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Visited Piraeus port of Athens. Piraeus - the sea gate of Greece

Let's start with the main thing: the Athens port of Piraeus in Greece is the largest harbor in the country and all of Europe, it consists of several large berths. These piers are located close, but between some of them it is a 5-10 minute walk. Your ferry can depart from any of them; check the berth number when purchasing a ticket. Take this into account, otherwise you will be late for the ship!

All other important information about the port of Piraeus in Athens is collected in our article.


As a rule, tourists come to the Athens port of Piraeus with the main goal: to quickly leave it for some beautiful island (Milos, Mykonos, Santorini, etc.). Some spend a night here, or even two or three, like us. Our short but extremely useful guide will be useful for both. In this article we have collected everything that has already been written on our website about the port of Piraeus in Athens, plus we have added some new information, a review of attractions and a few photos. Here's what you'll find in this article.

Port of Piraeus in Greece: our guide

How to get to the port of Piraeus from Athens airport and city center

The port city of Piraeus in Greece is considered by many to be a suburb of Athens, because from the center of the capital to the harbor is only 10 kilometers. However, it is an independent city, which is also the main port of Greece.

There are many ways to get to Piraeus, both from Athens International Airport and from the city center. You can get to the port of Piraeus by taxi, bus or metro, since the station is located a short walk from the harbor. All the main ways to get to Piraeus (except for an exciting walk) have already been described on our website:

The Athens port of Piraeus in Greece is a real beauty. I arrived at the port, boarded the ferry and left this dull city - beauty!

Ferry schedule from Piraeus port to the islands

From Piraeus you can go to the main Greek islands of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas: Mykonos, Milos, Santorini, Kos, Rhodes, Crete, etc. The ferry schedule from the Athens port of Piraeus to the islands varies depending on the month and season. In addition, there are many carriers in Greece, each with their own ships, routes and prices. But fortunately for you and me, there are aggregator sites that automatically search for and give you ferry schedules from all Greek ports, including Piraeus. As our experience has shown, the most objective ferry schedule from the port of Piraeus to the Greek islands with prices can be found on the website Paleologos.gr .

You can buy a ticket for the Greek ferry either at the ticket office in Piraeus harbor or at local travel companies. As a rule, the price does not differ from what you see on the website. If travel agencies charge a commission, it is a small one.

You will find the most detailed information on the topic in our article:

All carriers have their own ticket offices in the port of Piraeus, where you can buy ferry tickets.

Piraeus Hotels

The city of Piraeus is small and there are few hotels there, only fifty. This is not surprising: rarely does anyone stay here for more than a couple of nights. And if local hotels suddenly don’t have enough rooms, then the great and terrible (especially in the center and in the evenings) of Athens is at your service.

We present to you our and non-our selections of hotels in the port of Piraeus.

  • All Piraeus hotels on Hotellook.com(search for the best prices using different booking systems)

And just in case - the same selections of hotels in Athens.

Port of Piraeus on the map of Greece

As already mentioned, the port of Piraeus in Greece is located 10 km from the center of Athens, if you go southwest. Here is where the port of Piraeus is located on the map:

Sights of Piraeus: what to see in one day

There is nothing to see in Piraeus, so let’s move on to the next point.

Joke. Certainly, The main attraction here is the port of Piraeus itself. You can walk along the seashore admiring the huge ferries-cities, small nimble ships and beautiful yachts endlessly. Photos of the port of Piraeus in Greece and its famous ferries can be found below. The rest of the attractions of Piraeus cannot be called stunning - there are a couple of local museums and very poorly preserved ancient ruins. But if you still have a burning desire to go somewhere, then Here's what you can see in Piraeus in your free time.

We present to your attention three more (besides the port) attractions of Piraeus that may interest you if you pass by.

1. Archaeological Museum of Piraeus

There are several museums in Piraeus, and two of them really attract the attention of foreign tourists. The first is the Archaeological Museum. It boasts a rich collection of sculptures and other objects of ancient art found on the territory of Piraeus. In addition to household items, tombstones and numerous statues of Apollo, Artemis and their accomplices, there are also sculptures from the Bronze Age.

