Close to Athens, the port of Piraeus has centuries of stories to tell. Travel back to ancient times at compelling museums and awe-inspiring monuments – and live in the moment feasting and people-watching at a harborside taverna with views of the nearby islands. Our insider, Rachel Howard, shows the way.
If you imagine you’ll be sailing into an ancient history book, the sea of concrete that greets you as your ship comes into Piraeus port will come as a shock. But look beyond the gritty industrial districts to the north and west of the docks and you’ll uncover plenty of seaside charm. Around 20 million visitors (including 1.7 million cruise passengers) pass through Europe’s largest port every year. Cruise ships dock at three different terminals – A, B, and C – all of which are a 15- to 30-minute walk from Piraeus station and the main shopping district clustered round Korai Square. A new cruise terminal is currently under construction at the far end of the port, and a vast Underwater Antiquities Museum is slated to open in 2026 in a former grain silo near Cruise Terminal A.
Pockets of antiquities are dotted among the high-rise apartments and waterfront tavernas, including sections of the massive fortification walls that once connected the ancient port to the city of Athens, 7 miles away. Pick up provisions from Mandragoras or Miran deli on Gounari Street, or the covered market behind Piraeus Tower, and have a picnic on the rocks of Peiraiki. Stroll along the coastline and you’ll reach ritzy Zea Marina, where big spenders park their cruisers, Pasalimani, where fishing boats bob in front of the cafeterias, and Mikrolimano, lined with upmarket restaurants and sailing clubs. To get the lay of the land, climb to the hilltop park on Kastella for a seagull’s-eye view all the way out to the Argo-Saronic isles. With a new metro and tram service connecting Piraeus to downtown Athens, the airport, and the southern beaches, it’s easy to explore much of the city that stretches out before you in just a few hours.
What to see in Piraeus (Athens)
With three cruise terminals, multiple marinas, and a constant stream of land and sea traffic servicing passengers to the Greek islands, Piraeus is not the easiest port to navigate. If you have just a couple of hours to spare, there’s no time to head into central Athens. But you’ll get a real sense of the port’s place in the city’s history – from Mycenean to Roman times – at the compact and curiously underrated Archaeological Museum of Piraeus. For just a few euros, you can marvel at marble lions and rare bronze statues of Athena, Artemis, and Apollo, discovered by chance during works on the Piraeus sewage system in 1959. Don’t miss the wonderful surprise in the garden: the remains of the second-century BC Zea theater, which is surrounded by modern apartment buildings and an open-air display of funerary monuments. Friendly cats frolic among the ruins, which are usually blissfully empty.
It’s a five-minute stroll down to Pasalimani, a circular harbor lined with yachts and lively cafes. In antiquity, this sheltered port was the base of the Athenian naval fleet; look out for the remnants of the dockyards where triremes, the oar-powered warships of the ancient Greeks, once berthed on the corner of Akti Moutsopoulou and Siraggeiou Street. If you’re interested in Greece’s nautical history, check out the model ships at the unassuming little Hellenic Maritime Museum, overlooking Papanikoli Square. Then amble along the boardwalk of Marina Zeas, peeping into the pleasure cruisers of Greece’s modern-day shipping tycoons. On your way back to the cruise terminal, pop into Nicaragua on Odyssea Androutsou street, a hole-in-the-wall that serves Piraeus’ finest souvlaki.
Take a 10-minute taxi ride to the top of Kastella hill for sensational views across the outstretched city and the sea — especially from the Veakio open-air theatre, a summer concert venue. Enjoy equally stunning vistas from Panorama restaurant, rightly famous for its fish soup and grilled prawns. Then wander downhill to Mikrolimano, admiring the handsome neoclassical mansions along the way. (Pireaus Archwalks is an excellent resource if you’re interested in architecture.) There’s no better spot for sundowners than the secret terrace of Enteuktirio, the clubhouse of the Yacht Club of Greece that is perched on the rocks at the far end of Mikrolimano (not to be confused with the swankier Istioploikos Sailing Club just below it).
