Piraeus

Piraeus has been the port of Athens since antiquity, laid out on a grid by the planner Hippodamus in the fifth century BC and fortified by the Long Walls that once ran all the way to the city. Today it is the largest passenger port in Europe, handling many millions of travellers a year and serving as the principal departure point for the Cyclades, Crete, the Saronic islands, the Dodecanese and much of the Aegean.

Most visitors pass through on their way to a ferry, but the city rewards a longer look. The main harbour, with its numbered gates from E1 to E12 spread along three kilometres of quay, is flanked by two smaller and far prettier bays. Mikrolimano is a curve of yacht moorings and fish tavernas, while neighbouring Pasalimani, or Zea Marina, holds a large marina below tiers of neoclassical houses on the hill of Kastella.

Piraeus has real cultural depth. The Archaeological Museum of Piraeus displays a remarkable group of large bronze statues found buried in the ancient town, including a rare Archaic Apollo. The Hellenic Maritime Museum traces the country's long seafaring history, and the restored Municipal Theatre anchors a lively downtown of markets and shops.

Getting here could hardly be simpler. Metro Line 1 ends at Piraeus station beside the port, linking directly to central Athens, and the newer Line 3 now reaches the town as well, connecting the port to the airport without a change. Suburban rail and a dense bus network add to the options.

For travellers, timing matters: ferries to the islands are busiest and most frequent from late spring to early autumn, and the summer weekends see long queues at the gates. Arrive with time to spare, check your departure gate in advance, and if you have an hour to fill, walk round to Mikrolimano for a coffee by the water before you sail.