Day 6: Cruise - Depart Athens to Sounion to Kea

May 30th - Early in the morning, our arranged transport will depart Meteora to return us to Athens for our cruise. During our drive back, we will pause at the historic battlefield of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans made their legendary stand. We will then continue straight to the Agios Kosmas marina, the departure point of many motor yacht charters. We will be greeted by the crew and will depart for Sounion. There will be a lot of space in the bay. With some time before lunch, the braver among us will be taken to shore for a quick walk up to the Temple of Poseidon, while the rest will just relax on the yacht’s sundeck. Lunch will be served, and we will depart in the direction of Kea shortly after.

Kea will offer us a wealth of history, both ancient and modern. Being close to the mainland and the first Cycladic island, Kea will have strategic importance. Notably, the Britannic (Titanic’s sister ship) will have been sunk off Kea, on its way to pick up wounded Allied soldiers, and its wreck will still lie there. We will choose a quiet little bay, away from many other boats, and will have dinner. If we are not too tired, we will have the opportunity to discover the area of Ay Nikolaos – a city with tavernas – that evening. (B, D)