Piraeus is one of the largest cities in Greece and is a municipality within the Athens urban area. The city is located just 6 miles to the south of Athens city centre and is one of the most important and ancient commercial-leading ports in the Mediterranean.
The city lies to the west of the Piraeus peninsula, while to the east are a number of private harbours, namely the Mikrolimano (Tourkolimano) and the Zea Marina (Pasalimani). The city is connected to Athens by an active railway and metro network, which ends at Atki Kalimassioti.
Being the third largest populated city in Greece, Piraeus gained fame and significance when Athens became a naval power. The city has customary houses, wide lanes, airy squares, tree-lined streets, parks, theatres, and industrial zones that give a spectacular sight of the city. Travellers have ferried across to the mainland which explains the origin of its name, meaning “the place over the passage.” Architect Ippodamos designed the urban planning of Piraeus somewhere around the mid-5th century BC. His plans were used as the guidelines for the reconstruction of the city in 1834.