Piraeus is the main port of Greece in Europe. This is the place where many cruises will begin or end their journey and also a terminal for containers and cargo with great capacities. Many transactions occur here.

When a cruise ship arrives, it can get overwhelming with people all around you trying to get your attention to take their cab. For this reason, I was happy that our hotel was within walking distance but the feeling of nearby streets is uncertain with abandoned  industrial “where are we” vibes that made us reconsider our decision to stay in this area. We knew that Greece has more to offer but it was at the end of our stay and no refund was offered so we stayed but were disappointed with our choice.

While it reduces the stress to get to your starting point on time, I would not suggest a long stay in the area. The area is a mix of industrial sectors, abandoned streets, commercial areas and harbours. Athens is only 12 kilometers (7miles) away.

What I should have known is the part of the town is hit and miss in terms of walking around. It might be preferable that you review where you want to go because you may end up in a monotonous section. 

We realized that there is more than one port in Piraeus that offers different services. The major one is more commercial and it is where you will likely take a ferry to start or return from one of many destinations in Greece. There is one smaller but more glamorous and elegant harbour. You can reach both ports on foot but again not much to do around this area except visit a small museum.

The Piraeus Archaeological Museum

Many artifacts are actually funeral monuments or stones and sculptures. My favorite sections to visit were the Zeas outdoor theater and the bronze statues room.

They close early at 3PM / 15:00. The two-story building is easy to navigate and even if you only have an hour, go!

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