The Saronic Gulf

Athens, Greece

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The Saronic Gulf is the main body of water that embraces the Greek capital of Athens.  These waters are rich in history full of marine life, ruins and every shade of turquoise imaginable. 

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Tourism

All too often tourists miss out on the large variety of beaches that are just minutes away from the famous Acropolis in downtown Athens.  As you leave downtown heading south on Sigrou Blvd. it will take you to the main beach road Posidonos.  Once near the sea you will pass the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the famous Marina Flisvou, located in Paleo Faliro.  The first sandy/pebbly beach you can access for free is here at Paleo Faliro about a 5-10 min walk from the marina and about a 20 min. drive from the Acropolis.   From this point forward  begins the Athenian sea side experience. 

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The Beaches

Depending on your preference of  "beach scene" all along the coast you can find beaches to suit everyone's need.   From free public beaches  to private more "posh" beaches that require an entrance fee.  For Families there are kid friendly beaches with floating jungle gyms and other fun water sports.   There is also a beach for Special Needs and the Disabled with ramps and easy access to the water.  Nearly all have some kind of beach bar or a near by cantina, with *umbrellas and *chairs (*for a small fee). 

The further south you go, the beaches are more secluded and rocky,  perfect for people who  would rather connect with nature and have peace and quiet.  These beaches begin from Voula and go on until Sounio, they are full of quiet, sandy and rocky beaches (some with caves) hidden from the city and main coastal road. 

Most of the beaches are made from a combination of small pebbles, boulders and sand;  few are sand only (paid private beaches are usually sandy). 

Once in the open water all tend to have sandy bottoms with unique boulders and land formations full of marine life. 

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Marine Life

Aside from a variety of  mostly small fish, you can come across octopus, jelly fish, moray eels, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and star fish - these are in my humble opinion the main celebrities when it comes to the marine life here.  If you are lucky you may spot a loggerhead sea turtle (caretta -caretta) though rare in Athens, since 2008 I have only seen 2 in the wild.

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The Sea

Depending on the season and time of day the color of the sea changes drastically, same goes with its "cleanliness".   The high season  brings a lot of people which sadly comes with it's share of pollution, while the color is vibrant, it can be murky and have low visibility.  Early morning during the high season is the best time to experience clean and crystal clear waters, before any boats or people show up. 

During the low season (fall/winter)  it is the complete opposite.  There are significantly less people out and the same waters are crystal clear with high visibility  with very little pollution.   This however changes during and after bad weather. Storms and high winds make visibility quite low and the clear waters become opaque  in color due to the sand being stirred up from the sea floor.

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Rock or Ruin

Sometimes, a rock isn't just a rock  The coast is full of ruins and broken pieces of ancient pottery - just not exactly obvious to the untrained eye.  The history of the gulfs waters are rich in battles at sea and ship wrecks, especially in front of  the island of Salamina.  Many pebbles, boulders and terracotta fragments found are like puzzle pieces echoing remains of what was once part of a cargo ship, statue, ceramic vessel, collapsed/destroyed building, etc.

In the end, you just never know what you might be touching or standing on.  As the waves of time toss and turn each stone, the curiosity is as intriguing as the mystery. 

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