Authentic experiences

Many travellers are not content with just visiting the sights of a place. They want to have authentic experiences and to get a deeper understanding of its culture and the lives of its people. Piraeus, this port city with a fascinating history dating back to antiquity, has a multicultural character that makes it special.

A few suggestions:

• Walk in Kastella, but also in the districts of Mikrolimanos. Where the glamorous lives of the bourgeoisie living in the neoclassical mansions met in the 19th and 20th centuries with the lives of the less fortunate and refugees.
• Learn about the city's maritime tradition that dates back to ancient times. It is worth seeing the maritime exhibits of the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, the Maritime Museum of Greece, the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation, the I.E.N. collection, the floating museum ELLAS LIBERTY.   
  The Maritime Museum of Greece has an important maritime library open to the public, and a collection of maps.
• The ruins of the ancient walls of Piraeus from the time of Themistocles and Conon are scattered on the rocks of Piraeus and you will discover them on foot, while part of the Conomeion Wall welcomes you to the Maritime Museum of Greece. Other antiquities can be seen in Terpsithea Square. The Lion of Piraeus on the Xaverion Beach will take you back to the Venetian era, when the port was called Porto Leone.
• If you are interested in architecture, in the city centre you will admire the neoclassical building of the 19th century Municipal Theatre of Piraeus. Other notable buildings of the same period are the Naval Cadet School, the Metaxas House, the Patsyadi Mansion, the Vattis Mansion. See also the churches of the town. Apart from places of worship they are also extremely interesting in terms of their architecture and history.
• Getting to know the authentic flavours of a place is one of the best ways to understand its culture. Taste traditional dishes in the city's restaurants and ouzo bars and ask about the recipes brought by the Asia Minor refugees who settled in Piraeus after 1922.
• Discover the city's traditional cafes and bakalotaverns. And what stories their customers and owners don't have to tell you! And if you wonder about the black and white photos of the Piraeusian rebetters that adorn the walls, then all you have to do is spend an evening in a rebetadiko and get acquainted with this very special kind of folk music.
• Strolling through the alleys with traditional food markets is a true experience. Products from all over Greece, traditional sweets, herbs, herbal products and many more fill the showcases, reminding us of the old times - when the famous Central Municipal Market of the city was in operation.
• Finally, if you love walks, you only have to follow the suggested routes.

Info

Maritime Museum of Greece: https://www.hmmuseum.gr 
HELLAS LIBERTY Floating Museum: https://hellasliberty.gr 
Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation: http://www.laskaridisfoundation.org