Two of these trips are short enough for a half day; the other two need an early start and a late return.
The sanctuary of the oracle hangs on the slope of Mount Parnassus, with the Temple of Apollo and the round Tholos among the cypresses. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tip: One ticket, €20, covers the site and the museum. From November to March the gate closes at 3.30 pm, so a day return by coach leaves very little time; drive, or sleep over.
Weather: Delphi
The Temple of Poseidon sits on the southern tip of Attica with sea on three sides, and the cape is known for its sunsets.
Tip: Open from 9.30 am, closing at sunset, with the last entry 20 minutes earlier. Ticket €20. Arrive an hour before sunset and you see both the temple and the light go.
Weather: Sounion
The nearest island has a harbour of cafés, the Temple of Aphaea on the ridge and pistachio groves inland.
Tip: Ferries and hydrofoils leave from Piraeus, more often between April and October. If you prefer Hydra, count on about 90 minutes each way by fast catamaran and no cars once you land.
Weather: Aegina
Nafplio was the first capital of modern Greece, a pastel town with the Bourtzi fortress on an islet in the bay. Mycenae, the Bronze Age citadel, lies about 120 km from Athens.
Tip: The combined day tour with the Corinth Canal, Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio lasts 10 and a half hours and starts from €125. Going alone, a car is the easier way to link the two; coaches take about two hours to reach Nafplio.