Last Updated on 27 September 2026 by Vanessa
If you’ve got a few extra days in Athens, you don’t have to spend them all in the city. Some of the best places in Greece are surprisingly easy to reach from the capital. Whether you want to visit ancient ruins, spend the day on a Greek island, explore a beautiful historic town, or simply get out into the countryside, you have plenty of options. In this guide, I’ll share the best day trips from Athens and help you figure out which ones are perfect for you.
9 best day trips from Athens, Greece
Hydra Island
Cat-o-meter: 🐱🐱🐱🐱🐱
The island of Hydra is only about 1 hour and 15 minutes by ferry from Athens, making it an easy day trip from the Greek capital. It’s also one of the most gorgeous islands I’ve been to, so I consider this one a must for your Greece itinerary.
You could easily spend a few hours around the incredibly picturesque harbor and Hydra Town, with its small shops, cafés, restaurants, and seemingly endless number of cats. Other places worth seeing include the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Historical Archives Museum, the Lazaros Koundouriotis Historical Mansion, and Leonard Cohen’s former home.
However, I highly recommend walking along the coast toward Hydra’s southwestern side.
Start with Kamini, a small fishing settlement less than 1 km from Hydra Harbor. From there, continue toward Vlychos and its small beach. It’s roughly another kilometer from Kamini.
For lunch, I highly recommend Taverna Marina in Vlychos. The views are incredible, and there are hardly any tourists here.
After lunch, you can continue farther along the coast, but keep an eye on the time if you need to catch a ferry back to Athens. Of course, if you walk too far to make it back on foot, you can take a water taxi back to the harbor.
One day is too short to see every corner of Hydra, but you can already see quite a lot, even when keeping a relaxed pace.
📍 If you’d like to see more than one Greek island in a day, you can also book a cruise from Athens that visits Hydra, Poros, and Aegina. You’ll have around 105 minutes on Hydra, which is enough time to explore Hydra Town as a whole. The only downside? The island is so gorgeous that you’ll probably wish you could stay much longer.
Corinth
Cat-o-meter: 🐱
Ancient Corinth was our first stop on our Peloponnese road trip, and we absolutely fell in love with the atmosphere.
Although the town itself seems fairly unassuming at first, the real highlight is what lies atop the massive mountain looming above it: Acrocorinth Fortress. In our opinion, it’s one of Greece’s most impressively preserved archaeological sites. Stretching across the hilltop and overlooking the entire valley hundreds of feet below, it’s easy to imagine the power it once held. You can even climb to the top of the fortress walls, with the steep vertical cliff dropping below you.
Before you leave, don’t miss Acrocorinth Restaurant, where you can pick up locally produced olive oil and ice cream while enjoying an impressive view from the terrace.
In the end, we only spent one night in Corinth, but we wish we could have stayed longer. The best way to reach Corinth is to rent a car and drive there, which takes about an hour from Athens. Fully-organized tours from Athens to Corinth are also available. One important thing to note is that a modern Corinth also exists near the northern coast, but the area you’ll want to visit for the ancient ruins is Acrocorinth, above the village.
Suggested by Ryan Chan from Wayless Traveler.
Nafplio
Cat-o-meter: 🐱🐱🐱
Nafplio is one of those places that looks almost too pretty in photos. I wasn’t sure whether it would live up to the hype, but it absolutely did.
This charming seaside town is surrounded by mountains and combines Venetian architecture, colorful buildings, cobbled streets, and a beautiful waterfront. It’s a place where I enjoyed simply wandering around and stopping at small boutiques, cafés, and ice cream shops—no need for a strict sightseeing list.
One highlight is Palamidi Fortress, perched high above the town. From here, the views over Nafplio and the sea are spectacular. You can climb the famous steps or drive up to the entrance. Try going in the morning or late afternoon when it’s cooler.
Back in town, the waterfront promenade is perfect for a relaxed walk, especially around sunset. If the weather is calm, you can also take a short boat ride to Bourtzi, the small Venetian fortress in the bay. On a hot day, there are little swimming spots along the coast where you can cool off.