Archaeological Museum of Piraeus: place on the map

2. Maritime Museum of Greece

It is not surprising that the largest maritime museum in Greece is located in the port of Piraeus. The exhibition here tells about the history of the Greek fleet from ancient times to the present day (the oldest exhibits are about 10 thousand years old). The Maritime Museum in Piraeus features navigational instruments and maps, weapons and uniforms of sailors, and of course, many models of ships from different eras. There is also a gallery of works by Greek marine painters.

3. Church of the Holy Trinity

A very beautiful baroque church. Built on the site of an ancient wooden church, services have been held here since the mid-19th century. After a fire at the beginning of the 20th century, the Church of the Holy Trinity in Piraeus was restored and completed, after which it acquired its modern appearance. In addition to the appearance of the building itself, the church is also famous for its rich interior decoration.

Sights of Piraeus, Greece: The Church of the Holy Trinity is located near the port. You will definitely see it on your way to the harbor.

Photo of the port of Piraeus in Greece

Armed with a camera, we walked around the port of Piraeus and took photos of the most interesting thing there is - ferries to the islands. We photographed the port of Piraeus in Greece and its beautiful ships both before boarding them and after that 🙂 and we will tell you in detail about the journey through the beautiful Greek islands! Now let's get down to business.

Panorama of the Greek port of Piraeus at dawn, taken from the ferry to Mykonos. Or to Milos. Or somewhere else, I don’t remember.

The city of Piraeus is considered the largest port not only in Greece, but throughout Europe.

The main attractions of the Greek port of Piraeus are its ships.

The best view of the Athens port of Piraeus is from the ferry that takes you away from the Athens port of Piraeus.

Well, that's it, friends, let's get on the ships and leave from here. Oh, stop! I was in such a hurry to get to the ferry that I almost forgot to tell you the main information about the port of Piraeus in Greece: where to buy inexpensive food here. Everything is more expensive on the islands. Personally, we filled a bag with canned food and wine at the local Carrefour ( place on the map) and a store with the simple name Super Market Bazaar ( place on the map), where the choice of products is even greater.

And in the next article we will tell you about.

If you are ever lucky enough to visit the Greek town of Piraeus, be sure to visit one of its main attractions - the Church of the Holy Trinity. It is a huge luxurious building, made in the Baroque style, the main decorations of which are the marble iconostasis and marble bell towers.

The turret rising in the right wing of the building is especially popular among tourists. It is a real work of art - a two-tier arched structure topped with a decorative dome with a cross. The monastery was founded on the site of an ancient wooden temple at the expense and initiative of local authorities. In 1856, the church became a parish church, and services and liturgies were often held here.

In 1905, there was a strong fire here, which caused enormous damage. The monastery took a long time to restore; in 1923, another small building was added to it, where the church library was located. Nowadays, the Church of the Holy Trinity delights tourists with its luxurious appearance, as well as rich interior decoration.

Archaeological Museum of Piraeus

You can get in touch with ancient Greece by going on an excursion to the Archaeological Museum of Greece. This entire amazing country is saturated with legends, myths and ancient history, but it is here that they begin to take on real shape. The museum's collection contains many sculptures found in Piraeus dating back to the Bronze Age. It also houses tombstones from the 5th and 4th centuries BC, a statue of Cybele, the mother of the gods (4th century BC), various ceramics, statues of Apollo, two statues of Artemis and many other unique creations.

The museum is open daily, except Sunday, from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon.

What sights of Piraeus did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Maritime Museum of Greece

The Maritime Museum will gladly tell all lovers of sea adventures about the history of the Greek fleet, great navigators and other interesting facts related to the sea elements. The museum was founded in 1949, and its collection covers a colossal period of time: from prehistoric times to the twentieth century. Several ship models, navigational instruments, weapons, flags, maps, a large archive of books, as well as photographs and films are carefully stored here. In addition, the walls of the museum display seascapes painted in past centuries.

