2. The historic centre of Athens: From Syntagma Square, stroll down the famous shopping street of Ermou, until you reach Monastiraki, and there you’ll enter the old markets teeming with tourist and antique shops. Avissinias Square with its flea market is particularly picturesque. Another way to go is towards Stadiou and Panepistimiou avenues, with their iconic buildings, historic cafes, and all manner of restaurants and stores.

3. Kolonaki: This aristocratic neighbourhood of central Athens offers a wide array of choices of chic cafes, high-end restaurants and cool boutiques.

4. Plaka: The walk from Adrianou Street, through the shaded squares and streets of Plaka, to Anafiotika with its Cycladic architecture, is one of a kind.

5. Psyrri & Gazi: The neighbourhoods of Psyrri and Gazi are hip hangouts emitting a youthful energy, full of restaurants, cafes and bars it is cool to be seen in.

6. Attica’s coastline: Walk along Attica’s coast, especially around Glyfada, the stylish southern suburb with its trendy bars, excellent restaurants and vibrant shopping scene. It’s also the last tram stop of a scenic route along the sea that begins at Syntagma.

7. Saronic Gulf islands: On these islands close to Athens, you’ll be greeted with an entirely different atmosphere. You’ll visit Hydra with its grand mansions and 18th-century captains’ homes, cosmopolitan Spetses with its picturesque Old Port, Aegina with its Capodistrian buildings and floating grocers, stately Poros and tiny, pine-studded Agistri.

8. Kythira: Further afield, and off the southern Peloponnese coastline, on Kythira, the imposing Venetian castle rises above the Hora, overlooking the pretty seaside village of Kapsali, with its twin bays. Worth visiting are the smaller Venetian castle at Mylopotamo and the cave/chapel of Agia Sophia with its frescoes among the stalactites.

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The Piraeus history: Piraeus is surrounded by the sea and this influences the pace of life here. The town planning was realized by architect Ippodamos in mid-5th century B.C. The plans of Ippodamos were used as guidelines for the second planning of the town in 1834. Themistocles was the first one to realize its importance for the city of Athens and to promote it to be the major port in order to replace the Faliros Bay, which was used by the Athenians until the 5th century B.C.

Aiming to create a fortified port for the city of Athens, within the period from 493 to 479 B.C. he constructed the Piraeus Wall. Later, Pericles completed the fortifications by building the Long Walls (Makra Teichi) which protected both sides of the road throughout the route from Piraeus to Athens. During the Middle Ages, Piraeus was known as Porto Leone due to the presence of an enormous stone lion sculpture guarding the port entrance.

Today, it is the main port of Athens, the biggest one in Greece and one of the most important ports of the Mediterranean, a major shipping, industrial and transportation center of the country. City life focuses on the three parts of the port: the central one, the Zea marina and Mikrolimano.

Sightseeing in Piraeus:

The Central Port: Its ancient name was Kantharos and today is the center of the city life. From here you can embark on a journey to all the Aegean islands (apart from the Sporades) and Crete. You can stroll around to see not only the cargo ships but also the sea liners, as well as the arrivals and the departures of shipments and people from all over the world. In the Freatida area you can see the remaining parts of the ancient Piraeus Wall (on the coastal area).

Zea marina (Pasalimani): This marina is the docking place for some of the most impressive yachts and cruisers. On the coast you can find many restaurants, taverns, bars and commercial stores which satisfy every passenger’s need.

Next to the archaeological museum you will see the Ancient Theater of Zea (4th – 3rd cent. B. C.).

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.

Municipal Theatre of Piraeus: It is located in one of the central squares of the city (Korai square). It is a neoclassical building constructed in the 1880s by architect I. Lazarimo, one of the most frequented places and a usual meeting point for the residents of Piraeus.

Metro station “Pireaus”: This magnificent eclectic building with the arched dome (1929) has been greatly influenced by the relative European stations of that period. Recently, the internal facilities were fully renovated, while on the walls we can admire paintings made by the students of Fine Arts School.

Archaeological Museum: It mainly hosts sculptures discovered in Piraeus and the coasts of Attica. The exhibits describe the history, period of prosperity and decline of the ancient city. You should pay exceptional attention to the five bronze sculptures discovered in Piraeus in 1959: the Archaic Kouros-Apollo, the two sculptures of Artemis, the one of Athena of Piraeus and a mask of ancient tragedy (4th century B.C.).

Maritime Museum: You will find it in Moutsopoulou Coast and its exhibits present about 3000 years of Hellenic maritime history.

How to go there: You can take the metro and get off at “Piraeus” station. Moreover, there are regular bus itineraries departing from Filellinon street in Syntagma square (No 40) and Athenas street, Omonia square (No 49), which arrive at Xaveriou Coast (Piraeus).

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Your excursion to the southern suburbs begins from Faliro and reaches Sounion. The tram connects Athens – from Syntagma Square – with the southern suburbs, and is a leisurely way to get to the coast. Route T3, which reaches from Faliro until Voula, is the most enjoyable way for you to get to know the coastline. Along the way, you’ll encounter seaside neighbourhoods and destinations full of temptations for you to stop and check out: Alimos, Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Lagonissi, Saronida, Anavyssos are all perfect for swimming or a stroll, with shopping, dining and more.

In this corner of Athens you’ll find organised, emerald water beaches, and rocky coves perfect for a swim. There is certainly no shortage of inviting sand or Blue Flag awards on stretches of coast like Eden Beach at Mavro Lithari, the beaches at Anavyssos, Varkiza, Asteras Vouliagmenis, Kochilia in Lagonissi and many more. Five-star resorts with spas, esplanades, palm trees, sea sports, sailing and even golf at the modern Glyfada Golf Club await you. Traditional tavernas and gourmet restaurants serve freshly caught fish. The beat goes on at numerous beach bars and exclusive nightclubs where you will dance until dawn, barefoot on the sand. Here the sun shines bright and the laughter rings out loud all year round.

If you are a sailing enthusiast, the Athens Riviera has many marinas from which you can set sail for beaches and villages in the Peloponnese (Loutra Oraias Elenis, Korfo, Epidaurus), Sounion – cruising by Athens’ cosmopolitan beaches – as well as the islands near Athens, in the Saronic Gulf. Fully-organised marinas in the area can be found in Flisvos, at Faliro-SEF, in Alimos, Glyfada and Vouliagmeni. An overnight excursion to the nearby Temple of Poseidon in Sounion, especially when there is a full moon, is a majestic experience.

On the tip of this unique coastline, you’ll find Cape Sounion, where you’ll admire the Temple of Poseidon – one of the most significant monuments of Ancient Greece, and one of the most important attractions in Athens. The energy of the landscape is indescribable, and has inspired myths and legends. This is where Aegeus, king of Athens, jumped to his death, mistakenly thinking that he’d lost Theseus, his only son, to the Minotaur in the labyrinth. Every evening the sun’s rays play hide and seek between the marble columns, then dance down to add a sparkle to the sea below.

And finally, when night falls, you’ll enjoy the coast’s nightlife: in Alimos, Glyfada, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza the beach bars are filled with people enjoying their cocktails, dancing until dawn and making summer memories. Welcome to the Athens Riviera, where summer never ends.

Source: https://www.discovergreece.com

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