Most tourists turn around at Sounion. Here's why that's a mistake.
From the thermal waters of Lake Vouliagmeni to the rugged coast of Lavrio, here is how to do Greece’s famous coastline differently.
After visiting Sounion, most people turn around and head back to Athens — don’t. Instead, proceed counterclockwise around the cape, north to Lavrio. Ancient Laurium is where the ancient Athenians had their silver mines and minted all those coins you see at the Numismatic Museum. Still, today it’s a sleeper hit of a port town with a fine archaeological museum.
It’s also the place where the ferries depart for nearby Kea.
If you want to have beachless exploration day — let’s face it, not everyone is enamored with sunburn and sand — consider making an early splash at Lake Vouliagmeni. Just remember, its thermal waters are popular, so make a reservation a day or more in advance.
The road to Lavrio, particularly after Cape Sounio, is a stunner. You’ll catch glimpses of the shimmering blue Aegean from way up high, imbuing the ride with the remote charm of driving on a rugged Cycladic island. The road is peppered with authentic tavernas, some specializing in seafood, others with an emphasis on grilled meats. You’ll wish you had time to try them all.
Lavrio itself is no St-Tropez, but it’s also no slouch in terms of its dulcet port appeal. It’s a bit reminiscent of the port of Aegina. "While the beaches here aren't nearly as good as those you’ll find on Aegina, the true charm comes from the workaday port, its smattering of seaside restaurants, and a wonderful sense of remoteness paired with historical importance.
It’s not the kind of place where you dash by for twenty minutes. A couple hours of strolling by the port or lingering over boat-fresh seafood mezze is the thing to do here. Speaking of seafood, there’s a great new-ish seafood restaurant in town, called O Kapetanios: The Captain. Well, it’s been there for while but is under new management. Simple menu, everything fresh.
I was planning on just having a Greek salad and some fried zucchini sticks with tzatziki, and both were delicious. But my friend implored me to try the marinated anchovies or grilled sardines. So I tried both, tentatively at first.
“Eat them whole!” So I did. Both dishes were excellent, though I thought the sardineshad a bit more kick. Loved the addition of capers, too.
Ready to head back to Athens? Not so fast. Just outside Lavrio lies the ancient site of Thorikos. Here, you can wander through the world's oldest surviving theater, completely uncrowded, with stunning views of the Aegean stretching out below you. Now you can drive back to the city.