Today Dion is the largest and best preserved archaeological center in Greece. A real open-air museum.

In this place, the ruins of the past coexist harmoniously with wild nature. Among others, the fertility goddess Demeter was revered here. There is so much growing here that it seems as if she is still a patron of the place. Here the Macedonian kings celebrated victories, held the Olympics and felt the special closeness of their Gods.

In Dion Park there is a sacrificial altar of the main Greek God. Residents of ancient city-states flocked here to offer sacrifice to the Olympian gods as a sign of worship and respect. Unfortunately, today only the foundation remains of the Temple of Zeus.

Laskarina Bouboulina Museum

Laskarina Boubouliina is a famous heroine of the Greek Revolution of 1821. She was born in Constantinople, in a Turkish prison where her family was imprisoned. Laskarina's father was Captain Stavrionis Pinocis, an active participant in the Greek revolution against Ottoman rule, which broke out in 1769-1770.

Laskarina Bubulina was a wealthy woman, as she inherited the capital of her late husband. With this money she maintained a small fleet with crews, as well as an army of rebels. During the revolution, she financed the activities of the underground Greek organization Filiki Eteria, purchasing weapons and food for it.

In 1821, during the siege of the Nafplion fortress, Laskarina Bouboulina showed heroism by rousing the rebels to a decisive assault on the fortress. In honor of her, her compatriots unveiled a monument. It stands on the embankment, opposite the city hall. A memorial museum has been opened in the house of Laskarina Boubulina.

Antique Odeon

Dion is an ancient city located in the foothills of Olympus. More precisely, in ancient times it was a city, but only the ruins of ancient times have reached us, and Dion itself is now a quiet village, not reminiscent of its former greatness.

The first mention of Dion dates back to 424 BC. Even then, in the city, at the foot of the divine Olympus, there was a sanctuary of Zeus (Dios in Greek) and the muses.

Later it became the religious and cultural center of Macedonia and sanctuaries with statues of gods, a theater, an arena for sports competitions and much more were built there. The next page in the history of the city was opened by the father of Alexander the Great, Philip II, who established a soldier training center here, and from here his son Alexander went on his glorious campaign. Subsequently, the city was destroyed and was never able to recover again.

The Odeon is an ancient circular structure similar to a theater. Musical performances were held in the Odeon, and the audience sat in the stands in a circle. The ruins of such an odeon can be seen while walking around Dion.

Church of Saints Constantine and Helena

The Church of Saints Constantine and Helena is one of the main attractions of the city of Piraeus. It was built at the beginning of the 18th century and is a luxurious baroque structure that impresses guests and residents of the city with its luxurious appearance. The first thing that catches your eye is the majestic facade, decorated with large arched windows and stucco.

The entrance to the monastery is decorated with two high columns, and the top of the building is crowned with a cross. On both sides of it there are symmetrical bell towers, which begin to ring three times a week in the afternoon.

The Church of Saints Constantine and Helena was erected on the site of an old wooden church dating back to the beginning of the 17th century. Currently, it pleases not only with its magnificent appearance, but also with its rich interior decoration. Of particular value is the altar, decorated with amazing wooden carvings and precious stones.

Zoodochos Pigi Church

The city of Piraeus is famous for its many architectural attractions, one of which is the Church of Zoodochos Pigi, built at the end of the 18th century by three monks Gervasios, Serapionas and Averkios. The monastery was built on the site of the ancient temple of the Holy Virgin Mary. It is located on top of a hill, so getting here is not that easy.

The building has a strict, neat appearance; its main attractions are three domes and a bell tower, erected in 1935. It is known that the cathedral was previously inhabited by representatives of the pottery art, who preferred to do what they loved, away from worldly worries. During its history, the Church of Zoodochos Pigi suffered two fires and was destroyed during the hostilities of 1922. The major restoration of the temple began in 1935 on the initiative and at the expense of local authorities.

