Piraeus (Πειραιάς) is the ancient port of Athens, and it still functions as the main point of departure from the city by sea, for destinations between the Aegean islands and other locations in the eastern Mediterranean. Domestic destinations include all the Aegean islands except the Sporades Islands and some smaller islands in the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, which require a connection. International destinations (other than cruises) include Cyprus and the Middle East.
Understand
Piraeus occupies a huge territory. Check the boarding gate number in advance so you know where to go. Getting to one end of the port from the other can take you 15 minutes by car or 30 minutes on foot.
Since the privatization of the Piraeus Port Authority, passenger facilities have improved greatly. Air-conditioned tents have been set up at the port's exit points, and free Wi-Fi internet access is now available.
Ship arrivals and departures are posted outside the Coast Guard building in Karaiskaki Square, the main bus terminal in Piraeus.
The area can be very busy, especially in summer, so you have to allow a lot of time to get to the correct starting point.
History
Piraeus was founded at the beginning of the 5th century BC, acquiring great importance as a new port of classical Athens. Built as a prototype port, with three deep-water ports, the main one in Cantharus and the two smaller ones in Zea and Munichia, it concentrated all the import and transit trade of Athens, and was replacing the older and shallow port of Faleron. , which was falling into disuse. During the Golden Age of Athens (480-343 BC), Piraeus was rebuilt according to the famous grid plan of the architect Hippodamus of Miletus, known as the Hypodamic plan, and its main agora was named in honor of him. As a result, Piraeus flourished and became a highly secure and commercially active port, and the Long Walls were built to fortify the route from the main city to its port, creating a formidable naval fortress.
This aroused the misgivings of Sparta and, in the words of Thucydides, "made war inevitable." After this war (431-404 BC), the port gradually declined, growing again in the 19th century, after the declaration of Athens as the capital of Greece. Piraeus occupies a huge territory.
To get
Most travelers arriving in Piraeus from central Athens use the subway. Line 1 ends at the port, from where the Saronic Gulf ferries, hydrofoils and catamarans can be reached on foot, or boats sailing to Crete and the Dodecanese on a free bus. Central Cycladic ferries leave conveniently from the metro station. The metro ticket costs 1.20 euros and allows unlimited connections in all means of transport in 90 minutes.
Direct buses from the airport they operate 24 hours between the port of Piraeus and the international airport of Athens. The journey takes 90 minutes. The airport is also accessible by metro, with a connection in Monastiraki. Bus tickets to the airport, which you can ask the driver for, cost 5.50 euros; those of the subway to the airport, 9 euros.
Other public buses connect Piraeus with other suburbs, the southern coastal area and the center of Athens. Bus and trolleybus tickets cost 1.20 euros and are valid for unlimited connections (including the metro) in 90 minutes. They must be purchased in advance (usually at kiosks or inside metro stations).
During the high season, a good number of cruise ships stop here. Modest-sized ships dock a short distance from the passenger terminal (about a mile south of the metro station). Large ships dock 2-300 meters further, closer to the busy entrance to this port. From the terminal, you can take a taxi, or you can find a city bus that goes to the Metro terminal (ask at the terminal); otherwise, you face a promenade with entrances to the ferry and freight docks on the shore side, and various commercial and civic buildings on the other side of the very busy street. Walkers staying on the harbor side can use a pedestrian bridge over the street in sight of the metro station.
Travel
The center of Piraeus and the Port can be easily visited on foot if you don't carry luggage. Trolleybuses (No. 20) are useful for the journey from the Port to Passalimani and then follow the very picturesque route around the Castella hill, ending at the Faliro line 1 metro station, near the La Paz and La Amistad stadiums. and Karaiskaki.
Free buses within the Port run from the other side of the Metro Line 1 terminal station, around the north side of the port, to ships sailing to Crete, the East Aegean and the Dodecanese.
Watch
- Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, 31 Ch. Trikoupi Street. Founded in 1935 and expanded in 1966, the Piraeus Museum is small in size, but has a number of important pieces in its collection. These include bronze statues of Apollo and Athena from the archaic and classical periods of Greek art, as well as a fine collection of funerary stelae '.
- Municipal Theater of Piraeus, 34 Iroon Polytechniou Avenue. Completed in 1895, the Municipal Theater (Greek: Δημοτικό Θέατρο, Dimotiko Theatro) has been a hallmark of Piraeus for more than a century. Throughout its long history it has not only hosted plays with renowned actors and music concerts by great composers (Manos Hatzidakis, Mikis Theodorakis and others), but also the Municipal Gallery of Piraeus and the Historical Archive. Restoration works were completed in 2013 and the theater is now dedicated to its original purpose of hosting plays.
