Greece - Korina Miller [108]
Central Piraeus is not a place where many visitors linger; most come only to catch a ferry from the intimidating expanse of terminals. Beyond its facade of smart new shipping offices, banks and grand public buildings, much of Piraeus is an interesting hotchpotch of rejuvenated pedestrian precincts, shopping strips, restaurants and cafes, and more grungy industrial and run-down areas.
The most attractive part is the eastern quarter around Zea Marina, and the lovely, albeit touristy, Mikrolimano harbour, lined with restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The charming residential neighbourhood of Kastella, on the hill above Mikrolimano, and the swanky seaview apartment blocks around Freatida are where the money is.
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HISTORY
Piraeus has been the port of Athens since classical times, when Themistocles transferred his Athenian fleet from the exposed port of Phaleron (modern Faliro) to the security of Piraeus. After his victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC, Themistocles fortified Piraeus’ three natural harbours. In 445 BC Pericles extended these fortifying walls to Athens and Phaleron. The Long Walls, as they were known, were destroyed as one of the peace conditions imposed by the Spartans at the end of the Peloponnesian Wars, but were rebuilt in 394 BC.
Piraeus was a flourishing commercial centre during the classical age, but by Roman times it had been overtaken by Rhodes, Delos and Alexandria. During medieval and Turkish times, Piraeus diminished into a tiny fishing village, and by the time Greece became independent it was home to fewer than 20 people.
Its resurgence began in 1834 when Athens became the capital of independent Greece, and by the beginning of the 20th century it had superseded the island of Syros as Greece’s principal port. In 1923 its population swelled with the arrival of 100,000 Greek refugees from Turkey. The Piraeus that evolved from this influx had a seedy but somewhat romantic appeal with its bordellos, hashish dens and rembetika music – as vividly portrayed in the film Never on a Sunday (1960).
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ORIENTATION
Piraeus is 10km southwest of central Athens. The largest of its three harbours is the Great Harbour on the western side of the Piraeus peninsula, which is the departure point for all ferry, hydrofoil and catamaran services. Zea Marina and the picturesque Mikrolimano, on the eastern side, are for private yachts.
The metro and train lines from Athens terminate at the northeastern corner of the Great Harbour on Akti Kalimassioti. Most ferry departure points are a short walk over the new footbridge from here. A left turn out of the metro station leads after 250m to Plateia Karaïskaki, the terminus for buses to the airport. A block to the right is the suburban rail station.
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INFORMATION
There are lots of places to change money along the Great Harbour, as well as plenty of ATMs. There are luggage lockers at the metro station (€3 for 24 hours). There is a free wi-fi hot spot around the port.
Bits & Bytes Internet ( 210 412 1615; Iroon Polytehniou 2; per hr €3; 8am-10pm)
Emporiki Bank (cnr Antistaseos & Makras Stoas) Has a 24-hour automatic exchange machine.
National Bank of Greece (cnr Antistaseos & Tsamadou) Near Emporiki Bank.
Post office (cnr Tsamadou & Filonos; 7.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-2pm Sat)
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SIGHTS
The Piraeus Archaeological Museum ( 210 452 1598; Harilaou Trikoupi 31; adult/concession €3/2; 8.30am-8pm Tue-Sun, 2-8pm Mon, closes 3pm in winter) contains some important finds from classical and Roman times. These include some fine tomb reliefs dating from the 4th to 2nd centuries BC. The star attraction is the magnificent statue of Apollo, the Piraeus Kouros, the oldest larger-than-life, hollow bronze statue yet found. It dates from about 520 BC and was discovered in Piraeus, buried in rubble, in 1959.
The Hellenic Maritime Museum ( 210 451 6264; Akti Themistokleous, Plateia Freatidas, Zea Marina; adult/concession €3/1.50;