Currently, the church is active, several monks live in it. It has a rich interior decoration, there are valuable icons and an altar decorated with precious stones. Not far from the temple there is another famous attraction - the Genoese Fortress of Oria or Apolichna, dating back to the 15th century.

Monument to Themistocles

The Greek town of Piraeus delights tourists with many historical and architectural attractions. One of them is a beautiful sculpture dedicated to the commander of the Greco-Persian Wars and the Athenian statesman - Themistocles. The figure of the hero is depicted in full growth, in his left hand he holds a sword, and in his right hand a gilded trumpet, which serves to invite warriors. Themistocles is dressed in traditional Greek clothes - a loose shirt and skirt. On his feet are comfortable sandals, and on his head is a helmet with a tiara-shaped crown. The monument was cast in bronze at the expense of local authorities and donations from townspeople; it was installed on a granite pedestal about 1.5 m high. The grand opening of the monument took place in May 2010.

Near the monument there is a small park with neat flower beds. Here you can relax on cozy wicker benches in the shade of broad-leaved trees. The monument to Themistocles is so popular that you can find a small copy of it in any souvenir shop in the city.

Port of Piraeus

The port of Piraeus is the main and largest tourist port not only in Athens, but throughout Europe. About twenty million passengers pass through it every year. This port is the link between Crete, the Aegean islands and the Greek mainland. It is divided into two parts, one of which is responsible for coastal shipping, while the second serves cruise ships.

This port is one of the ten largest European container shipping ports. The total area of ​​container terminals is 900 thousand square meters, of which the storage area is 626,000 square meters. The location of the port is considered ideal for several reasons: sufficient depth of free flow to accommodate large ships and good protection from the wind. Vessel capacity is 6,000 TEU.

On the territory of the port there are open-air warehouses and a repair area, which occupies 5,800 square meters. There are also coolers for refrigerators and warehouses that are equipped specifically for storing dangerous goods. The port infrastructure is well developed: there are many cafes, a waiting room, and dozens of hotels are located nearby.

Karaiskaki Stadium

The Greek city of Piraeus is famous for many sports facilities, one of the most famous among them is the Karaiskaki Stadium. It was named after the hero who fought for the independence of Greece and died in this area - Georgios Karaiskakis. The stadium now serves as the home arena for the Olympiacos football club.

The stadium opened in 1896. It was used as a velodrome during the 1896 Summer Olympics. It was then that the French cyclist Paul Masson took 3 gold medals here. The first reconstruction of the stadium was carried out in 1964 and was purely cosmetic. But in 2004, during the second reconstruction, it was completely destroyed and rebuilt. The reconstruction lasted only 14 months, but during this time they managed to expand the stadium's capacity to 33,334 seats.

On the east side of the stadium there is a monument to the fans who died here in 1981. It lists the names of all 20 victims of this tragedy. Also, in sector 7, at the site of the death of fans, some of the seats are painted black.

Currently, the arena is one of 13 stadiums that have been awarded four-star status by UEFA. There are 40 VIP rooms and one large room for press conferences.

Stadium of Peace and Friendship

The Peace and Friendship Stadium is one of the most beautiful stadiums both in Greece and throughout the world. Very often large international competitions and exhibitions are held here. The stadium can host competitions in handball, volleyball, karate-do, Thai boxing, taekwando and many other sports. Its infrastructure includes five locker rooms, three trainers' rooms, balconies for VIP clients and a cafe.

The stadium itself is located 25 kilometers from the Olympic base. Its territory can accommodate up to 13 thousand people, and the area it occupies is 81 thousand square meters. It is made in the shape of a circle, along the perimeter of which there are many supports supporting a massive roof that can be opened. Thanks to the unique design of this stadium, events can be held outdoors in good weather conditions. In 2009, a major reconstruction of the stadium was carried out, as a result of which the spectator seats, locker rooms and coaches' rooms were updated. Currently, the complex is in excellent condition and is ready to host athletes from all over the world.

