Pilarinos Street and the mythical archaeological site of the ancient city of Korinthos, featuring such places as the temple of the goddess Tyche, the courtyard of Apollo and the Lerna fountain.

Getting to Corinth will take you through a journey of about 70 km along the highway from Athens and takes just over an hour.

Nearby is the world-famous Corinth Canal that dissects the Peloponnese from mainland Greece. A feat of great engineering this canal had a considerable impact on trade and the world economy when it was built.

Just south of Mycenae is the beautiful seaside town of Nafplio, once the first capital of Greece and a charming and quite authentic destination much favored by Athenians.

To the East, you can find Epidaurus and its famous ancient theater, which houses the annual Epidaurus Festival, a celebration that takes place as a series of theater and dance performances. Considered one of the most technically perfect amphitheaters in the world and in excellent condition.

This entire region is not to be missed and will leave you desperate to return for a proper Peloponnese holiday! It will be a long day trip but well worth every second.

The Saronic Islands

Aegina is excellent for family vacations, while Hydra, which has no cars or scooters can be a great place to explore secluded squares and get lost in a place that time forgot.

Poros features a lively waterfront with cafes, restaurants and shops, as well as a curious combination of picturesque cobbled streets and modern entertainment venues that can be great for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Other islands in the Saronic group include Agistri and Moni which are both an absolute delight to explore.

The Athenian Riviera & Cape Sounion

The southernmost tip of the Attic peninsula is the place where you can find Cape Sounion, a place of beauty and historic wealth which was mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey as the place where the various Greek commanders arrived back after serving in Troy.

The Deme of Sounion, the Temple of Poseidon and the Temple of Athena are the main attractions of the region, featuring monuments, pillars, ruins, and sculptures dating back more than 2,000 years that are a real treasure for anyone interested in history and archaeology.

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