Prior to Rick Steve's Greece tour in May, we are flying into Athens and the next day taking a ferry to Naousa, Paros. After 3 days on the island, we will return to Piraeus and then stay 3 days in Athens before our tour begins. If we take a bus or train from the airport, any recommendations on a hotel that would be safe to get to, stay in (with restaurant), and allow me to walk to Ferry Dock in Piraeus? Would it be easy to just take the metro from the port into Athens on our return via Piraeus?
Posted by
Baltimore, Md
6 posts
We recently returned from Greece after a 12 day combination bike and boat tour along the Saronic coast and Peloponnese with 4 day tour around Athens. We opted to stay in Piraeus in a spacious 2 bedroom apt near Zeas pleasure boat and yacht Harbor since we were 2 couples traveling. It was located across the street from the Hotel Lilia that seemed quite nice and front desk staff were always willing to call us a cab to either ferry dock (6€) or into Athens (13€). We took metro on return trips from Athens (. 20 minutes). There are 3 or more lovely restaurants a short stroll down by the harbor.
Posted by
France Southwest
2318 posts
Regarding hotels at the port of Piraeus, here are the 3 hotels that I recommend:
Phildias Hotel
They have a free shuttle to the metro station or the X96 bus stop.
Port Square hotel
https://www.theportsquarehotel.gr/
Which is right next to the metro station
Triton Hotel
Closest to gate E8
There are 2 ways to get from the airport to the port of Piraeus by public transport.
Metro line 3 (blue) to Piraeus station, from 6:10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., a metro every 36 minutes, travel time 58 minutes. Ticket: €9
The X96 bus 24/7. A bus approximately every 20 minutes. Travel time 1h10 depending on traffic. Ticket €5.5.
You'll find loads of bars and restaurants in Piraeus, which is very lively. Just walk the streets.
.
See the small tavern / ouzeri Ikariotiko
https://maps.app.goo.gl/chzQUxy7d2sPpboM7
For a beer or a glass of wine I recommend the Leykes Nyxtes bar
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Hg4x7Xbig9v62xRQ9
If your ferry leaves early in the morning, don't worry about breakfast time at the hotel, on the port you will find plenty of bakeries/cafes that open very early, from 6 a.m. and serve breakfast.
See a general map of transport, gates and hotels in Piraeus here:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1b5T69no_NoFqRP30wWaIi3I8WjtjGYI&usp=sharing
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks so much for the info, especially the maps. I take it you would feel safe arriving by metro to the port and walking to a hotel and then to the ferry port the next day? I assume one must watch for pickpockets on the metro. Is it the same for the streets in the port?
Posted by
France Southwest
2318 posts
I think you are too worried about safety. I have never had any problems in Athens and Piraeus, and I have been going there for over 30 years. The Piraeus port and its surroundings are very busy almost 24/7. Every day thousands of ferry passengers, residents and tourists take the metro, buses, and walk the streets, probably hundreds of them to go to their hotel or from their hotel to the port.
So, you won't be the only one!
To get an idea, see this live streaming webcam on the port.
It is directed towards somewhere between gates E5/E6 (E8 is about 300 meters further to the left and is not visible from this camera)
https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/ellada/atiki/piraeus/piraeus.html
I just opened the web page to check that the link works, it's midnight in Athens and hundreds of passengers are currently disembarking with their luggage from a Blue Star Ferry.
Reagarding pickpockets, there is quite a bit of paranoia generated by some reports of unwary tourists having their belongings stolen.
This is a reality as in all major tourist cities. Just take common sense precautions by watching your pockets and luggage and I guarantee that you have a more chance of having an accident at home in your kitchen or garage than being a victim of a pickpocket in Athens
Pickpockets in the metro mainly act when you are about to leave the metro train or when you take the escalators, and obviously most of the time this happens on the Airport-Syntagma-Monastiraki-Piraeus axis, where there are has the most tourists.