See Museum
Acropolis Museum
Athens · about 6 miles from the pier
The third-floor gallery holds the Parthenon sculptures, and an excavated Athenian neighborhood lies under the building. Tickets cost €20.
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Attica · Greece
Piraeus (Athens)
The cruise port for Athens, about 6 miles from the Acropolis.
Piraeus is the harbor city of Athens. See the Parthenon on the Acropolis, then eat fresh fish on Mikrolimano harbor.
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Four Ways to Spend a Day in Athens and Piraeus
Unwind Harbor walk
Mikrolimano Harbor Walk
Piraeus · about 1.8 miles from the pier
Walk the wide esplanade past moored fishing boats, with the Kastella hill above. Across the road, stepped lanes of tile-roofed houses built for refugees in 1930 climb the slope.
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Taste Seafood
Fish Taverns on Akti Koumoundourou
Piraeus · about 1.8 miles from the pier
Fish taverns line the Koumoundourou waterfront on Mikrolimano. Menus center on fresh fish and seafood, and the city's tourism office notes award-winning and Michelin-starred restaurants.
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Explore Museum
Archaeological Museum of Piraeus
Piraeus · about 0.9 mile from the pier
Finds near Zea Marina trace ancient Piraeus from Mycenaean to Roman times, including an ancient warship ram. A ticket costs €10, and it is closed on Tuesdays.
See Museum Details (opens a new tab)Skip the excursion desk
Tours & Tickets in Piraeus
Athens is about 6 miles from the pier, so check that a tour picks up at the cruise port.
Getting Around Piraeus
From May to October the X80 express bus reaches downtown Athens from the cruise terminals in about half an hour, on a €4.10 24-hour ticket. The rest of the year, take the metro from Piraeus station, about 1.1 miles from the terminal area.
Getting to Piraeus Cruise Port
Athens airport is about 18 miles from the port in a straight line.
If you do one thing here
Climb the Acropolis to the Parthenon
The Parthenon crowns the Acropolis, about 6 miles from the pier. From May to October the X80 express bus runs from both cruise terminal exits to an Acropolis stop; the rest of the year, take the metro from Piraeus station into Athens.
A full ticket costs €30 on tickets.hh.gr, the Ministry of Culture's official ticket site. You book an entry time and can change it up to 2 hours before. Large bags and food are not allowed on the site.
Safety and Weather
Crime figures cover Attica, the region that includes Athens and Piraeus.
- CrimeIn 2024 Attica recorded 1,047 thefts per 100,000 residents, 1.7 times the Greek rate of 607. Robbery was 2.2 times the national rate, and assaults were 21% higher.
- Walking to townNot to Athens: the Acropolis is about 5.9 miles from the cruise terminal in a straight line. In Piraeus, the Archaeological Museum is about 0.9 mile away.
- WeatherAthens averages a 92°F high in July and 55°F in January. October gets about 2.1 inches of rain, July about 0.2 inch.
Crime figures: Eurostat, police-recorded offences, Attica and Greece, 2024, per 100,000 residents. Weather: WMO World Weather Information Service, Athens.
Make it part of your voyage
Cruises From Piraeus (Athens)
Mediterranean cruises start, end and call here.
Piraeus (Athens) FAQ
Where do cruise ships dock in Piraeus?
Piraeus has three passenger terminals and 11 berths, and it can take the largest cruise ships. The port authority publishes no cruise schedule by terminal, so your cruise line tells you yours.
Is there a free shuttle at Piraeus cruise port?
Yes. The port authority runs a free shuttle bus for passengers between the passenger stations and the ships.
How far is Piraeus port from Athens?
The Acropolis is about 5.9 miles from the cruise terminal area in a straight line. From May to October the X80 express bus reaches downtown Athens in about half an hour.
How do I get from Piraeus cruise port to Athens?
From May to October, the X80 express bus runs from both cruise terminal exits to the Acropolis and Syntagma every 35 to 40 minutes. The rest of the year, take the metro from Piraeus station, about 1.1 miles away; a 90-minute ticket costs €1.20.
How much is the X80 bus from Piraeus?
The 90-minute ticket is not valid on the X80. It accepts the €4.10 24-hour ticket and the €20 three-day tourist ticket.
How do I get from Piraeus port to Athens airport?
The X96 airport express bus takes about 90 minutes, runs 24 hours a day and costs €5.50 one way. The airport is about 18 miles from the port in a straight line.
Can you walk from Piraeus port to Athens?
No. The Acropolis is about 5.9 miles from the cruise terminal in a straight line. In Piraeus, the Archaeological Museum is about 0.9 mile away and Mikrolimano about 1.8 miles.
Can you visit the Acropolis from Piraeus cruise port?
Yes. From May to October the X80 express bus runs from the cruise terminals to the Acropolis. Book a timed entry on tickets.hh.gr, the Ministry of Culture's official site: a full ticket costs €30, and large bags are not allowed.
What is there to do in Piraeus for a day?
Visit the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, about 0.9 mile from the terminal area. Then walk the Mikrolimano harbor esplanade, about 1.8 miles away, and eat fresh fish at its waterfront taverns.
Is Piraeus safe for tourists?
In 2024 Attica recorded 1.7 times Greece’s theft rate and 2.2 times its robbery rate. Assaults were 21% higher than the national rate.
What is the weather like in Piraeus?
Athens averages a 92°F high in July and 55°F in January. October gets about 2.1 inches of rain; July gets about 0.2 inch.
Photos: Piraeus (Athens): Adamdl06204917 (CC0) · Acropolis Museum: Challisrussia (CC0) · Mikrolimano: George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Akti Koumoundourou: Andrew Dalby (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Archaeological Museum of Piraeus: George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Acropolis from Philopappos Hill: A.Savin (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Cruise ship in port: HG32 (CC BY-SA 3.0). Cropped for display.