Cape Sounion: A Travel Story.

Our approach to lockdown was this: If a plane was flying then we would get on it. Easy as that! With the appropriate PCR in hand, we landed in Athens and instead of heading into the sprawling city, we took the 57km, more scenic route south and into the Southern tip and the Cape Sounion region.

I’m aware that the mainland of Greece is not essentially an island, yet climbing the 60m summit to the Temple of Poseidon, located high above crashing waves, the lookout across to the nearby Greek islands makes you feel as if the mainland is also a little island. Let’s explore.

HOW THE AEGEAN SEA GOT ITS NAME...
“It is thought to be the spot where Athenian King Aegeus killed himself by jumping off the cliff. Aegeus, who had positioned himself at Sounion to look out for the return of his son Theseus from Crete, saw the black sails on the ship and mistakenly thought Theseus had been killed by the Minotaur, a creature with the head of a bull and the body of a man. In fact, young Theseus was victorious but had forgotten to replace the black sails on his ship with white ones upon returning, which ultimately led to his father’s death. And so, in commemoration, Aegeus’ name was given to the Aegean Sea.”

STAY UNDER THE TEMPLE OF POSEIDON
During Pericles’ “Golden Age”, between 461 and 429 BC, both the Sanctuary of Goddess Athena and Poseidon’s temple, were reconstructed during his legendary building program, but the Temple of Poseidon is the only one that stood the test of time. Book a room at Aegeon Beach Hotel and from the end rooms, you can park off on your balcony and catch the view of the 16-columned temple (of which 15 are still standing today). The hotel was built in the glorious 60s and is low-slung, unpretentious, and has a beach in front with awesome sunsets. And the best is the two little beachside tavernas steps away.

AEGEON BEACH HOTEL: 68 χλμ, Leof. Athinon Souniou, Sounio 195 00, Greece • Aegean-hotel.com

STRETCH YOUR IMAGINATION
If you peer at the east pediment really closely, you might even make out a seated woman, the only remainder of the sculptural decoration depicting the fabled fight between Poseidon and Athena for the domination of Attica.

SUNSETS & BEATS
An hour or so before sunset, leave your hotel and drive north 6km. Your car will fall off the edge of the tarmac and lead you onto a rough dirt road, through wild olives groves and down the track there’s a little bar set up overlooking Kape Beach. Go in time for the sunset, order an Aperol Masti (local mastic liqueur, lime juice and grapefruit soda) Shazam some of the cool tunes and chill. Ps: there's a decent beach down the 99 stairs with a nudist area to the right if you clamber off the rocks. Opening times are seasonal so check their Insta. @kapebeach

LAZY LONG LUNCHES
There are two simple delicious tavernas on the doorstep of the Aegeon Beach Hotel. They both obviously have excellent seafood and fish but as a vegetarian, you can go wild at ACROGIALI with Smoked Chicory, eggplant salad and baked feta. They boil up beetroots, zucchini, and Almira (local greens) and serve with lashings of olive oil and plenty of squeezed lemon juice. This is also where I discovered Politiki (a cabbage salad of carrots, red peppers and vinegar). There is also something called LETTUCE (6 euros) on the menu and I imagine that you will just get a plate of iceberg :-) TOP TIP: look up often at the Temple of Poseidon, brooding high above on the hilltop.

AGROGIALI: Lavrion, Sounio 195 00, Greece • OPEN MON-SUN 11AM-11PM

A little higher up from Agrogiali is LLIAS Taverna with a nice gravelled terrace.

It’s good to know that tavernas call hot chips, fried potatoes. A better choice is the Zucchinis fries with grated cheese and the zucchini dip, spicy cheese of garlic-laden skordalia. They also do giant beans. Finish with yoghurt with honey and more retsina. Sunset-worthy!

LLIAS TAVERNA: Lavrion, Sounio 195 00, Greece • OPEN MON-SUN 11AM-11PM

STRIP OFF/ SUNSCREEN ON
If you wanna get your kit off Limanakia Nudist Beach is just 30 mins away from the hotel. It’s a steep walk down to the rocky edges, where you can strip off and apply factor 50. Your reward is the bluest of blue water. Diving off the rocks into the protected coves in your birthday suit is one of life’s pure joys. Take enough sunscreen, water and snacks. It’s no-mans land. Ps: Sea urchins live there.

You can also Have a drink in the canteen of Lefteris in Limanakia a, the next beach on as you head towards Vouliagmeni.

VOULIAGMENI ON THE GREEK RIVIERA
There’s a bit of a California feel as you drive on the Attica road from the temple of Poseidon, up towards the Athens riviera town of Vouliagmeni. It's a busy little town and a worthwhile spot to drop in for some fresh mussels at the Tavern Theodoris & Eleni. If you’re more veg inclined, try their roasted greek potatoes, boiled greens and traditional Greek peas and carrots.

Tavern Theodoris & Eleni, Legrenon, Legrena 195 00 Greece FB: Thodoros & Eleni.