The Acropolis of Athens and its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization and form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world. In the second half of the fifth century bc, Athens, following the victory against the Persians and the establishment of democracy, took a leading position amongst the other city-states of the ancient world. In the age that followed, as thought and art flourished, an exceptional group of artists put into effect the ambitious plans of Athenian statesman Pericles and, under the inspired guidance of the sculptor Pheidias, transformed the rocky hill into a unique monument of thought and the arts. The most important monuments were built during that time: the Parthenon, built by Ictinus, the Erechtheon, the Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis, designed by Mnesicles and the small temple Athena Nike.
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Last, but perhaps quite important is a walk along the Pasalimani with its beautiful marina of yachts and the bay of Marina Zea in Freatyda.
Mikrolimano , Côte Dilaveri you can admire the impressive Peace Mr. Friendship and participate in various sports or entertainment events
The church of the Holy Trinity , the Archaeological Museum , the Maritime Museum and of course the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus and magnificent neoclassical architecture.
On the hill of Prophet Elias will find the open Veakio Theatre, where every summer are organized many cultural events.
The area in the Karaiskaki stadium has been affected by the sports history of Piraeus and the Olympic team in the football.
The ancient port of Zea, which hosted the symbol of sovereignty of the Athenian state, its great fleet, is the present Pasalimani. The name Pasalimani was established because during the Turkish occupation, pashas of Athens came here along with their harems for swimming. The access to the coast for Christians was prohibited. Zea is the second largest of the three ports of Piraeus. There are still historical cafés here, from a time when the high society of Piraeus went every afternoon for a walk with their children, nannies and dogs. The most historic team in Greek football, Olympiacos, was founded as a club in the café Kyveleia, in Pasalimani, which no longer exists. The older residents of Piraeus didn’t say: “Olympiacos plays with Panathinaikos”, the eternal opponent team of Olympiacos, but they said: “The Champion plays with Panathinaikos”. In the west side there is Zea Marina, which was built by the Piraeus Port Authority, in 1955. At Moutsopoulou coast, where Kaniggos street meets Sirangiou street, you will see the Tzivanioti villa, known as “the house with palm trees”. It is of stone, in neo-Gothic style and built in the late 19th century. Very close to the villa there have been survived interesting ruins of ancient shipyards. Pasalimani ends at the east on a hill, the top of which has formed a square called Alexandras. Certain cafés here offer panoramic view of the urban complex of Athens.
In Pasalimani there are many cafés and restaurants, most of which offer wonderful view to the Saronic Gulf and Zea Marina. On the eastern side of the bay you can see a part the ancient walls.
It is located on the east side of Piraiki. It is fully equipped and offers high quality services. It was completely renovated on the occasion of the 2004 Olympic Games. It has 650 berths, including for boats up to 80 m long. Inside the marina there are café-bars, while around the marina there are shops, restaurants, refuelling stations, supermarkets, car rental shops, etc. It is open all year round, 24 hours a day. At the entrance of the marina you will also find the Maritime Museum of Greece.
Ιt was founded in June 2004, to accommodate the yachts of VIP visitors to the 2004 Olympic Games. The marina has a mooring capacity of 130 yachts and can accommodate yachts up to 130m, with over 10 berths for mega yachts of 50m up to 100m and over 25 new berths for super yachts of 30m to 35m. Athens Marina has a large seafront entrance for easy access, along with tender pilot assistance and a unique dock for alongside berthing.
Piraeus Peninsula, in the east side of the central port, is one of its most vivid and famous areas, ideal for recreation and strolling. In the Peninsula there are three coves. The first is called Skafaki, the second Baikoutsis’s and the third one Venus (Aphrodite) or Palaska. At the last one, in Venus bay with the chapel of Agios Nikolaos that looks like a windmill, the boats of the Amateur Fishing Club of Piraeus moor. The Piraeus Peninsula, following the extensive landscaping works that took place in the period 1983-86, acquired sidewalks, railings, places with greenery and benches. The area is full of taverns and ouzeri and attracts people from Piraeus, Athens as well as foreign visitors. Should you come late in the evening, you will enjoy amazing images of the sun setting in the sea.
The Piraeus Peninsula consists mainly of a porous limestone, in the color of ocher, which has the characteristic of being easily carved, “soft”. It is the famous aktitis stone which the ancient Athenians took from here and it was particularly easy to be processed. It is a kind of limestone, namely marly limestone. The ancient wall of Piraeus had been built by this stone and many other works of antiquity -scattered monuments of this material are found throughout Attica. Today the coastal road that connects Piraeus with Freatida is called Themistocles coast in honor of the great statesman and general who fortified Piraeus and defeated the Persians at Salamis in the 5th century B.C. However, the ruins of the ancient walls alongside the coast, are of the walls that were built a century later by Conon.
On the hill that rises northwest from Mikrolimano and north from Votsalakia beach, you will find the most beautiful district of Piraeus: The Castella. Walk around and admire the architecture of the neighborhood with mansions of the 19th century. The uphill streets like Irakleous, Falireos, Foskolou and Vasileos Pavlou offer a panoramic view. From the Veakeio Theatre and even higher at the Prophet Elias, the coastline to Vouliagmeni is clearly distinguishable. To the west of the Prophet Elias hill there are the old waterworks of Athens and a grove, while in the south there are traces of fortifications from the archaic period.
At the top of the hill of Castella you will find the church of Prophet Elias and Veakeio theater. It was built based on the design patterns of ancient theaters and it can accommodate 2000 spectators. At the inauguration in June 1969 the opera Nabucco by Verdi was presented by the National Opera. Each summer the Municipality of Piraeus organize here a number of interesting cultural events.
In ancient times the hill of Castella was called Mounichia hill. In the recent past the name Prophet Elias hill prevailed, due to the church which was built on top of it. Because of the tank (deksameni) for the city's water supply another name of Castella was Deksameni district. The hill has an altitude of about 90 meters.
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