- Piraeus terminal station. It is one of the oldest in Greece, built on the site of Piraeus' first conventional train station, and completed in 1929. Its original arched interior design and exterior architecture were restored prior to the 2004 Olympics. Since 2005 it also houses the Electric Railway Museum.
- Zea Marina.
Do
The most important thing is to take a ferry to the Greek islands. You can also take a nice walk around the Pasalimani / Mikrolimano area and see many amazing yachts and boats.
Another important option is to take the metro to go to various parts of Athens. The cost is very modest, and the service is very frequent.
- Votsalakia beach.
- Freatida beach.
- Karaiskakis Stadium. Olympiacos are one of the most successful clubs in Greek football, having been champion of Greece more times than any other club. Their rivalry with Panathinaikos, the Enemies Enemies Derby, is widely regarded as one of the most intense in the world.
To buy
The main street to buy clothes in Piraeus is Sotiros GodPedestrianized for the most part and quite pleasant to walk up from the port and down towards the Marina. There are also many shops and cafes along the port, especially towards the cruise terminal and near the metro station.
To eat
Delfino Restaurant[1] 60, Akti Koumoundourou, Mikrolimano, Piraeus, tel. 302104120388. Located in Mikrolimano, a cozy bay with hundreds of sailing boats. Excellent seafood restaurant - try the fresh grilled fish and lobster with linguini. A warm and professional service. Amazing indoor and outdoor areas. For mid / treble budgets.
Go out and drink
Good coffees are very scarce in the port, however, there are a couple of options such as:
- Right Cafe : next to the metro station, near Piraeus gate E8. Recommended by port employees. Cozy place, delicious cakes and coffee service, but unpleasant and at times too complicated. Only a few speak English, have coffee and cakes served.
- Bouboulina. At the end of the marina, Bouboulina has a large terrace overlooking the open sea. The service is relaxed but rather high-end and friendly. The food and drink menu has many options to choose from, and while one would come here for the view more for the culinary delights, Bouboulina doesn't disappoint on that front either.
Sleep
- Ionion hotel. The hotel is managed by Mr. A. Saxionis Takis, who personally responds to emails. The hotel is a short walk from the X96 Delivery bus, and close to the departing ferries. The hotel is an excellent place to spend the night if you are taking an early ferry. Hotel cost is approximately € 50 per night for a room for two people (bathroom en suite). Most of the rooms have air conditioning and a balcony.
- Savoy Hotel.
- Hotel Phidias Piraeus.
- Piraeus Dream Hotel.
- Piraeus Theoxenia Hotel. The most luxurious hotel in Piraeus, with five stars.
- Hotel Lilia.
- Scorpios Hotel.
- Faros Hotel, Notara 140, ☏ 30 210 42 95 171. Double or twin room with separate beds. Shower, air conditioning, central heating, color TV, telephone and Wi-Fi Internet. Single € 30, double € 40.
Stay safe
Piraeus is a pretty chaotic place, with horrendous traffic even for Greece. You have to be especially careful when crossing the street, or when walking on the sidewalk next to the ferry docks, where cars, taxis and trucks tend to circulate randomly among the crowds of travelers coming and going from the boats.
Piraeus is a huge port full of sailors, and some parts are as rough as you would expect from such a place. The areas next to the ferry docks are quite safe, but you should avoid walking around the rest of Piraeus, especially at night, unless you know the way.
Unlicensed taxi drivers often come across the arriving ferries. Unlike in some countries, these taxis have a bad reputation and should not be considered a cheap alternative to licensed taxis.
It has been reported the existence of gangs of pickpockets working on the Piraeus-Airport bus.
One of the scams that can be found in Piraeus is quite subtle. A man will approach you while you wait with your luggage in line to board a ferry. This man is a consummate actor: although in reality he does not claim to work for the ship or the port, his conduct and demeanor suggest that he does. He will collect your luggage, ignoring any objections, and take you with him to the head of the line, at which point he will demand a large tip. In one case, the bite was 7.00 euros (our respondent decided that the performance was worth 2.00 euros).
Visit later
Piraeus is the largest port in Greece, which means that you have a wide variety of destinations to choose from. Flying dolphins and boats depart from here to the islands of the Saronic Gulf (gate Ε8), high-speed catamarans and conventional ferries to the Aegean islands (gates E6, E7, E9, E10), ferries and cruises to Crete, Lesbos, Chios and the Dodecanese (gates E3, E2 and gate E1 respectively) and larger ships to Cyprus and the Middle East (gates E11, E12). Most of the major Greek naval companies have agencies here.