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

Piraeus is one of three largest cities Greece - located 12 kilometers south of Athens, on the Piraeus Peninsula, in the bay of the Saronic Gulf. It is so closely connected with the capital that it is not perceived by the Greeks as an independent administrative unit. For the local population, Piraeus is, first of all, not a separate city, but the largest cargo and passenger port in Europe, the third largest port in the world, and the main railway junction of the country, with the main directions: Piraeus - Athens - Corinth and Piraeus - Athens - Thessaloniki . The port of Piraeus is an economic and financial center, carrying out maritime traffic with almost all Greek islands, the only exceptions are the small islands of the Cyclades, Dodecanese and Sporades. Also, ferries from Piraeus run to the islands Aegean Sea. European cruise companies year-round use the services of the port, organizing regular cargo and passenger flights from different countries peace. This contributes to the fact that tourism infrastructure is actively developing in Piraeus with big amount hotels, restaurants, taverns, cafes, bars, shops, banks, ATMs and all kinds of companies that provide a lot of services. At the same time, the city itself is small, about 200 thousand people live in it.

• Area: 11 km²;
• Time zone: UTC+2, summer UTC+3;
• Population: 163,700.

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Piraeus has been the port of Athens since ancient times. Once Piraeus was an island, and those wishing to visit it were transported from mainland Greece by ship. It is very likely that the name of the city came from this crossing. Until the 5th century BC. The port of Athens was Faliro Bay. The first who fully understood the significance of Piraeus and made it the main Athenian port was Themistocles, who built the fortress walls of Piraeus. Their construction lasted from 493 to 479. BC. Later, the fortifications were completed by Pericles, who built the so-called Long Walls, which protected the road from Athens to Piraeus on both sides throughout its entire length. The city of Piraeus was built in the 5th century. BC e. according to the plan of the architect Hippodamus. The same plan formed the basis of the new layout of the city in 1834. As a result of the rapid development, Piraeus merged with Athens into a single whole, and at present the border between the two cities is practically indistinguishable and has only administrative significance.

Today's port of Piraeus built on the site ancient city, is a large marine and shopping mall not only Greece, but the entire Mediterranean. Ships depart from here, connecting the Greek capital with both the most remote corners of island Greece, and with other countries. Piraeus is located about 10 km southwest of the center of Athens and is connected to the capital by bus and metro. The hills of Profitis Ilias and Kastella rise above the port, with neoclassical mansions and modern buildings that seem to float in the air above the sea.

Among the busiest business and tourist areas of Piraeus are its small natural harbors: Mikrolimano, Pasalimani, Zea, Freatida and Hadzikiryakio. Here, on the coast, in numerous taverns, exotic dishes of fish and other seafood are prepared. The smell of the sea and fish, the splash of numerous boats, boats and yachts bobbing on the waves not far from your table, the fresh sea breeze that brings the desired coolness on hot summer evenings - all this gives a unique charm to the local climate and creates a feeling of romance. Be sure to visit the fish taverns of Mikrolimano, try fish, seafood, sea urchin salad.

The sights of Piraeus include the archaeological museum, which stores exhibits found in Piraeus. They recreate the history, rise and fall of the ancient city. The most interesting of them are the bronze statues discovered in 1959: the archaic Kouros-Apollo, two statues of Artemis, a Piraeus Athena and a tragic mask.

