Piraeus Neighbourhood in Athens

Information About Piraeus

Piraeus Athens: Piraeus is a great coastal city and the natural port of Athens located 10 km south-west of the city centre. The area is divided in three parts: The Great Harbour (Megalo Limani) that serves ferries to the Greek islands and Italy. Kiosks from all the Greek ferry companies lie around the port as well as travel agencies and canteens.

Outside the port area, Piraeus is quite confusing due to the heavy traffic but you will easily find everything you need within a walking distance. The streets that run parallel to the port include plenty of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. Every Sunday morning, you will be able to visit the Piraeus flea market which is actually better than the one in Monastiraki.

On the other side of the peninsula, is the picturesque port of Zea, known as Zea Marina, where many private yachts moor and hydrofoils leave for the Saronic Gulf. North-east of Zea Marina one will encounter the little port Mikrolimano (small harbour), a beautiful area full of restaurants and trendy bars.

Piraeus is one of the oldest areas in Attica and consists of many two storey Neoclassical houses and traditional neighborhoods. It is characterized by the port and wonderful spots that offer a unique view to the sea. It is easily accessed with the metro.

Things To See And Do In Piraeus

Archaeological Museum of Piraeus Nautical Museum of Piraeus Municipal Gallery of Piraeus

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Guest 2009-11

While I have no doubt Piraeus has a beauty of its own, but an experience three years ago has put me off for good. Before embarking on a hop across the Cyclades, we decided to stay overnight in Piraeus to get the early morning ferry. Sadly there was only one ferry a day at the time and, with a late flight from the UK, staying overnight in the port was unavoidable. We booked a cheapish hotel (I think it was 85 Euros a room) within a 10-minute walk of the ferry and it looked OK on the website. How naive we were. Even when we arrived at reception it didn't look too bad. You know a little dog-eared and worn, but just about acceptable. Once we got to the room, past the ripped and stained carpets and the hole in the outer skin of the door, we got a little twitchy. And, once inside we weren't exactly ecstatic. Everything about it was dirty and unkempt. I know we could have walked straight out, but it was gone midnight when we arrived and as the ferry sailed at 8am, we decided to just stick with it for the few hours we had left. We slept fully clothed on top of the bed covers and managed a few hours despite the constant noise in the street outside. We opened the windows because we thought switching the air-conditioning would surely wake the cockroaches. But morning came and as the mould-blackened shower only had two curtain rings, an unsatisfactory wash at the sink had to do - not a good start to the day. Nevertheless, we were soon on our way to the ferry and looking forward to our first stop, Syros. I accept I can't be too critical of Pireaus, after all I was only there for one night and most probably in the wrong place. I'm sure it has some redeeming features, but I felt I needed to write this as a warning to anyone who finds themselves in a similar position. If we learned anything from our experience that night it was, don't go too cheap and make sure you get a recommendation before you book. Fortunately it didn't spoil our holiday, but suffice to say we stayed in a lovely hotel in the centre of Athenswith rooftop views across to the Acropolis on our return trip home - and it was only another 20 Euro per night more than the hotel in Piraeus. A real bargain.