Today we arrived into the port of Piraeus. Piraeus, the main port city of Athens, Greece, has a rich and layered history that stretches back thousands of years. Piraeus rose to prominence during the Golden Age of Athens under Themistocles (5th century BC), who recognized its strategic importance. It was developed into a major naval base and commercial port. Massive long walls (fortifications) connected Piraeus to Athens, ensuring secure passage between the city and its port. As Athens declined, so did Piraeus. However, it remained a notable port under Roman rule, though it was not as dominant as before. Piraeus fell into relative obscurity during the Byzantine era. It became a small fishing village known as Porto Leone under the Ottomans, named after a large lion statue (later taken by the Venetians to Venice, where it now stands at the Arsenal). In the 19th Century after Greece gained independence from the Ottomans (1830s), Piraeus was redeveloped as the main port of Athens. It grew rapidly with the rise of Greek shipping and trade. In the 20th Century it became a vital part of Greece’s economy. Suffered damage during World War II, especially during German occupation and Allied bombing. Today Piraeus is one of the largest and busiest ports in Europe, a gateway to the Greek islands, and a hub of maritime commerce.

We decided to take Nana’s plan of attack for going out which as I have talked about before is no how I approach going off ship.  We had decided to not book any tours today as we had been in Athens in 2007.  Nana really wanted to visit a church here on Good Saturday so we found a church that was very close to our ship as we are docked right in the city.  The church was Greek Orthodox and they were having a special Good Saturday ceremony.  Nana loved it.  

We then decided to catch a hop on hop off bus to Athens just to see the city again and to see what was new.  Athens is about a 30 minute drive from where our ship docked.   Athens is a very interesting mix of old and new with so much history.  

We have one sea day tomorrow and then 6 port days in a row.  The blogs will be coming fast a furious for a while.