For most Athenians, Piraeus is a place for a drawn-out lunch by the sea. The smart waterfront restaurants along Mikrolimano harbor are pricey (Papaioannou and Dourabeis are well worth the splurge). Locals gravitate towards the no-frills fish tavernas along the seaside Akti Themistokleous strip (Ta Vrachia tis Peiraikis is our pick), or one of the old-time, family-run joints in the back streets of Hatzikyriakeio. Some local favorites such as Yperokeanio (at Marias Chatzikiriakou 48 for fishy mezze and retro decor) and Margaro (an institution since 1944 that serves just three dishes — prawns, red mullet, and Greek salad) are just a few blocks’ walk from where cruise ships disembark. After lunch, follow the coastal road around the Peiraiki peninsula until you reach the blue-domed chapel of Agios Nikolaos, patron saint of sailors. Overlooking the cove of Aphrodite, with its wooden boats and locals fishing from the rocks, it’s like being transported to a Greek island.
If Piraeus is the gritty gateway to Athens, the southern coastal suburbs offer a more laid-back resort vibe. The Athens Riviera stretches all the way from the port to the clifftop temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion — a glorious seaside drive that takes about 90 minutes. Book a private five-hour Sounion and Sunset tour with Alternative Athens and you can hop out wherever you like: for a curative dip at Lake Vouliagmeni, where the mineral-rich waters are naturally warm year-round; for an ice cream sundae at Aqua Marina overlooking Vouliagmeni beach;or for a seaside stroll around Anavyssos bay, before you explore the magnificent temple eulogized (and vandalized) by Lord Byron, who etched his signature into one of the Doric columns.
If you prefer to go it alone, the new Athens Tram extension connects Piraeus with Voula beach, with plenty of scenic stops on route. Soccer fans can pay homage to Piraeus team Olympiacos at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, where a new museum commemorating the club’s 100th anniversary opened in 2025. Take the glass-walled elevator to the Lighthouse cafe beneath the solar-powered roof of Renzo Piano’s SNFCC (a vast cultural complex that houses the National Opera House, National Library, and a park) for sweeping city and sea views. Catch the sunset with an iced frappé coffee at Edem on Paleo Faliro beach, or wagyu tacos and Asian-inspired cocktails at Bungalow 7, chef Ntinos Fotinakis’ latest honeypot on Glyfada’s Asteria beach. There’s also a large swimming pool at Bungalow 7, perfect for a dusk dip.
The Line 3 Metro at Piraeus will whizz you to the center of Athens in 20 minutes. Alight at Monastiraki, where the Sunday flea market around Abyssinia Square is a riot of bric-a-brac and colorful characters. Among the souvenir shops, seek out Olgianna Melissinos for handmade leather sandals and satchels that last forever, then pop into The Art Foundation (TAF) a few doors down: it’s a gallery, cafe and pop-up marketplace in an atmospheric Ottoman-era building.
The Museum of Modern Greek Culture, scattered across several historic buildings, including a mosque and a bathhouse, contains a motley collection of folk-art dating from the 18th to the 20th century. Rewind to classical Athens at the ancient Agora, an archaeological park with the beautifully preserved Temple of Hephaestus at its heart, or explore the serene ancient cemetery of Keramikos, which is often overlooked by visitors and all the better for it.
Follow Apostolou Pavlou, the pedestrian boulevard that circles the southern slopes of the Acropolis, all the way up to the Parthenon (but avoid the midday heat and crowds in high summer). Make your way down to the Acropolis Museum, a bold contemporary landmark that brings to life the glorious artefacts unearthed beneath the city streets. The museum’s second-floor restaurant has unbeatable views of the Acropolis and stays open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Otherwise, wander into the Koukaki neighborhood and settle into one of the lively restaurants and bars. Dodeka Piata is a modern take on the traditional taverna with a simple menu of 12 dishes. For an aperitif, try little Lotte or cute Salute.
How to spend an evening
A magical feature of Athenian summer nights are the city’s outdoor cinemas. In Piraeus, Cine Votsalakia is right on the seafront overlooking an urban beach. Have a nightcap at the plush Foyer bar, where jazz musicians and opera singers sometimes warm up the crowd at the grand Municipal Theater of Piraeus. Wine connoisseurs from across Athens make regular pilgrimages to Paleo, a wine bar in a repurposed warehouse, which kickstarted the revival of the grungy industrial quarter behind Piraeus’ ferry docks. Go before 8pm to catch some intriguing contemporary art at the neighboring galleries on Polydefkous Street.
