The Best Weekend Getaway from Athens: Schinias

Athens is one of Europe's great cities — but after a few days of heat, noise, and marble, most visitors find themselves wanting exactly the opposite. Schinias, 45 kilometres north-east of the city centre, delivers it: a long quiet beach, a pine forest national park, clean sea, and the kind of calm that is genuinely hard to find this close to a capital city.

Why Schinias Works as a Weekend Base

Many beaches within reach of Athens are either built up with hotels and beach clubs, or require a ferry crossing. Schinias is neither. It sits on the mainland, it takes under an hour to drive, and the national park that surrounds it means development is limited by law. The result is a coastline that still looks and feels natural.

The combination of beach, history (the plain of Marathon), and a relaxed local food scene means there is enough to fill two or three days without the itinerary feeling rushed — or you can simply do nothing at all, which is equally valid.

A Simple Two-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive and Slow Down

Check in to your accommodation, then walk to the beach. Schinias is 10 minutes on foot through the pine trees. Spend the afternoon in the water or on the sand. In the evening, drive or walk to Nea Makri (10 minutes south) for dinner at one of the seafront fish tavernas. Order the catch of the day, a Greek salad, and local wine. Return as the sun sets over the bay.

Day 2 — History and Nature

Start the morning with a walk or cycle through the national park before the heat of the day. Then drive to the Soros — the burial mound of the 192 Athenian soldiers who died at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. It takes about 20 minutes to visit and the context it gives to the plain you have been looking at makes it worth the detour.

If time allows, visit the Archaeological Museum of Marathon (30–45 minutes) before heading back to the beach for a final swim. Return to Athens in the early evening, well ahead of Sunday night traffic.

Getting There

By car: take Marathonos Avenue from central Athens. The journey is approximately 1 hour in normal traffic, straightforward with no motorway tolls.

By bus: The KTEL Attikis bus departs from Nomismatokopio Metro Station in Athens towards Marathon and Kato Souli, stopping at Nea Makri and the Schinias area. Journey time is around 1.5 hours. Check current timetables at ktelattikis.gr.

When to Go

May and June are ideal — warm enough to swim, uncrowded, and the national park is at its most lush. September and October are similarly excellent, with warm sea temperatures and a noticeable drop in visitors after the summer peak. July and August are the hottest and busiest months — the beach is still beautiful but expect more company on summer weekends.

Spring (March–April) is worth considering if you are interested in the national park rather than the beach — the wildflowers, birds, and cool walking weather make it a genuinely different experience.

Where to Stay

Schinias Soul Habitats offers three apartments designed around exactly this kind of stay. Each one is a short walk from the beach, set among the pines, and equipped for a comfortable few days away. There are three options:

• Aura — an open-plan studio for up to 3 guests
• Gaia — a one-bedroom loft for up to 4 guests
• Karma — a two-bedroom apartment for up to 5 guests

Bookings are taken directly — no platform fees, no intermediaries. Get in touch to check availability.