Nafplio is around two hours from Athens by car, which makes it an easy day trip. However, staying for a night or two is even better.
Can’t drive? No worries. There are fully organized day trips from Athens that include not only Nafplio but also Mycenae and Epidaurus.
I visited in mid-May as part of a road trip through Athens and the Peloponnese, and while there were tourists around, it didn’t feel overwhelmingly busy. Spring and early autumn are definitely ideal for exploring comfortably.
Suggested by Nofar Ronen from Traveling Outside the Box.
Let’s Be S.M.A.R.T. animal shelter in Kouvaras
Cat-o-meter: 🐱🐱🐱🐱🐱
One of the more unique and meaningful day trips you can take from Athens is a visit to the Let’s Be S.M.A.R.T. animal shelter in Kouvaras. Greece faces some of the hardest challenges when it comes to stray cats, so spending part of your trip there gives you a chance to learn more about the issue and do something useful while you’re there.
Tours start at any time to suit you from 01:00 pm, so you can spend the morning in and around Kouvaras. The village itself is small, but you can stop for breakfast or a Greek coffee and visit the Monastery of Agios Athanasios, about 3 km away. Keratea, a typical Greek town, also has really cool places: Souma (an all day café/restaurant with swimming pool), Lazo (a fantastic restaurant), and Blexame (another great restaurant). A short drive in the other direction is Kalivia, famous for its meat tavernas where Athenians have been visiting for many years and Easter celebrations are a feast with tavernas full to the brim.
Once you arrive at the shelter, a manager will take you around the garden to meet the 10+ dogs and inside the two-story villa, which currently houses around 90 cats. You’ll hear some of the animals’ rescue stories and have refreshments during the visit. Children tend to love the experience.
If you’d rather get more hands-on, you can volunteer for the day. Morning volunteers generally help with the cleaning routine. You can also arrange a different task in advance, such as photography or videography.
Thinking about adopting a cat from Greece? Their website has profiles of all the available kitties, and you can combine your day trip with collecting your new companion and sorting out the necessary paperwork. Check out our article on how to adopt a cat from Greece for an idea of what the process involves.
Let’s Be S.M.A.R.T. is around 45–60 minutes from Athens by car. The easiest route takes you along Attiki Odos toward Markopoulo and then onto Leoforos Lavriou toward Kouvaras. If you don’t have a car, take Metro Line 3 to Nomismatokopeio, then take the KTEL Attikis bus toward Lavrio, which passes through the Kouvaras area. The 320 connects Koropi with Kalyvia, Kouvaras, Keratea and Lavrio, including the Port of Lavrio. Another option is to arrange a pickup with the shelter from Athens Airport or Koropi.
Delphi
Cat-o-meter: 🐱🐱🐱 (especially around the museum and cafeteria)
The Greek mainland has epic ancient ruins, and outside Athens, Delphi is the most important. A Delphi day trip from Athens is a great choice if you are interested in incredible history, mythology, and panoramic hill views.
The ancient Greeks considered Delphi to be the center of the world. The site was an ancient religious sanctuary dedicated to the Greek God Apollo. In the 6th century B.C., it was the religious center and emblem of unity in the ancient Greek world. The sanctuary was home to the Oracle of Delphi and the priestess Pythia, who was famed throughout the ancient world for divining the future.
We rented a car and drove from Athens to Delphi (about 180 km) in about 2.5 hours. You can also take a public bus from Liossion Bus Terminal in Athens or opt for a guided tour such as this one.
Delphi sits on a plateau, surrounded by mountains. A museum is also adjacent to the site. Your ticket includes entry to both the ancient site and the museum. The museum houses all the artifacts excavated from the site, and it is worth a visit.
Overall, the site and the museum visit take about 2-3 hours.
Suggested by Sweta Singhal from Zest in a Tote.
