Piraeus is the port city adjacent to Athens from which hundreds of cruise and commercial and cargo ships arrive and depart weekly. It was the location for many of the Olympic Games 2004. A new subway was built for the Games and is now used by thousands of passengers a day between Athens and Piraeus.

The ancient Parthenon  atop the Acropolis hill is one of the most famous buildings in the world. It was dedicated to the goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron. Construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the peak of its power. The building is always undergoing restoration.