The Athens tram runs southwest from the city centre along the Saronic Gulf coastline to Glyfada and Voula - flat seafront in under an hour, no changes, no metro navigation. November on the Athenian Riviera is specific and excellent: the summer beach clubs have emptied, the tavernas are serving local populations, and the sea temperature sits at 19-20°C.
Getting There
Board Tram Line T5 or T6 from the terminus at Syntagma Square. The line tracks the coast south through Faliron, Alimos, and Elliniko before reaching Glyfada - 45 minutes of sitting down while the Saronic Gulf passes on the left. The tram ticket costs €1.40.
Day One: Glyfada
Glyfada is the main commercial suburb of the southern Athens coast - a grid of flat streets behind the seafront, with a marina, a commercial centre, and the organised, prosperous feel of a seaside suburb where everything needed is within walking distance.
The seafront esplanade runs along the shore from the marina south toward Voula, approximately 2 kilometres of flat tarmac promenade with the Saronic Gulf on one side and the coast road cafes on the other. Walk it slowly in one direction, turn around, walk back. The sea in November is calm and clear; the Saronic islands - Aegina, Salamis - are visible on the horizon. The coffee at the harbourside cafes is good.
Where to stay in Glyfada: Emmantina Hotel on Poseidonos Avenue, directly on the coast road. Palmyra Beach Hotel is marginally further from the tram but closer to the beach.
Day Two: Vouliagmeni
A local bus (line 122 or 171 from Glyfada central) reaches Vouliagmeni in approximately 30 minutes, running south along the coast road through Voula.
Lake Vouliagmeni is a brackish thermal lake in a limestone cavity directly adjacent to the sea, separated from the Saronic Gulf by a narrow rock shelf. The water temperature remains between 22°C and 29°C year-round due to geothermal activity below. The lake has been used for therapeutic bathing since antiquity; the Romans knew it as Thermia. Entry for swimming is approximately €9-15 depending on the day. For a runner with tight muscles two days after a marathon, warm mineral water at 25°C is the correct prescription.
The Vouliagmeni esplanade connects the lake to the beach and the small marina - approximately 1.5 kilometres of flat seafront walk.
Where to eat: Ithaki restaurant on the Vouliagmeni waterfront: creative Greek cooking using Aegean seafood, terrace overlooking the bay. For something more casual: the waterfront tavernas in Glyfada's marina area serve standard Greek coastal cooking at off-season prices.
Getting to the Airport
The X96 Airport Express Bus runs from the Vouliagmeni stop (or from central Glyfada) directly to Athens International Airport in approximately 35 minutes. Check current schedules at oasa.gr. The bus runs 24 hours.