At a glance
🚇 Elliniko
Line 2 to the end. Then bus or taxi.
🏖️ Beaches
Free and organised, from Edem to Varkiza.
🌊 Lake Vouliagmeni
Warm water, swimming all year round.
🌅 Sounion
The Temple of Poseidon at sunset.
The coast, from north to south
In Palaio Faliro, at Flisvos marina, the battleship Georgios Averof is moored as a floating museum. The seafront promenade is for strolling, not swimming. A little further down, Edem and Alimos are the first beaches where Athenians swim, with the tram all the way there.
Glyfada is a small town in its own right: marinas, cafés, shops and people out until late. Voula is quieter and more family-oriented. Vouliagmeni is the prettiest part of the Riviera, with coves, pine trees and clear water. Further south, Varkiza has a long sandy beach, and from there the road carries on along the sea to Sounion.
The battleship Averof, a floating museum in Faliro.
Marinas, cafés and shops.
Sunset over the Saronic Gulf.
A long sandy beach, further south.
Photos: Simisa (CC BY-SA 3.0), Mister No (CC BY 3.0), Regina Deftereos (CC BY 2.0), Geraki (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
🗺️ The Riviera, stop by stop
The coast from Faliro to Varkiza: about 25 kilometres. It’s not a walk, it’s a string of stops. Pick one or two for a day. Tap each number to see what it is.
Vouliagmeni
Vouliagmeni is a peninsula with pine trees, small coves and very clear water. Here you’ll find free spots for swimming off the rocks, organised beaches and expensive beach clubs. In the afternoon the sun sets over the Saronic Gulf and the coast fills with golden light.
Coves, pine trees and clear water.
Shallow, turquoise water.
The sun sets behind the mountains of the Saronic Gulf.
Photos: Chepry (CC BY-SA 4.0), C messier (CC0), Vouliagmeni (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Lake Vouliagmeni
A few metres from the sea, below a high rock face, lies Lake Vouliagmeni. It was formed when an underground cave collapsed. Seawater flows in through underground channels and mixes with water from hot springs, so the lake stays warm all year round. It’s an organised site with an entrance fee, sunbeds and a café. If you keep still in the water, tiny fish come to nibble your feet.
See our guide to Lake Vouliagmeni for tickets and opening hours.
Swimming below the rock, all year round.
The lake was formed by a cave that collapsed.
The lake is just a few metres from the sea.
Photos: Salwa Farwaneh (CC0), C messier (CC0), Tzovara Erietta (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Sounion, at the end of the road
The coast road ends at Cape Sounion, about 65 kilometres from Athens. There stands the Temple of Poseidon, from the 5th century BC, above the sea. The best time is sunset. Go by KTEL bus, car or organised tour. See our guide to Sounion.
The Temple of Poseidon, the end of the coast.
Photo: Oleksandr Troitskyi (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Which beach to choose
- Quick and cheap: Edem or Alimos, by tram. Free beaches, very busy at weekends.
- With facilities: organised beaches in Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni, with an entrance or sunbed fee. See our guide to Voula A Beach.
- Clear water: the further south you go, the clearer it gets: Vouliagmeni, Varkiza and beyond.
- In winter: Lake Vouliagmeni, for swimming in warm water.
Practical tips
- Best time: morning for swimming, afternoon for the sunset. In August, start early.
- Summer weekends: the beaches fill up and the buses are packed. If you can, go on a weekday.
- Food: at fish tavernas, ask the price per kilo before you order fish.
- Sun: sunscreen, a hat, water. There’s little shade on the free beaches.
🚇 How to get there from Ioulianou 50
- Ioulianou 50 → Victoria station: 3 minutes on foot.
- Line 1 (green), towards Piraeus: one stop to Omonia.
- Line 2 (red), towards Elliniko: to the end of the line.
- Elliniko: bus 122 to Vouliagmeni and the lake, or a taxi to Glyfada.
For Faliro, Edem and Alimos, the simplest option is the tram. See our guide to the tram. Bus timetables change in summer, so check them with OASA before you set off.
🚇 Ioulianou 50 → the Riviera by metro and bus
Line 1 to Omonia, change to Line 2 to the end of the line, Elliniko. From there bus 122 runs down the coast road to Lake Vouliagmeni.
Where it is in relation to the apartment
📍 From Angels Athens to the «Athens Riviera · Glyfada» area
See at a glance how to get from the apartment at Ioulianou 50 to the heart of the neighbourhood. Drag the map and zoom in for details.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from the centre?
To Glyfada about 45 minutes by metro plus bus or taxi. To Vouliagmeni about an hour.
Is the water clean?
Most beaches are monitored and many get a Blue Flag. The clearest water is from Vouliagmeni southwards.
Is it worth it for a day?
Yes. Pick one or two stops, for example Lake Vouliagmeni in the morning and sunset in Vouliagmeni, and don’t try to see everything.
— Kathy