The most popular attractions in Piraeus with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Piraeus on our website.

Piraeus consists of three ports. In the main, in the west, ferries ready to depart to the islands are lined up along numerous embankments. There is constant activity here, right from dawn, when ships coming from Rhodes, Samos or Crete unload passengers and containers of fruit and vegetables.

Marina Zea, on the other side of the Piraeus Peninsula, where hundreds of sailboats, yachts and speedboats anchor, looks quite modern. Numerous antiquities, once scattered throughout the port, formed a collection for the nearby Archaeological Museum (Harilau Trikoupi street, 31). Go there to admire the huge statue of Apollo, dating back to 520 BC, and the bronze statue of Athena. On the embankment there is the Maritime Museum, whose exhibition is dedicated to Greek maritime history from Themistocles to the present day.

To experience the local flavor, there is nothing better than Mikrolimano ("small port") in the eastern part of the city, with numerous fishing boats. The embankments are full of fish restaurants. Freshness guaranteed!

Mediterranean cruise or ferry trip to the Greek islands? It is unlikely that you will be able to pass Athens Piraeus - the sea gate of Greece and one of the largest ports in Europe. The port of Piraeus serves more than 20 million passengers annually. Grekoblog has already written a detailed article about . Now we will talk in more detail about the port itself.

History of the port

The history of the Athens port of Piraeus dates back more than 25 centuries. Up to the 5th century. BC. in its place there was only a small village, and Athenian ships used the harbor of the Phalerian Bay, geographically located closer to the city, but more open, and therefore more vulnerable to bad weather and attacks.

At the beginning of the 5th century BC. The archon of Athens, Themistocles, began to implement the strategy of Athens' dominance at sea. As a consequence, a decision soon followed to build a new port, necessary to maintain a large fleet (up to 400 triremes) and trade operations. The Piraeus Peninsula, forming 3 harbors, was ideally suited for these purposes.

Up to the 5th century. BC. on the site of the port there was only a small village

All the harbors of the Athenian port - Piraeus proper, divided into western and eastern parts, Zea (now the port of Psalimani, intended for private yachts) and Munichia - were surrounded by a wall, uniting with Athens through the famous Long Walls.

During particularly strong storms or due to the threat of attack from the sea, the entrance to the mouth of the Piraeus was blocked with chains.

Very soon Piraeus became something of a new satellite trading policy of Athens. Sailors and merchants settled on its streets, preferring to do business with overseas partners right at the docks.

March 1, 86 BC Athens was captured and sacked by the troops of the Roman dictator Sulla. The walls were also destroyed, and Piraeus became an unremarkable harbor for many years.

In the Middle Ages, it was restored by the Turks, who placed one of their naval bases on its territory. At the entrance to Piraeus there was a statue of a lion, which is why it was often called the “lion’s” (Porto Leone). In 1687, Piraeus was briefly captured by the Venetians and the statue was transported to Venice.

How to get to Piraeus and how to get around

In the 70s of the 20th century, Athens and the port of Piraeus itself were completely rebuilt. A copy of the taken away statue appeared at the entrance to the central harbor of Piraeus. Interestingly, in Greece there has been a movement called “Committee for the Return of the Lion” for many years.

As we wrote above, details on how to get to the port of Piraeus follow. And there shouldn’t be any particular difficulties with this. It’s another matter when you get directly to the port - its territory is huge and in order to have time to find the right vessel, it is better to arrive a little early.

You must be at the pier no later than 30 minutes before the ship departs.

To make it easier to navigate the port of Piraeus, it makes sense to purchase or download its map, and here you should be careful. In 2013, 2 new terminals were put into operation in Piraeus. Thus, port maps issued before 2013 may contain inaccuracies.

To avoid unpleasant consequences, we decided to publish a new map of the port of Piraeus - download it.

