Piraeus is the port for Athens and one of the Mediterranean's busiest, a home port for Greek islands sailings and a stop on most Eastern Mediterranean routes.
Your day ashore, at a glance
Peak season: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Make the most of your stop
Choose an easy wander, a local highlight or a bigger day out. Compare practical details before you head ashore.
Recommended ashore
Go at opening time or late in the day to avoid the heat and crowds.
Photo: Joanbanjo; CC BY-SA 3.0; cropped · License
Recommended ashore
Old lanes, tavernas and the flea market below the Acropolis.
Photo: Berthold Werner — CC BY-SA 3.0 · License
Recommended ashore
Clifftop ruins over the Aegean, best at sunset.
Recommended ashore
A little fishing harbour in Piraeus lined with seafood restaurants.
Recommended ashore
The finest collection of ancient Greek art.
Getting to your ship
Piraeus's cruise terminals are about 45 km from Athens International, 45 minutes to an hour by taxi (fixed fares to the port) or the X96 express bus. The metro and suburban rail also reach Piraeus with a change.
To Piraeus · one way
Airport Express X96 bus
Per person · one way
EUR 5.50
≈ USD 6.16
ATH to the Piraeus port area, one way, standard adult Airport Express ticket. The stop is not every cruise terminal: allow walking or a separate paid last-mile transfer to your ship. Extra transport is not included.
Rental cars: Available, but Athens traffic is heavy; taxis and the metro are easier.
Book your trip · Kiwitaxi
Choose your arrival airport and exact cruise terminal, then check a quote for your party. Confirm pickup details, luggage and accessibility with the provider.
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Book your trip · EconomyBookings
Choose your pickup location and dates below. Airport and city offices may require a separate transfer from the cruise terminal. Check opening hours, insurance, deposit and return time before booking.
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Know before you go
The advisory reports sexual assaults against foreign visitors, particularly on islands, and warns against accepting lifts from strangers. Plan the return to the ship. Assessment uses country-level government advice; port-specific conditions may differ.
Reviewed 2026-10-25
UK advice describes legal same-sex activity and protections covering gender identity, with generally more welcoming attitudes in Athens and many islands. Public attitudes vary, especially outside major visitor areas. Editorial assessment based on country-level government guidance, not a measured port-specific incident rate.
Reviewed 2026-10-25
Editorial guidance reflects the cited advice and review date. Laws, attitudes and conditions can differ within a destination. No rating guarantees personal safety.
Pick your moment
The Greek islands season runs from April to October. July and August are hottest and busiest; May, June and September are the sweet spot.
Who else is in port?
100 is average. 150 means 50% more ship passenger capacity than this port’s observed hourly average over the past 30 days; 50 means half the average.
Checking ships in port…
Estimate for tracked catalog ships, based on published passenger capacity, not actual passengers ashore. Port areas are approximate circles around published port coordinates. Only positions reported within an hour at 1 knot or less are counted; ships at anchor may be included. Missing AIS reports and untracked ships can understate crowding. Quiet observed hours count toward the average; collection outages do not.
Set sail
3.8 ★Celebrity CruisesCelebrity Infinity2001 · 90,940 GT · 2,170 guests · Mediterranean · Canary IslandsCelebrity Infinity, the second Millennium-class ship, was delivered by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in February 2001 and christened in Los Angeles that April. Her early years were…
3.0 ★Celestyal CruisesCelestyal Discovery2003 · 42,289 GT · 1,266 guests · MediterraneanCelestyal Discovery was built by Aker MTW in Wismar, Germany, and sailed for AIDA Cruises for 20 years as AIDAaura after entering service in 2003. Celestyal bought her in…
2.8 ★Celestyal CruisesCelestyal Journey1994 · 55,819 GT · 1,258 guests · MediterraneanCelestyal Journey is the larger of Celestyal's two ships, built by Fincantieri at Monfalcone and completed in 1994 as Holland America Line's Ryndam, a Statendam class ship. She…
3.8 ★Holland America LineOosterdam2003 · 82,305 GT · 1,964 guests · Mediterranean · South AmericaOosterdam is the second of Holland America's four Vista-class ships, launched in 2002 and in service since 2003; her name pairs the Dutch word for east with the fleet's -dam…
3.8 ★Royal Caribbean InternationalRhapsody of the Seas1997 · 78,878 GT · 2,040 guests · Mediterranean · CaribbeanRhapsody of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, and in service since May 1997, with room for about 2,040 guests at…
4.3 ★Silversea CruisesSilver Nova2023 · 54,700 GT · 728 guests · Mediterranean · South AmericaSilver Nova, delivered by Meyer Werft in July 2023, is the first Evolution-class ship and Silversea's largest. Her asymmetrical layout offsets the engine casing to open up wider…
3.0 ★Star ClippersStar Flyer1991 · 2,298 GT · 166 guests · Mediterranean · CaribbeanA four-masted barquentine designed from the start as a cruise ship, Star Flyer was the first vessel of Star Clippers. The Scheepswerven van Langerbrugge yard in Belgium launched…
3.7 ★Windstar CruisesWind Surf1990 · 14,745 GT · 342 guests · Mediterranean · CaribbeanWind Surf is a five-masted staysail schooner and Windstar's largest sailing ship, carrying 342 guests on a 187-meter hull that also has electric propulsion motors. She was…These ships sail regions that regularly include this port; check the itinerary for your sailing.
Twelve ships where no child can board, from Viking Vela and Virgin's Lady ships to Saga's over-50s newbuilds and the British adults-only ships of P&O, Marella and Ambassador, ranked by our editorial scores.
Ship ranking
Celestyal has no single cabins, but its short Aegean cruises, inclusive fare and reduced solo supplement make it a low-stress way to island-hop solo.
Cruise lines
Celestyal Discovery's first Western Mediterranean season brings new shows, regional dishes and port talks on Spain, Portugal and Morocco routes.
Cruise lines
Five strengths of Princess Cruises, one clear drawback, and the travelers most likely to enjoy its cruise style.
Cruise lines
Five strengths of Celestyal Cruises, one clear drawback, and the travelers most likely to enjoy its cruise style.
Cruise lines
Book your trip · Klook
Klook may include other destinations when local tours are unavailable. Check the destination, meeting point, duration and return time against your ship’s schedule; these are independent tours.
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