Daphni sits beside the Sacred Way that ran from Athens to Eleusis, on the western edge of the city, and it is one of the finest Byzantine monuments in Greece. The monastery was founded in the early Christian centuries on the site of a temple of Apollo, and the present church dates from about the eleventh century, with a dome set on a square plan and eight sides inside. The mosaics are the reason to come. In the dome the Christ Pantocrator looks down with a stern, brooding face, and around the walls are scenes from the life of Christ in gold and deep colours. The best are the Baptism, the Crucifixion and the Anastasis, with figures drawn with grave dignity.
The monastery has seen a lot. After the Fourth Crusade the Frankish Duke of Athens gave it to the Cistercians in 1207, and its walls and cloister bear traces of Gothic work, and later the Orthodox monks returned. The Ottomans used it, the Greeks used it as a military barracks, and in 1999 an earthquake damaged the church and closed it for years, with repairs and restoration carried out slowly. It is now back on the cultural itinerary, but opening hours change, so check before you go. Its monastery walls are fortress-like, and the grounds have pines and a small museum.
Riding to Daphni is an exercise in Athenian traffic. The old road from the centre follows Iera Odos, the Sacred Way, through Chaidari, a dense suburb of about forty-five thousand people, with traffic lights, buses and impatient drivers. Scooters are everywhere and the locals ride aggressively, so keep your wits and your distance. Heat in summer is fierce, and midday makes a car park an oven, so come early in the morning. In spring, the pines around the monastery smell of resin, and the light is gentle.
Fuel is no problem in Chaidari, and cafes and bakeries abound. Try a spinach and cheese pie, or a glass of freddo espresso, the cold iced coffee that Athenians drink all year. Parking near the site is limited, but a motorcycle can usually squeeze in. Combine the visit with the nearby coast at Elefsina, the ancient Eleusis, where the Mysteries took place for nearly two thousand years, and where the pilgrimage from Athens ended. Wear sunscreen and take water, because the grounds offer little shade.