In the Centre of Piraeus

How many historical periods can a route traverse? In just 1.5 km from OLP (Piraeus Port Authority) and the port of Piraeus to the city center, you will virtually travel through the 19th and 20th centuries, arriving in the present.

If you start from where the cruise ships dock, follow Miaouli Coast, named after the naval hero of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, Andreas Miaoulis. Your first stop is the impressive church of Agios Nikolaos, located across from the cruise terminal at number 2 of the same-named street (perpendicular to Miaouli Coast). It is a neoclassical structure with ancient Greek features, designed by architect I. Lazarimos.

The next church worth admiring is Agios Spyridon, at number 1 of Miaouli Coast. It used to be a monastery, and the building you see today dates back to the mid to late 19th century. He is the patron saint of Piraeus and is celebrated on December 12 with a procession of his icon.

Continue your journey and turn onto 2nd Merarchias Street. This avenue connected the two natural harbors of Piraeus: the central one (Kantharos Harbor) and the ancient Zea Harbor, Pasalimani. Over time, buildings were constructed along it that housed shipping and other companies, theaters, shops, travel agencies, banks - many of which no longer exist today.

Here, you can pause and travel back to the early 20th century: The perpendicular streets Notara and Filonos, along with Kolokotroni, enclosed the famous (or should we say infamous?) Trouba. It was the "sinful" neighborhood of Piraeus, the subject of many films from the Greek cinema of the 1950s and 60s. Today, Trouba is an upgraded area with restaurants, cafés-bars, clubs, and it's worth taking a walk - you might even stumble upon an event or street party.

Continuing your walk towards the city center, you pass through the Terpsithea Gardens with its four parks. Iroon Politechniou Street will lead you to Korai Square, where the City Hall of Piraeus is located. At the square, you can stop for coffee or a quick meal. Across from it stands the most famous landmark of Piraeus, the Municipal Theater. It is a genuine architectural gem in neoclassical style and one of the most important theaters in Greece. It was founded in 1884, designed by architect I. Lazarimos.

Another point of interest in Korai Square is the church of Agioi Konstantinos and Eleni, built in 1878 to designs by Ioannis Lazarimos.

If you want to enjoy modern art, at number 29 Filonos Street, in an elegant neoclassical building from the early 20th century, you'll find the Municipal Art Gallery of Piraeus. Its collection includes paintings by well-known Greek artists.

And now? It's shopping time. Whatever you're looking for, whether it's clothing, accessories, jewelry, technology products, books, herbs, fresh ingredients, vegetables, or food, you'll find them on the streets in the city center.

Happy shopping!

Info 

Detailed information about the city center of Piraeus can be found in the Neighborhoods section. For Shopping, see the relevant section.