Downtown, Menechmou Street in Neos Kosmos makes a great introduction to the Athenian fine drinking and farm-to-fork dining scene: every bottle of natural wine at Epta Martyres comes with a surprise round of tapas, while Greco-Roman Bar Amore serves spritzers with delicious nibbles and flirty vibes. Across the street, Annie Fine Cooking is a tiny neighborhood bistro with a short but brilliant seasonal menu. For low-key nightlife and classic Greek cuisine, head to Troon Street and Merkouri Square in Ano Petralona and just follow your instincts.
How to get around
Crystal runs shuttle buses to the nearest town or city on many of its cruises. When onboard, check departure points and times in your copy of our daily bulletin, Reflections.
To book a taxi, please enquire at the Concierge desk. Alternatively, there is a taxi rank outside all three cruise terminals, or you can book a cab through the FreeNow, Taxiplon or Uber apps.
Most bus routes terminate close to Piraeus Metro station about a 1-1.5 mile (20-35 minute walk) away, depending on your arrival terminal. The closest bus stop to Cruise Terminal A is Teloneio and the closest bus stop to Cruise Terminals B & C is Peiraias. For real-time bus routes, check OASA.
X96 Airport Express bus to Athens International Airport runs every 30-45 minutes on a 24-hour basis. The journey takes about 90 minutes. The nearest X96 bus stop is on Karaisakaki Square.
X80 Express bus to the Acropolis & Syntagma operates May to October, 7am-9:15pm. This handy sightseeing service picks passengers up from cruise terminals A, B, and C, making stops at the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, the Municipal Theater of Piraeus, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC), the Planetarium, the Modern Art National Museum (EMST), and the Acropolis Museum.
826, 843, or 859 for connections to Piraeus Metro & Suburban Railway station (10 minutes)
040 to Syntagma (50 minutes)
049 to Omonoia (55 minutes)
420 to the Intercity Bus Terminal (KTEL Kifissos) (1 hour)
B1 to Glyfada beach (1 hour)
A1 to Voula beach (1 hour 10 minutes)
The Athens Suburban Railway provides a direct link between Piraeus port and Athens International Airport. For timetables and ticket prices, go to Hellenic Train.
The nearest tram stop is by Agia Triada church, about 1 mile (20-minute walk) along Akti Miaouli from Terminal A, or 1.7 miles (35-minute walk) from Terminal B. Tram Line 7 offers a slow but scenic ride to the coastal suburbs of Faliro, Alimos, Glyfada and Voula, stopping at the Olympiacos Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF stop) and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (Tztitzifies stop). You can also take the tram from Piraeus to Syntagma Square (service suspended until mid-June 2025), changing to Tram Line 6 at Pikrodafni station.
Metro Line 1 runs from Piraeus to Kifissia, stopping downtown at Omonoia, Monastiraki and Thisio.
Metro Line 3 connects Piraeus to Athens International Airport and central Syntagma Square. The journey time from Piraeus to the airport is about 1 hour.
Cycling in Piraeus is not recommended: there are no bike lanes and the traffic is heavy.
Exit the main terminal and turn left onto Akti Miaouli. At Themistokleous Square, turn right onto Leoforos Vassileos Georgiou A. After four blocks you’ll reach Korai Square in the center of Piraeus. From there, you can walk down to the seaside cafes and restaurants at Marina Zeas in about 15 minutes or Votsalakia beach in 20 minutes.
Piraeus and Athens score low for accessibility. Step-free access is patchy on public transport (except for the modern Metro network), and the city’s narrow, uneven pavements are poorly maintained with few drop curbs. The Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, and most archaeological sites are wheelchair accessible. The seaside park at Lipasmata (a 10-minute taxi ride from Piraeus), and the recreational and cultural venues of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (15 minutes by taxi) are very easy to navigate with mobility issues. Though swimming is not really advisable in Piraeus due to high pollution levels, there are remote-controlled mobility ramps for independent access to the sea at the beaches of Freattyda and Votsalakia. Piraeus restaurants with good accessibility include Dourabeis and Margaro. There is also plentiful pavement seating in the waterfront cafes around Marina Zeas.
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