Mystras
Cat-o-meter: 🐱🐱🐱
If you want to experience some of Greece’s most impressive history, you need to make the trip to the UNESCO-listed archaeological site of Mystras, a former Byzantine city built against the slopes of Mount Taygetos. Give yourself at least three hours to see it properly, as there’s quite a lot of ground to cover and some steep walking involved.
Some of the main places to see are the Palace of the Despots, the Cathedral of Agios Demetrios, the Monastery of Pantanassa, the Church of Panagia Hodegetria, and the small Archaeological Museum. Many of the churches still have Byzantine frescoes inside, which was one of my favorite things about the site.
Afterwards, stop for lunch in the modern village of Mystras or drive about 10 minutes to Sparta, where you’ll have more restaurants to choose from. If you have enough time before heading back to Athens, you can also have a quick look around Sparta.
The easiest way to visit Mystras is either by car (around 2.5–3 hours) or through a guided day trip from Athens. You can also take a KTEL bus from Athens to Sparta and continue to Mystras, but this takes longer and is less convenient.
👉 You can find everything you need to plan your visit in my complete Mystras travel guide.
Monemvasia
Cat-o-meter: 🐱🐱🐱
Monemvasia is around 3.5–4 hours from Athens by car, so this is definitely one of the longer day trips on this list. It’s doable with a rental car and an early start, but I’d recommend staying overnight if you can. Fully-organized tours combining Monemvasia and Sparta (with pickup from Athens) are also available. However, I wouldn’t attempt it as a day trip by public transport, as the journey takes around 4.5–5 hours each way.
Once you arrive, leave your car outside the castle walls and head into the Lower Town. This is where you’ll find most of Monemvasia’s restaurants, cafés, small shops, churches, and old stone houses. Make sure to stop at Elkomenos Christos Church and the Archaeological Collection on the main square. You can also head down to Portello, the small sea gate in the southern wall, where you can go for a swim.
Try climbing to the Upper Town as well. The path is steep, but the views are worth the effort. Most of this part of Monemvasia now lies in ruins, with old houses, churches, walls, and other remains spread across the top of the rock. Agia Sofia, a Byzantine church overlooking the sea, is the main sight.
You should be able to see the entire town in a few hours.
Meteora
Cat-o-meter: 🐱🐱🐱🐱
Even though Meteora is one of the most popular guided day trips from Athens, I wouldn’t recommend visiting it in one day at all. You’ll spend more than hours traveling there, leaving you with only a few hours at Meteora itself.
You certainly don’t need to visit all six active monasteries, but I wouldn’t come here just to see one and then drive straight back to Athens. There’s a lot to see outside the monasteries as well. The road around Meteora passes several viewpoints, and there are hiking trails between the rock formations, monasteries, and nearby villages.
I’d stay for at least one night in Kalambaka or Kastraki instead. Accommodation is extremely cheap here, so booking a room can be worth it even if you’re already paying for a hotel in Athens.
It’s certainly possible to visit Meteora from Athens and return the same day. However, I don’t think it’s worth spending up to 10 hours on the road for just a few hours there.
👉 For in-depth practical information, check out my complete Meteora guide for first-time visitors.
Cape Sounion
Cat-o-meter: cat-less destination 😿
Cape Sounion is easily one of the best day trips from Athens. The main attraction is the Temple of Poseidon, perched high on a cliff at the tip of Attica, with the Aegean Sea stretching out on three sides. Built back in the 5th century BC, these towering marble columns have stood guard for over 2,500 years.
Fun fact: Lord Byron even carved his name into one of the pillars back in 1810 (please don’t follow his lead!). Try to visit for sunset, when the sky turns fiery orange behind those ancient ruins; it’s pure magic.
The easiest option is booking an organized tour, which is what we did back in May 2017. Ours included a stop at Lake Vouliagmeni, a warm thermal lake famous for its mineral waters and tiny fish that nibble dead skin off your feet.
You can also go on your own using the public KTEL bus from Mavromateon Street (near Pedion tou Areos park). It takes about two hours each way, with hourly departures. Entry is €10, and you’ll want at least an hour to explore.
