Piraeus

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Sailboats moored at the Piraeus harbour.

©Panagiotis Vgenopoulos/EyeEm/Getty Images

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Overview

Ten kilometres southwest of central Athens, Piraeus is dazzling in its scale, its seemingly endless quays filled with ferries, ships and hydrofoils. It's the biggest port in the Mediterranean (more than 20 million passengers pass through annually), the hub of the Aegean ferry network, the centre of Greece’s maritime trade and the base for its large merchant navy. While technically its own city, it melds into the Athens sprawl, with close to half a million people living in the greater area.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Piraeus Archaeological Museum

Piraeus

The museum's star attraction is the magnificent statue of Apollo, the Piraeus Kouros, the larger-than-life, oldest hollow bronze statue yet found. It…

Hellenic Maritime Museum

Piraeus

As nautical museums go, this isn't one of the best, despite Greece’s long maritime history. Still, it does have all the requisite models of ancient and…

Electric Railways Museum

Piraeus

Tucked inside the Piraeus station, this museum is a trove of old switches, nifty models and cool machinery, including a gleaming old wooden train car. It…

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

Piraeus is the largest Mediterranean port in terms of passenger traffic and commercial activity, and most of Athens' visitors simply consider it a transit…

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Plan with a local