traveler's story about the port of piraeus

Piraeus has been the port of Athens since ancient times. Today's Piraeus, built on the site of an ancient city, is a major maritime and commercial center not only in Greece, but throughout the Mediterranean. Ships depart from here, connecting the Greek capital, both with the most remote corners of island Greece, and with other countries. The city of Piraeus was built in the 5th century BC. e. according to the plan of the architect Hippodames from the island of Melos. The same plan formed the basis of the new layout of the city in 1834. As a result of the rapid development, Piraeus merged with Athens into a single whole, and at present the border between the two cities is practically indistinguishable and has only administrative significance. During the medieval period, Piraeus was known as Porto Leone, derived from a huge stone statue lion, as if guarding the entrance to the port.
Modern Piraeus, being the main port of Athens and the largest in Greece, is the leading center of navigation. Life in Piraeus is concentrated around three estuaries - the central one, the Zeya estuary and Mikrolimano.
We recommend that you continue your visit to Piraeus with a walk around Castellet. In addition to the many beautiful buildings that stand on this hill, you will see a magnificent panorama of the Saronic Gulf. Be sure to visit the archaeological museum.
The area is famous for its fresh fish dishes and attracts lovers from all over Attica.
After lunch, you will be energized by a walk along the yachts and sailing ships standing at the pier Zeya.
The main tone of Piraeus life is set by the sea. His presence is felt so strongly that it seems as if the sea surrounds the city from all sides.
In ancient times, Piraeus was indeed an island, and those wishing to visit it were transported from mainland Greece by ship. Piraeus is located about 10 km southwest of the center of Athens and is connected to the capital by bus and metro. The hills of Prophet Elijah and Castella rise above the port, with neoclassical mansions and modern buildings framing the city from the sea. Among the noisiest and most touristic areas of Piraeus are its small natural harbors: Mikrolimano, Pasalimani, Zea, Freatida and Hadzikiryakio. Here, in countless taverns near the sea, exotic snacks from fish and other inhabitants are prepared. sea ​​depths. You can taste them with a unique, purely Greek drink - ouzo. And to top off the pleasure - the fresh smell of the sea and the measured splash of numerous boats, boats and yachts swaying on the waves, very close to your table.

Port of Piraeus

The port of Piraeus is located 12 km from Athens. Piraeus is the largest seaport in all of Greece. The port of Piraeus is located right next to Athens. Piraeus is not just a port in Greece, but also Big City, as well as an industrial and commercial center. According to the 2001 census, the population of the city of Piraeus was 175,697.

The history of the port of Piraeus dates back to Ancient Greece. Piraeus received the main impetus in the development in the 5th century BC. when Piraeus was chosen as the main port of Athens, concentrating in itself the point of contact of all major trade sea routes.

The port of Piraeus is the largest passenger port in Europe and the third largest in the world. Piraeus serves about 20,000,000 passengers a year. Apart from passenger traffic, the port is among the ten largest cargo ports.

The port of Piraeus has accumulated a large number of attractions over its long history. Kastella Hill is one of the most attractive areas of the city, offering panoramic views of Athens and the Saronic Gulf. In the city of Piraeus, from ancient times, as well as from the reign of the Venetians, many old beautiful mansions have been preserved. Every year the picturesque harbors of Mikrolimano and Pasalimani attract a large number of visitors. Every night in the local clubs of these harbors there are colorful parties.

Piraeus. port of Athens, the largest port in the Balkans and one of the largest ports mediterranean sea. Even now, when Athens and Piraeus have practically merged, Piraeus retains its face and its distinctive features that distinguish it from antiquity to the present day.
The city was founded in the 5th century BC. when Athens was the main maritime power in the Mediterranean. In ancient times, Athens and Piraeus were connected by a road, which was protected by fortress walls. Thus, Athens and Piraeus were united in ancient times into a single whole.
The construction of the walls began during the wars between Greece and Persia. It began immediately after the expulsion of the Persians from Attica. At that time, Attica was completely in ruins, but the inhabitants of Athens understood the importance of building defense structures to strengthen their power and, first of all, instead of rebuilding their personal homes, they made every effort to build public and defense structures.
Today, getting from Athens to Piraeus is pretty easy. The center of Athens is connected to Piraeus by a separate metro line. By and large, today there is no clear dividing border between Athens and Piraeus.
The metro goes straight to the central port. From the central port of Piraeus, you can easily get to any island in Greece. There are many companies that transport goods and passengers; tickets can often be bought right before boarding.
For tourists, the port of Mikrolimani will be more interesting. At the entrance to the port, you can see the remains of ancient watchtowers and ancient docks. During the Turkish rule, the naval forces of the Ottoman port were based in the port, and today the port is famous primarily for its fish restaurants, which are supplied every morning with freshly caught seafood.
There are two museums in Piraeus. Archaeological and Maritime Museum. The Archaeological Museum presents artifacts that were found as a result of the archaeological excavations of Piraeus. The maritime museum presents the history of the development of the fleet, from ancient times to modern exhibits. The entrance to the Maritime Museum is pretty easy to find. near the museum there are guns taken from ships and a cabin of a submarine.

