LOCATION

Quick Links: The Location · Where to Stay in Piraeus · Transport · Visas · People · Language · Time Zone · Climate · Currency · Credit/Charge Cards · Voltage The Location Piraeus is a city in the periphery of Attica, Greece, and is situated close to Athens (about 11 km / 7 miles away). It was the port of the ancient city of Athens and was chosen to serve as the modern port when the city re-emerged in 1834. Piraeus is the largest port in Europe and the third largest in the world in terms of passenger transportation, servicing 19,000,000 passengers annually. It is also the terminus for Line 1 (the "green line"), the electric train service now incorporated into the Athens Metro. The area has three natural harbours: a large one on the north-west which functions as an important commercial harbour for the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and two smaller points, Zea and Mikrolimano. The port serves ferry routes to almost every island in the eastern portion of Greece, the island of Crete, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, and much of the northern and the eastern Aegean Sea. The western part of the port is used for cargo services and covers a huge area, with much of that part of the harbour lying in suburban Drapetsona and Keratsini.    Piraeus Piraeus offers several attractions, including excellent museums. The Maritime Museum is situated in the Zea Marina and displays model ships from the beginning of maritime activity to the present day. The Archaeological Museum has an interesting collection of artefacts including three stunning bronze statues depicting Artemis, Athena and Apollo. Hadrian's Arch can be found in downtown Athens. The Dionysos Theatre is situated at the foot of the Acropolis and is arguably the oldest theatre in the world. What remains of the once enormous Temple of Zeus is impressive and nearby is the historic Panatheniac Stadium, site of the first modern Olympic Games. Where to Stay in Piraeus We list below some local hotels which are are all located within a short distance of the venue. We have no personal knowledge of these, so please make your own enquiries directly. Rating Hotel Price Piraeus Theoxenia, 23 Karaoli & Dimitriou Street, Piraeus 185 31 Tel : +30 210 41 12 550 - Click here for their website From €175 per night Park Hotel, 103 Kolokotroni Street, Piraeus Tel : +30 210 452 4611 - Click here for their website From €120 per night Hotel Noufara, 45 Iroon Polytechniou Street, Piraeus Tel : +30 210 411 5541 - Click here for their website From €110 per night Savoy Hotel, 93 Iroon Polytechniou Ave, Piraeus Tel: +30 210 428 4580 - Click here for their website From €99 per night Lilia Hotel, 131 Zeas, Pasalimani, 18534 Piraeus Tel: +30 210 417 9108nbsp;- Click here for their website From €54 per night Glaros Hotel, 4 Charilaou Trikoupi Street, Piraeus Tel: +30 210 451 5421 - Click here for their website From €45 per night Prices are given for guidance only, and should always be checked prior to booking. Transport To get to Piraeus from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport we would recommend taking a taxi. The journey of approximately 45 km will take around 50 minutes and should cost around €32 including any tolls. To pre book a cab online visit: www.greecetaxi.gr. Pre-booked taxis will be slightly more expensive but will avoid queuing. Visas For information regarding the Visas and local Embassies and Consulates, you may enquire at: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs 3, Akadimias Str (ground floor) Information Bureau Tel 0030 210 3682700 email cio@mfa.gr (opening hours 10:00-14:00) They have information on Visas for Foreigners Travelling to Greece at: http://www.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/en-US/Services/Visas/Visas+for+Foreigners+travelling+to+Greece/ A list of Greek Consulates and Embassies is also available at: http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=22&langID=2 People Piraeus has a population of approximately 180,000. Language The official language in Piraeus is Greek, although English is widely spoken. Time Zone The Standard Time Zone is GMT plus 2 hours. Climate The Mediterranean and Athenian climate of Piraeus sees plenty of sunshine throughout the year. The likelihood of rain increases between November and early April, being directly affected by its proximity to Mount Parnitha, and this rainy weather comes in the form of heavy and infrequent thunderstorms. On the northern, more mountainous side of Piraeus, the climate is very different, with temperatures usually being much lower and heavy snow occurring in the winter. Even in central Piraeus, this is a slight chance of snow in the winter, and some years, even an occasional Greek blizzard in February is not unheard of. Currency The official currency is the Euro. Credit/Charge Cards Major cards are widely accepted by major establishments in Piraeus. Voltage Singapore voltage is 220 volts AC. You may need a voltage converter, and plug adapter in order to use appliances from other countries. We recommend getting a universal adapter and converter kit.