In terms of navigation around the port, it is easier for travelers going on a cruise: a few hours before the ship departs, free buses appear at the main gate of Piraeus, which take tourists to the desired pier. The nameplate with the name of the vessel is usually located behind the windshield of the bus.

A few hours before the departure of the liner, free buses appear at the main gate of the port, which take tourists to the desired pier

If you are going to the Eastern Cyclades (berths E6 and E7), you will only need to take the metro or bus to the main entrance to the port of Piraeus, and then cross the bridge or across the road to the main entrance, from where you can reach the desired berths.

The rest of the piers of the port of Piraeus are located further, so there are also free shuttles directly from the main entrance to them.

You can try and walk to the desired port pier. Moreover, there is a lot to see in Piraeus. The port is constantly home to a large number of a wide variety of ships: from small “cats” (FlyingCat) to gigantic multi-story liners. So it’s better not to hide the camera too far.

Passenger port harbors

If you have already downloaded the map of Piraeus, which we provided at the link above, now you should have it before your eyes in order to understand where your ship can depart from:

  • Berth E1 (Akti Vassiliadi). From here there are ferries to the Dodecanese archipelago (Rhodes, Kalymnos, Kos, Leros, Patmos).
  • Pier E2 (Akti Khetiona). From this pier ferries depart to Lesvos, Chios, Ikaria, Samos, Crete.
  • E3 (Agios Dionysios, Akti Kondili). Serves ferries going to the island of Kythira and Crete. The shuttle parking lot is located closer to pier E4 and entrance area E5.
  • E4 is only for travelers arriving from Kythira.
  • Zone E5 – designation of the bus stop, the main entrance to the port and the main passenger terminal.
  • Berth E6 (Akti Kalimasiotti). Ferries depart from it to Crete (Rethymnon) and the Eastern Cyclades (Santorini, Paros, Syros, Tinos, Naxos, Mykonos).
  • E7 (Akti Tzelepi) also serves ships going to the Eastern Cyclades. There are ticket offices, cafes and taverns near the boarding area.
  • E8 (Akti Poseidonos). From here ships go to the Saronic Islands. There is also an entrance for tourist cars.
  • E9 (Akti Miaouli) is intended for ferries and high-speed dolphins heading to the Western Cyclades, Samos and Ikaria. One of the new terminals is located nearby.
  • E10 – for those who come from the Western Cyclades, Samos and Ikaria.
  • E11 and E12 serve cruise ships only. There are also terminals here, where there is everything: ticket offices, cafes, rental agencies and travel agencies (for example, for travelers who want to go on an excursion to Athens during their stay).

If you want to walk to the desired harbor of the port of Piraeus, it is worth remembering that you need to be at the pier no later than 30 minutes before the ship departs. Passengers who arrived later may well be considered late, with all the consequences arising from this status.

A “walk” to the desired port pier can take up to an hour, depending on where you were dropped off from the transport (one of the arguments in favor of a taxi).

To avoid running around the port looking for a ship, you should take a taxi

There are no automatic lockers in Piraeus, but they are available at the Piraeus metro station, which is convenient only for those who decide to walk around Athens if they have time.

The port does not have automatic storage rooms, but they are available at the Piraeus metro station.

If you arrive at the port of Piraeus in the evening and depart, say, in the morning, then it makes sense to rent a hotel while you wait.

Piraeus is a full-fledged city, and its hotel infrastructure is well developed. The best selection of hotels with a map, distance from the port, photos of rooms and reviews of guests who have been here, and current hotel discounts are given below.

If you want to spend your waiting time usefully, you can go see Athens - it will take less than an hour by metro.

If this is your first time in the city and your time is limited, then an ideal option for a quick tour of the city may be an audio guide to the center of Athens for iPhone [link] or one of the excursions below.

Please read your ticket carefully in advance. The port of Piraeus is open daily from 7.30 to 2.30. If the schedule indicates that the ship arrives at 07.30 and departs at 14.30, but the time on the ticket is 06.30-16.30, you need to focus on the earlier departure date of the ship, at 14.30.