Sources: vegatours-online.ru, otvet.mail.ru, www.arrivo.ru, yapiligrim.ru, www.bliss-tour.by

Piraeus is the main passenger and Trading port in Greece, one of the largest ports in the world. The area is always bustling with shops, lively bars and restaurants. But by and large, Piraeus remains a transit point for tourists who arrive in Athens or vice versa - depart from Athens to the Greek islands.

History of the port of Piraeus

Piraeus is located 12 km from the center of Athens. Its name is associated with the words "to cross, to swim." Since ancient times, Piraeus was considered a separate port city, but now it is part of Greek capital. The history of Piraeus began in antiquity - 25 centuries ago it coped with the function of the main transit port of Greece. Piraeus laid the foundations for Athenian dominance in the Mediterranean. Soon, from a small village, it turned into a satellite policy, in which merchants settled.

In subsequent years, a difficult fate awaited Piraeus: it was plundered by the Romans, captured by the Venetians and Turks. But after Greece gained independence in the 19th century, the port city flourished again - it was inhabited by settlers from the Peloponnese, Chios and the Greeks of Asia Minor.

Now the Athens port of Piraeus serves more than 20 million passengers annually. Its importance for Greece can hardly be overestimated - the geography of departure of ferries from Piraeus is very wide. From the port you can get to Rhodes, Kalymnos, Leros, Kos, Chios, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, Ikaria. Cruise ships are based in its harbor, which make voyages around the Mediterranean. Ferries Blue Star Ferries, Anek Lines, Minoan Lines run to Piraeus.

Infrastructure of the port of Piraeus

The Athens port of Piraeus occupies a large area and has a wide range of infrastructure facilities. Along the harbor lined with shops and cafes, there are entire shopping areas. The port is famous for its large selection of seafood taverns. All necessary services are provided on the territory of the passenger terminals. Here you can buy tickets, have lunch, exchange currency, rent a car, call a taxi. The port of Piraeus has first-aid posts, a luggage storage service, information desks and Wi-Fi.

There are many hotels located in the port, and most of them are budget and affordable options for accommodation. Hotel Anita () is 300 meters away. It will be an excellent base for exploring Athens.

Transport links to the port of Piraeus

Traveling from the port or to it will be comfortable due to the convenient transport interchange. The center of Athens and Piraeus are connected by a metro line: the Green Line runs from Kifisia through Omonia straight to the port. Travel time will be 25 minutes, the price is approximately 1.5 euros (single trip).

By bus you can get to Piraeus from Syntagma (route 040, non-stop) and Omonia (route 049). The cost is 1.4 euros. Sometimes tourists arrive in Athens by air, then go through Piraeus to Greek islands. For them, route 96 runs between the airport and the port. A 1.5-hour trip will cost 5 euros. The bus runs around the clock. During the day, the interval does not exceed 20 minutes, in the evening - 40 minutes.

There is an opinion that if the city is a port, then swimming in its waters is not safe. Perhaps somewhere this opinion is relevant, but not in Piraeus. If you drive along coastline, then 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 are cafes, changing rooms, showers. They are located far from the port, and ship routes are laid away from them to avoid pollution. Few people - mostly locals.

Traveling in transit, tourists miss the opportunity to admire the city. But in vain! There is something to see in Piraeus, however, as in any city of legendary Greece. The ruins of Themistocles and the church of Agia Triad are amazing. By visiting the Maritime Museum, located in the harbor of Zea, you can trace the history of shipbuilding, admiring the models of ships, both past centuries and the present. The archaeological museum will shed light on the past of civilization.

A bit of history

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, as it were, protected the entrance to the port.

