You can rent a car for the day, take a city bus from central Athens, or join a tour group from your hotel. Either way, try to get there as the sun is setting (although the view is dramatic even without the sun setting over the sea behind it). There's a parking lot and an outdoor cafeteria where we had iced coffee and the kids had ice cream. It's cool and shady. A short walk up the hill takes you to the temple rising over the sea. The temple was built around 440 BC (about the same time as the Parthenon), and most of the columns are still standing. You won't be alone, but you'll feel like you're in a magical place.

Warning: The traffic going out of Athens on Fridays and coming into Athens on Sunday nights should be avoided at all cost. Try not to plan your side trip to Sounion at those times.

The Temple of Poseidon is one of the best-preserved classic temples in all of Greece. It is located at an elevated and historically strategic level overlooking the beautiful blue Aegean Sea. Even if you are not a fanatic of architecture, you will still marvel at the magnificent 360-degree views from the top of the hill. You can see the beachfront below along with little boats racing by. Dare to peer over the edges of the rocks, but do not lean too far or you will plunge into the sea hundreds of feet below! The Temple has Doric columns but no roof. Built in 440BC, it was restored in the 19th Century. Surrounding it are a few scattered ruins. There is a full-service restaurant with a semi-outside seating area. Parking is also available at the site.

Now for the fun part: how to get to Cape Sounion? Well you need to reach one of the orange-colored buses with a sign that will say "Sounion" in Greek letters. These long-distance buses congregate in a busy area a few blocks north of the National Archaeological Museum. They run every hour to and from the site, but the ride is a fairly lengthy two hours on what is more than likely a klunky bus. There are two routes; one follows the spectacular Apollo Coast of Attica while another goes inland and takes a few minutes longer. Try to get a window seat on the coastal bus, as you will pass magnificent scenery such as local beaches, mountains, twisting roads, and fishing inlets.

It was built using Doric columns, the most simple of the three Greek architectural styles and it is the simplicity that so intrigued me. No fancy do-dads, just clean simple lines of white marble against the blue sky and the blue sea below - breathtaking!

If you have your own transporation, getting here is a cinch. Otherwise, city buses run from downtown Athens and take about 1 1/2 hours. You can also join a bus tour to Sounion, some of which include lunch or dinner at one of the nearby beach tavernas.

It can be pretty crowded unless you get here in the early morning before the tour buses arrive. We took a break from the crowds and wandered down to the beach to relax for awhile. When it got too hot, we stopped for a snack in a shady spot at one of the tavernas.

At night it can be cool, especially with the breeze from the Agean so you might want to bring a jacket.

The best time to see the Temple is at sunset when the Agean takes on a fiery, red glow that makes you wonder if Posiedon isn't still around, keeping watch on his temple.