General Market

Piraeus

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With the sea breezes blowing over the morning hustle and bustle, the Piraeus market is an excellent slice of life. There's a broad range of food and bric-a-brac, as well as cheap bars and cafes around the periphery, especially in the back alley behind.

Standing in weird contrast behind the market is a derelict 25-storey office tower, the tallest building for kilometres around. It's a failed project of the junta (1967–74) that was never completed above the 3rd floor. No one can agree whether to pull it down or revamp it. Now it's an accidental monument to that military era.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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Nearby Piraeus attractions

1. Electric Railways Museum

0.19 MILES

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…

2. Piraeus Archaeological Museum

0.59 MILES

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…

3. Hellenic Maritime Museum

0.91 MILES

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…

5. National Library of Greece

2.71 MILES

In 2018, the National Library shifted more than 720,000 items from its collection to this stunning new building that is part of the Stavros Niarchos…

6. Stavros Niarchos Park

2.76 MILES

Athens is short on green spaces, so this vast seaside park is a blessing. Covering a man-made slope that incorporates the roof of the Stavros Niarchos…

7. Flisvos Park

2.76 MILES

Take the tram to this highly family-friendly park with loads of playground facilities and a summer puppet theatre, plus an open-air cinema. The coast just…

8. Hellenic Cosmos

2.88 MILES

To get a sense of how ancient ruins once looked, take a virtual-reality trip at this multimedia centre. The Tholos virtual-reality theatre takes you on an…