Soon, of course, from the point of view of history, Piraeus falls into decay and to XIX century almost completely empty. However, in 1834, when the capital of Greece was again moved to Athens, the revival of Piraeus begins - active urban planning is underway and the influx of population is increasing. In the 70s of the last century, the city underwent a grandiose redevelopment, as a result of which many old administrative buildings were demolished.

Attractions Piraeus

The beaches of Piraeus

Note information. Piraeus annually hosts the Ecocinema Film Festival, as well as a carnival under interesting name"The Way of the Three Kings". By joining a field trip, you can enhance the impressions of the rest.

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

is an important destination in the Mediterranean for cruise liners. There is enough space for the simultaneous mooring of 12 ships, including the largest ones. Cruise ships moored in an area consisting of 2 passenger terminals and located one and a half kilometers from the center of Piraeus and 13 km from Athens. The distance between the two cruise terminals A and B is less than 1 km (E11 and E12 in the picture below).

Free ports shuttles drop you off at the main cruise terminal buildings.

Usually a certain amount Taxi can be found as soon as you leave the terminal building. Fares are regulated here, fees are charged per trip, and the number of passengers does not matter, although many drivers may try to convince you otherwise.

On this moment from both cruise terminals directly the Acropolis and Syntagma can be reached using the services of a new bus service. X80 is a number desired route, which runs daily every half an hour from 7:00 to 21:30. You can use a daily tourist ticket for 4 euros, valid for all types of public transport in Athens 24 hours. See the bus stops in the picture below.

Walk up metro takes 20-30 minutes, and from there the first line will take you to the center of Athens. Often this tactic allows you to get there faster than a taxi. You can also get from the port to Athens by bus. Day pass for public transport costs about 4 euros, and a ticket for 90 minutes costs 1.4 euros. And buses number 843 and 859 are able to take you to the metro station. Tickets can be purchased from the driver or from a kiosk nearby (note: the second option will save you some money).

Airport connected to the city by the third metro line ( note: in order to get from the airport to Piraeus, at the stationMonastiraki transfer to the first line).

If your cruise starts from Piraeus, be sure to arrive a couple of days earlier. You would probably prefer to rent a room in Piraeus rather than stay at the overpriced hotels in Athens' business district.

What to see in Piraeus (Athens) on a cruise?

Archaeological Museum became famous for the world's finest collection of Greek art. Among the exhibits stand out sensational finds made during excavations in Mycenae, and well-preserved frescoes from Akrotiri (Santorini), which belonged to a civilization that lived 3000 years ago. Also on display are classical sculpture, ceramics, wood carvings and jewelry found by archaeologists throughout Greece.

Located just a few steps from Parthenon Museum Acropolis contains an excellent collection of sculptures. Entrance fee - 12 euros (6 euros for students and people over 65), be sure to bring your ID. Day off is Monday.

Benaki Museum has been recently refurbished. Here, on three floors, there are more than 30 thousand exhibits illustrating the features of Greek culture.

Close to Kolonaki Museum of Cycladic Art has a fantastic collection of works, the history of which spans 5000 years. The exhibits were collected by the shipowner Nikolos Goulandris. Among its treasures are many exquisite marble figurines that captivated artists such as Picasso and Modigliani.

Supreme Athenian Lycabettus hill is just a 10-minute walk from Syntagma Square. It borders the fashionable residential area of ​​Kolonaki. A steeply sloped funicular allows you to climb to the top, topped by a small white chapel. From Lycabettus Hill you can see the most best view in Athens.

Definitely worthy of your attention and charming Plaka quarter with its winding alleys, neoclassical buildings, whitewashed houses lined with bougainvillea and tiny churches.

Agios Eleftherios- a 12th-century Byzantine church and the first Cathedral of Athens - known for the bizarre figures and signs of the zodiac that adorn its walls.

Routes, excursions, transport in the port of Piraeus (Athens)

Top things to do in and around Piraeus Port (Athens)

These hotels are selected by us based on own experience, and the experiences of other cruise travelers. Determining factors when choosing: proximity to the cruise terminal of Piraeus (Athens), the ability to quickly and easily get to the ship, as well as the airport or railway station.