Explore Piraeus!
Many travelers know Piraeus simply as the busy port that connects Athens to the Greek islands. However, if you find yourself here with a bit of spare time, don't rush straight to the ferry - Piraeus has a few hidden gems worth a visit.
Municipal Theatre: the jewel of Piraeus
It is a theatre with a long history and of great beauty. Leading Greek directors, actors, musicians, and lyric artists, as well as several well-known foreign opera, drama, and dance troupes, music and choral ensembles, have all performed in it. It is a landmark in Piraeus city and the busiest part of the town, as it is located downtown on Korai Square, between the Piraeus Port and picturesque Pasalimani. A few years ago, the theatre closed for renovation. Today, the premises are completely refurbished and the theatre is open again for the public, adding touches of glamour and shine to the city life of Piraeus as well as of Athens. This makes it one of the leading cultural venues in the country.
The Piraeus Municipal Theatre was built in the 1890’s, following the neoclassical architectural style, by Ioannis Lazarimos, a Piraeus architect and professor of the National Technical University. It was inaugurated in April 1895. Its shape follows closely the classicist style and bears heavy influences from the German school represented in Greece by Ernst Ziller. The building’s shape is rectangular, its dimensions are 34 X 45 m. and the overall area is 6,000 m2. The main entrance is a portico with four Corinthian Columns and a pediment. On the top of the building there is a terraced roof with a pediment on its facade.
Marina Zeas (Pasalimani)
This large, circular marina has been a harbor since ancient times and is still full of life today. Wander over Marina Zeas, also known as Pasalimani, and you can admire luxury yachts and watch local life unfold from a waterfront café. The promenade that circles the marina is perfect for a relaxing walk. If you love a touch of history, drop by the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus to see fascinating ancient treasures, or explore the remains of the Ancient Theatre of Zea nearby - small but enchanting.
Archaeological Museum
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The old museum has its entrance from Filellinon street and used today as a repository of sculptures. The Museum building is constructed on the north side of the archaeological site that surrounds the Zea theatre and the area around the theatre is used as the storage countryside of ancient architectural, funerary inscriptions, etc.
The transport and display at the Piraeus Archaeological museum of fine art bronze statues, discovered in Piraeus in 1959 and remained in Athens until 1983, for technical reasons ( “Kourou” or Apollon, Athena, Artemis, etc.) has given prestigious artistic interest.
Mikrolimano & Kastella
Mikrolimano| This port was protected by the goddess Mounichia Artemis and today is a popular area attracting people from all over Attica. It is a beautiful small port full of fishing boats, small ships and luxurious yachts. If you are fond of fish and sea food, you should eat at one of its famous taverns.
Kastella| A popular and beautiful quarter of Piraeus built on a hill also known as Prophet Ilias. If you walk to the top of the hill you will see alleys with picturesque houses. In this area you will also find the outdoor theatre “Veakio”, which hosts significant cultural events during the summer.
Naval Museum
Piraeus has the only Naval Museum in Greece, housed in a building, specially build for this purpose, in Marina Zea. The museum is rich in artifacts (models of ships, representations of historical events, various objects, paintings, photographs, etc..) relative to the maritime tradition and history of our nation from ancient times till today. In separate galleries there are exhibits, of the antiquity and in particular the ancient Piraeus, the Revolution of 1821, the modern history of the navy (1912 - 1944) and our commercial shipping.
Karaiskakis Stadium
Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium is a football stadium in theNeo Faliro area of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece. It is the home ground of the Greek club Olympiacos F.C. and is named after Georgios Karaiskakis hero of the Greek War of Independence, who was mortally wounded near the area.
It was used during the 1896 Summer Olympics as the Neo Phaliron Velodrome, where Frenchman Paul Masson took the three track cycling gold medals.It was renovated during the 1960s and was completely rebuilt in 2004 into a 32,115 capacity, all seater stadium, ready for the football competition of the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Peace & Friendship Stadium
The Peace and Friendship Stadium, commonly known by its acronym SEF is a sports arena in Piraeus, in the coastal zone of Athens, Greece. The arena is mostly known for being the home to Euroleague Basketball team Olympiacos Piraeus and is the central venue of the Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex. It opened in 1985. The Peace and Friendship Stadium opened in 1985 and its construction cost was €25,000,000 in 1983 prices. It was designed by the architectural firm "Thymios Papagiannis and Associates". The arena is built opposite to the Karaiskakis Stadium inPiraeus, located in the western end of the Phaleron Bay in the coastal zone of Athens. It was inaugurated on February 16, 1985 at the first Panhellenic Athletics Indoor Championship, and hosted the 1985 European Athletics Indoor Championships in March
