Rated Day Trips from Athens

Acrocorinth (Akrokórinthos) lies 3.5 kilometers south of Ancient Corinth. The ascent to the top of this impressive fortified hilltop (575 meters) is made easier by a road, which climbs to a point near the lowest gate on the west side. Acrocorinth was fortified in ancient times, and its defenses were maintained and developed during the Byzantine, Frankish, Turkish, and Venetian periods, so that its walls now measure almost two kilometers in length.

This small museum provides a comprehensive view of finds from the Ancient Corinth archaeological site. Built in 1931-32 and extended in the 1950s, the museum has three display rooms and a large courtyard. The main attractions are Neolithic finds, typical Corinthian pottery and ceramics, mosaic floors, and numerous headless marble statues (the ancients would simply remove the head of a deceased leader from a statue, and replace it with the new leader's head). Exhibits are labeled in both Greek and English.

The most important monument in Ancient Corinth, the imposing Doric Temple of Apollo lies on a low hill and dominates the site. The temple was built around 540 BCE, on the site of an earlier seventh-century-BCE temple.

Ancient Corinth is an important archaeological site, which has revealed many great finds. Once one of the most powerful cities of the Classical world, it came under Roman rule in 146 BCE. It is here that St. Paul preached to the people of Corinth in 51-52 CE, and his experience later inspired him to write the New Testament books of the First Corinthians and Second Corinthians, among the most quoted books of the Bible.

The idea of building a canal through the Isthmus of Corinth (which connects the Peloponnese to the rest of Greece) was conceived by the tyrant Periander in the sixth century BCE to link the Ionian and Aegean Seas. Its completion, however, didn't come about until the late 1800s after modern Greece gained independence.

Only eight kilometers from Athens, the Kaisariani Monastery is nestled in a forest at the foot of Mount Hymettos. A parkland surrounds the monastery, providing welcome shade and fragrance with its pine trees, cypresses, Mediterranean shrubs, and aromatic flowers.

The Monastery of Daphni is tucked away in a serene natural setting, only about 10 kilometers from Athens city center. In ancient times, this location was the site of the Temple of Apollo, to whom the laurel (daphne) was sacred, explaining the origin of the monastery's name. The pagan shrine was converted to an early Christian monastery, which was replaced by the present monastery in 1080.

This pleasant seaside town on the Saronic Gulf is about a three-hour drive from Athens and a 30-minute drive from Nafplio. The main tourist draw of Epidaurus is the well-preserved Ancient Theater (near the ancient Sanctuary of Asklepios), which dates from the 4th century BCE.

In a sheltered bay on the Argolic Gulf, this picturesque seaport is full of old-world romance. Nafplio exudes lively Mediterranean ambience in every corner of the town, but especially in its waterfront cafés and atmospheric alleyways.

About 85 kilometers (a one-hour drive) from Athens and 40 kilometers (a 35-minute drive) from Mycenae, Corinth is a modern port town with a bustling waterfront scene and a wide selection of things to do, including plenty of shops, restaurants, and cafés.

Surrounded by the calm blue waters of the Saronic Gulf, the islands of Aegina, Poros, and Hydra are easy day-trip destinations for tourists based in Athens. All three islands are accessible by ferry boats from the port at Piraeus (12 kilometers from Athens).

This lovely stretch of coastline begins just a few kilometers outside of Athens and extends for approximately 100 kilometers (a two-hour drive) until reaching Cape Soúnion. This area has many archaeological ruins, as well as pampering spas, five-star hotels, traditional restaurants, golf courses, beach clubs, sailing clubs, and yacht marinas.