The period indicated on the ticket may also include time reserved at the port in case of a storm, strike or any other unplanned situation.

The time a ship stays in port may vary due to weather and strikes.

If you do not yet have a ticket, but you know for sure that you want to plan your trip by sea, then you can purchase it in advance online through the Ferriesingreece service.

Grekoblog described all the details on how to make a purchase and get a ticket in your hands in the video below. By the way, this video is part of a large video course on Greece, of which ferries are only a small part. You can go into more detail with all sections.

To minimize risks when trying to get to Piraeus from Athens airport or from a ship to the hotel or airport you need, it makes sense to order a taxi online. Do it .

Today Piraeus is one of the largest seaports not only in Greece, but throughout the Mediterranean. Currently considered an integral part of Athens - from it to the center of the capital of Greece, approximately 15 km. As a rule, tourists, and a huge number of them pass through the city, visit Piraeus in transit, going from here to the islands or other resorts.

There is an opinion that if a city is a port, then swimming in its waters is not safe. Perhaps this opinion is relevant somewhere, but not in Piraeus. If you drive along the coastline, you can see excellent equipped beaches. One is opposite a rock surrounded by the sea, like an island. And the other is opposite the Maritime Museum. The water is clean, as is the sand on the beaches. There is a cafe, changing rooms, showers. They are located far from the port, and ship routes are laid away from them to avoid pollution. There are not many people - mostly locals.


When passing through in transit, tourists miss the opportunity to admire the city. But in vain! There is a lot to see in Piraeus, just like in any city of legendary Greece. The ruins of Themistocles and the Church of Ayia Triad are stunning. By visiting the Maritime Museum, located in the harbor of Zea, you can trace the history of shipbuilding, admiring models of ships, both from past centuries and today. The archaeological museum will shed light on the past of civilization.

A little history

In the distant past, Piraeus, according to the latest geological surveys, was an island. But after the river merged with other waterways, Kifisu joined Attica. The first settlements arose on the territory of Piraeus back in the Neolithic era, as evidenced by archaeological excavations. Piraeus reached its peak when a dimos (municipality) was proclaimed and it became the seaport of the prominent Athenian city-state.

Interesting fact. During the Middle Ages, Piraeus was called Porto Leone. The name of the city was given in honor of the gigantic stone sculpture of a lion, which seemed to protect the entrance to the port.

Soon, of course, from the point of view of history, Piraeus fell into decay and was almost completely empty by the 19th century. However, in 1834, when the capital of Greece was again moved to Athens, the revival of Piraeus began - active urban planning was carried out and the influx of population increased. In the 70s of the last century, the city underwent a grandiose redevelopment, as a result of which many ancient administrative buildings were demolished.

Sights of Piraeus

Here are the TOP 5 places that are definitely worth visiting in Piraeus:

Of course, this is only some of what you can see in this city.

Beaches of Piraeus

As mentioned above, you can not only take sun and sea baths here, but you also need to! Between Mikrolimano Bay and Zeya Bay there is perhaps the most comfortable beach along the entire coast - Votsalakia. For active recreation, everything is provided here - tennis courts, volleyball courts and even a huge swimming pool! It's amazing, isn't it, to see a pool next to the sea? However, in winter it is still quite cool, and the water in the pool can be heated. There are many hotels along the entire beach where you can stay comfortably.


Information for your information. Piraeus hosts the annual Ecocinema film festival, as well as a carnival with the interesting name “The Way of the Three Kings”. By joining an outdoor excursion, you can enhance your vacation experience.

And yet, the main attraction of Piraeus is the smallest, but at the same time the most picturesque cove called Mikrolimano. Now this bay of natural origin is literally flooded with fishing yachts and all kinds of restaurants located on the hill that seems to frame the bay. Any restaurant offers an unimaginably beautiful view of the bay. And at the very top of the hill there is a restaurant with an excellent view of Athens.