Day 01. Athens-Sounio-Glyfada

Day 01. Athens - Sounio - Glyfada

Arrival around 9:30am to Athens International airport. Stay at a nearby Country house hotel, and the next day and first of the bicycling journey pedal to Glyfada via Sounio 50 miles with 3,889 ft of elevation gain.

The map for this day's route is:

Sounion (Σούνιον; modern Greek: Σούνιο) is the southernmost point of Attica to the east, about 40 miles from Athens. Because it commanded the seafaring lanes to and from Athens it was was fortified to guard the maritime interests of the Athenians. A strong garrison of Athenians hoplites and triremes was stationed at the promontory and guarded the all-important food supplies from Eubea and Pontos, as well as the nearby silver mines of Lavrion. Today, it is an archaeological site crowned by the elegant Doric Temple of Poseidon.

Homeric Hymn 22 To Poseidon

I begin to sing about Poseidon, the great god, mover of the earth and fruitless sea, god of the deep who is also lord of Helicon and wide Aegae. A two-fold office the gods allotted you, O Shaker of the Earth, [5] to be a tamer of horses and a saviour of ships!

Hail, Poseidon, Holder of the Earth, dark-haired lord! O blessed one, be kindly in heart and help those who voyage in ships!