The main commercial port — the biggest in the Mediterranean for passenger traffic and one of the busiest cargo ports in Europe — is not strictly a sight, but the scale of the operation is impressive. From the main ferry quay you can watch the Blue Star ferries to the Cyclades, the giant cruise ships docking on the south pier, and container traffic to and from the Chinese-operated Pier II.
The Greek state sold a controlling stake in the port to COSCO in 2016, and Chinese investment has turned Piraeus into the largest port in the eastern Mediterranean — a fact that still divides local opinion.