Piraeus Port

The Port of Piraeus is located on the Saronic Gulf on the western coast of the Aegean Sea and is the largest port in Greece as well as one of the largest in Europe. Due to its prominent location, it’s worldwide known as the busiest passenger port in Europe.

The port is active since ancient times as the Greek city-states used it as the main port forthe military and commercial harbors. Because of its privileged location, nowadays it is one of the main cargo and passenger ports in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the main gateway for Greek imports and exports, and it is the only European port in the eastern Mediterranean that has the infrastructure and facilities to support large volumes of transshipment cargoes. The port of Piraeus connects countries from Europe to Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. It is a well-known fact that relations between the port of Athens to China have played and still play a significant role in the shipping industry. A significant amount of goods enters the port each day to travel through the nearby countries and end up in every possible country around the world. It has beenreferred to as the largest container port not only in the country but also in the East Mediterranean Sea Basin.

Throughout the years, the use of the port has changed and has adapted in accordance with the environment. Nowadays millions of passengers arrive at the port to visit the city of Athens. It is a huge draw for cruise ships and a beloved destination for many tourists. Thanks to the increased cruise activity, it can also be considered a cruise port. Especially during the Summer months, plenty of tourists from all over the world choose to enjoy the Mediterranean Sea and the islands of Greece. Renowned cruise companies such as the Azamara, the Norwegian Cruise Line, and the MSC Cruises incorporate Piraeus as their destination. The passengers of these cruises have the possibility to explore the Greek islands as well as islands and cities of nearby countries such as Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Turkey, and Israel.

In the last years, island hopping has also gained a great deal of popularity among tourists and the Greeks as well while using Piraeus as. It is an activity that consists of visiting nearby islands with a usual time span of 1 to 3 days. The guests of such an excursion have the possibility either to pass by the islands or spent an amount of time on each one of them. It’s an alternative to cruises as it can easily be combined with other activities on each of the islands. Travelers can be benefited from such a service when the time available is limited but they wish to explore as many possibilities as possible. The main destinations are the prominent Greek islands of Santorini, Mykonos, and Crete or destinations near Athens such as Aigina, Poros, Hydra, and  Spetses for those looking for a short escape. Other popular destinations include graphic islands such as Anafi located in the Cyclades.

One of the main attractions of the Piraeus Port is the Pasalimaniarea, also known as the Bay of Zea. The Bay of Zea is an ideal location for a stroll around, with endless views of the Saronic Gulf. The area is full of traditional and fancy yachts docked at the harbor and offers an abundance of coffee shops, restaurants, and bars. Sailing and water sports activities are also available and in demand. Visitors have the chance to enjoy a yachting or sailing experience and explore the crystal clear waters of Greece.

Since 2022 the Port of Piraeus is officially connected through the metro service. With the use of the metro station, Business travelers and Tourists have now the possibility just by using the metro to connect directly from the Piraeus Port to the International Airport of Athens Eleftherios Venizelos. The new metro station is named Dimotiko Theatro and is part of Line 3 with the final destination of the Airport of Athens. This new measure is expected to greatly relieve traffic congestion around Greece’s largest port and lower carbon emissions by 120 tons daily. The total travel time from Piraeus Port to Eleftherios Venizelos Airport in Athens is estimated to be just under an hour. Another benefit of the new metro station is the direct connection to the center of Athens with the Monastiraki station being just 18 minutes away.