Sightseeing in Piraeus
Piraeus has been the Port of Athens for 2,500 years now, feeding the capital city of Greece with boats filled with goods, passengers, trades and tourists.
Piraeus is located 10km away from the city centre and it’s undeniably one of the most uniquely flavored and charming spots in the region.
The city was originally designed as a grid, laid out after the designs of Hippodamus, a pioneer in city planning in ancient Greece. It is a city of neighborhoods, a city where the working class blends with the sailors and boat owners, full of stores, restaurant, churches and stadiums. Piraeus is bustling and noisy, charming and warm, like the sea that soaks it.
Ever since Melina Mercouri sung about Piraeus and its children in “Never on Sunday”, Piraeus become known worldwide. It’s a city within a city, as Piraeus is indispensably connected and merged with Athens; Athenians do not consider it a different city, but just the coastal part of Athens. It is, though, a unique place, with rich nightlife, plenty cafés and bars and quite many sights to visit and admire.
Mikrolimano and Castella in Piraeus
The most impressive part of Piraeus is Castella and the Hill of Prophet Elias. It is one of the most prosperous neighborhoods in Piraeus, with neoclassic building and houses almost “hanging” over the cliff, offering spectacular views to Athens and the Saronic Gulf. The municipal open theatre of Piraeus, called Veakeio, on top of the hill hosts some of the most important concerts and theatrical plays during summer.
Beneath the hill lies Mikrolimano, the “little harbor” as it is called, a marina for sailing and motor boats, and one of the main hubs of nightlife all year long, due to the great bars and clubs located there. If you go to Mikrolimano by night, you will see its bustling side, but early noonish and afternoon hours Mikrolimano is a lovely place to take a leisurely walk by the sea and the boats, or enjoy Greek food in one of the restaurants by the sea.
Mikrolimano, along with three more small harbors such as Zea, Freatida and Passalimani host countless taverns with fresh sea food and fish, attracting locals and tourists who want to complement their food with some anise flavored ouzo. The assortment of yachts, sailing boats and ketches moored almost next to the tables, create a very picturesque and cozy atmosphere.
On the other side of Piraeus port, Hatzikirgiakio and Kaminia, little further down, are two beautiful working class neighborhoods, two of the most significant areas of Piraeus, as most of its residents have been working at the port facilities and services for years.
Piraeus Port Landmarks
The port itself has its own landmark; the infamous clock and lion. At the left entrance of the port, where you can usually see cruise ships, there is the statue of a lion under a clock; the café there offers magnificent views to the port, and is one of the main meeting points in Piraeus.
The main Plaza, situated in the heart of the city is not to be missed either; the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus is located there, an imposing neoclassic building.
Piraeus features a large and well appointed market, where you can find all possible stores and shops, while every Sunday, the famous bazaar of Piraeus takes place close to the port site.
The flea market and the bazaar are very attractive for tourists, especially western tourists not accustomed to this type of open market, where everything goes.