Athens SIGHTSEEING - PIRAEUS

Climbing the Acropolis and looking towards the sea, the town can be seen stretching all the way to the shore of Attica, where Piraeus lies, the largest harbor in the Balkans and one of the largest in the Mediterranean.

Even today when both towns have become one ekistic unit, Piraeus has kept its own special character which has made it beautiful from antiquity right up to the present

The modern town of Piraeus was created during the more general recreation of the Greek state, as the harbor for the capital.

Today Piraeus is the home base of Greek shipping, the largest commercial fleet in the world, a space bound to the sea like few others. The harbors of Zea and Mikrolimano, as well as Phaliro, play host to countless yachts and sailing craft throughout the year. Piraeus was known in medieval times as Porto Leone, a name due to the enormous stone lion which guarded the port's entrance.

Today, the life of Piraeus is centered around its three ports: the main central one and those of Zea and Mikrolimano. You can walk around the central harbour, shared by cargo and passenger ships alike, and watch the constant comings and goings of goods and people from around the world.

Having completed your tour of the central harbor of Piraeus, you will then head south traversing the peninsula and arrive at Peiraiki, one of the most picturesque neighborhoods in the city. Here one finds the harbor of Zea, one of the largest marinas in the Mediterranean. If the night finds you in the area, you can try one of the many bars found nearby.

You can continue your tour along the the waterfront heading towards Kastella, but a small deviation toward the city center will be useful for then you can visit the verdant square of the Municipal Theater with cafeterias and shops of all kinds surrounding it. The magnificent building housing the Municipal Theater, as well as the Town Hall and the Library, complete the picture presented by the main square in the city.