Make sure to pack a windbreaker – it can be quite windy on the cliff. Also, bring good walking shoes and some water (particularly if you visit in summer).
Suggested by Cristina from LooknWalk Greece.
How to get around Greece
Ferry
For the Saronic Islands, Piraeus is your main departure port. Ferries to Aegina, Poros, and Hydra all operate from Piraeus. You can book ferry tickets online in advance, and it’s worth doing so for popular summer day trips.
👉 See available ferries, departure times, and ticket prices here.
You can easily get to Piraeus with the Metro Line 1 (green line). This takes around 25–30 minutes from Monastiraki or Syntagma.
Check your ferry ticket for the exact gate at Piraeus and arrive well in advance, because the port is huge.
Train
The train is a good option if you’re going to Corinth and destinations along the Peloponnese railway line.
Metro Line 2 serves Athens Railway Station aka Larissa Station (Stathmos Larisis). The Athens suburban railway also connects with Piraeus and Athens Airport, which can be useful when combining a day trip with a flight.
You can buy tickets at the stations or online through Hellenic Train and receive an electronic ticket by email. Taking several trains around mainland Greece? Get the Greece Mainland Pass here and use one pass for your rail journeys.
Bus
For destinations outside Athens, you’ll generally use KTEL, Greece’s network of regional bus companies. However, KTEL is not one national bus company; the intercity network is made up of separate regional operators. That means there isn’t one single national website or ticketing system, so you need to check each destination separately. Some allow you to buy tickets online in advance, while others still sell tickets at the station or on the bus.
The Kifissos bus station serves many routes to the Peloponnese and northern/western Greece, while Liosion handles Central Greece. Neither is directly on the metro, but the X93 connects Athens Airport with both intercity bus stations.
Metro
You can take the metro to your starting point in Athens. To pay, you can tap a contactless bank card or phone directly on the metro reader. A 90-minute ticket currently costs €1.20. Need public transport for more than a single journey? Get a 1-day or multi-day pass for the Athens metro, buses, and trams here (with a Plaka audio guide included).
If you’re traveling from Athens Airport, remember that the airport metro ticket is a separate, more expensive fare.
Car
A car is worth considering for day trips where the main sights are spread out or public transport is slow, such as Mystras, Monemvasia, or Delphi. Plus, it’s a great option if you want to combine multiple destinations.
👉 You can find and compare rental cars and prices here.
Consider leaving the city early, because getting out of central Athens alone can easily take an hour during rush hour.
Guided tours
Excellent guided tours run from Athens to most of the destinations we mentioned. This is a good option if you don’t want to work out bus connections, keep track of ferry times, or drive yourself. With a guide, you’ll also get more background on the places you’re visiting. Check out available tours for:
Final thoughts
Athens may have many attractions for travelers, but as you can see, there are just as many things to see outside the city. It all comes down to whether you are seeking beach time, history, or a nature destination.
I hope these destinations inspired you to leave the city for at least one day and explore the surrounding area. You might not be able to do all of them, but at least, you now have the best day trips from Athens to choose from.
Have you found this overview of day trips from Athens a helpful resource? Let us know in the comments, and tell us which would be a destination not to be missed? We love hearing from you.
And, of course, let us know if you have any specific questions.
More ideas for your Athens itinerary
Staying a few days in the city? These Athens guides will help you plan the rest of your itinerary.
- Not sure where to base yourself? Start with our guide to the best neighborhoods in Athens for first-time visitors.
- Ancient ruins are obviously a big part of any first visit, so we’ve rounded up 8 historical sites in Athens worth exploring.
- Planning to visit Athens’ biggest attraction? Our guide to the Acropolis and its 500+ cats covers tickets, opening hours, what to seen and where to spot the famous felines.
- If you’d rather explore somewhere beyond the usual tourist trail, you will love this walking tour in Athens.
- A need of a coffee or a quick snack? Cat Café Athens offers the perfect break from sightseeing.
- And if spotting cats is part of the fun, here’s where to find cats in Athens.
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