GREECE DIARIES

It Wasn’t about Soccer… But Seafood

The port city of Piraeus turned out to be a pleasant surprise

If you reside in Europe, it is highly likely that football — soccer to those on the other side of the Atlantic — interests you to some extent. You may not be a fan, but interactions with office colleagues and peer groups is enough to incite interest in the world’s most popular sport.

I like to consider myself as a different kind of football aficionado. I am a fan for sure, but not a fanatic. I do not lose my head over a particular result. Neither do I get into arguments as regards which club is better or how it should be done.

That being said, like most fans, there are a couple of clubs that I follow very passionately. However, unlike most fans, I have a favorite club in almost all major football-playing nations in Europe, and these are also clubs I follow diligently. When it comes to Greece, the choice is an obvious one.

Olympiakos is not only the most decorated of clubs in Greek football but also one of the most successful at a global level. Its enviable trophy cabinet boasts of about 80 pieces of major silverware, and that includes a record 47 domestic titles — a total more than that of all the other clubs combined. Its home ground, the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, will host the 48th edition of the UEFA Super Cup come August.

When someone who diligently follows a club from a country, and happens to be there on vacation, it is easy to assume that the person will visit club’s home ground and pick up a souvenir or two. A few of my friends were guilty of making such an assumption when they learned I was holidaying in Greece. But soccer could not have taken me to the home of Olympiakos.

Athens was an absolute priority

Piraeus is not exactly a bucket list destination. No points for guessing I had ignored it during my previous trips to Greece.

In fact, I was guilty of neglecting the mainland altogether during my previous visits to this beautiful country. I was busy island hopping. So when there were plans being made for another trip, the focus on this occasion was crystal clear.

It had been decided well in advance that the priority would be given to Athens and the adjoining areas. The idea was to explore the Greek capital as also head to the nearby attractions that had been ignored previously.

I spoke to a couple of Greek friends and also dug up as much information as possible on the net before boarding the flight. It was going to be an elaborate vacation, with more than a week’s time at my disposal. The time factor not only helped in planning things out properly but it also ensured the body had enough time to rest and recover before embarking on a journey toward the next destination.

After relaxing on Day One, the next four days were all about heading out of the Greek capital to some of the many archaeological wonders. On Day Five, I headed to the Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion, a little over an hour’s drive from Athens. The monument per se, although surrounded on three sides by the Aegean Sea, is not very different from the many similar structures you will see across Greece.

However, what’s particularly appealing about Cape Sounion is the sunset. On that day, it was scheduled for 5.17 in the evening. There’s no way I was going to miss that. To be honest, it was well worth the wait. That being said, this also ensured it was pretty late by the time I was back in Athens. It was decided that for the next two days, heavy-duty travelling was not an option.

Then came the suggestion

As such, I was looking for alternatives to the usual. In any case, the Acropolis was visible from my hotel room, and there were many other popular attractions within walking distance — which had, of course, been taken care of.

A local friend called early in the morning to enquire about my trip to Cape Sounion. When he became aware that I was planning to relax for the day, he came up with a suggestion. Well aware of my seafood fetish, he said I could head to Piraeus and try out some fresh catch in one of its many restaurants. He kept insisting it was the best place to savor seafood.

I was loitering around in the upmarket Kolonaki district when I remembered his suggestion. I had had a sumptuous breakfast and could afford a delayed lunch. That ensured a sudden change of plans, and from the nearby Evangelismos M3 station, I boarded a train to the port city. About 30 minutes (and 10 stops) later, I arrived at the Piraeus metro station.

A port with a portfolio

Piraeus may be located only a few miles off the center of the Greek capital, and may well be part of the Athens urban area, but is a different city altogether. In fact, home to about half a million inhabitants, it is the fifth-largest urban area in Greece in terms of population.

As I got out of the station, I could see a lot of things, except for what I was looking for. There was a huge port, a lot many ferries, and a lot of offices. I walked around for a bit. To be honest, it seemed a bit boring.

I was contemplating my next course of action when a well-dressed man passed by. He spoke a little English, but enough to make me indicate the directions to what I was looking for.

After following his instructions, and walking around for a few minutes, I realized a basic mistake I had committed. Instead of Piraeus station, I should have got down at the Dimotiko Theatro, the final stop on the M3 line. Once you get out of this station, you get to the more attractive part of Piraeus, which is the downtown area.

Savoring psariká… maybe thalassiná

The area had quite a few of Piraeus’ iconic landmarks, lots of high-end shops and a plethora of restaurants. I was enjoying the vibe of the city while also looking out for a lunch option. But I didn’t enter any of those restaurants. Instead, I continued walking until I reached the Bay of Zea.

In hindsight, it turned out to be a smart decision. There is a small natural port and marina in the bay, and a majority of the restaurants in this area specialize in seafood. As such, my options increased. I opted for a huge Mediterranean restaurant and was given the option of a table either alongside the marina or in the restaurant proper, with a sprawling interior. I opted for the latter.

Again, it turned out to be a smart decision. A majority of the tables in the restaurant’s area along the marina were occupied. Inside, most of the tables were waiting for their guests. The menu was elaborate, as I had been hoping for all along.

My Greek vocabulary is over 100 words, but I do not know the exact word for seafood. Some sources indicate it is psariká, while others point out it is thalassiná. Whatever be the word fact remains, there’s nothing better to savor than freshly prepared seafood.

Piraeus is indeed a paradise for a seafood lover. Deep within, I was expressing gratitude to my friend for his suggestion. A message followed soon after, and I also thanked him personally when we met next.

Back to soccer

I am a huge fan of soccer but not an overtly enthusiastic one. Definitely not someone who would, on a vacation, travel to a distant area to have a look at a stadium or a game.

As such, it is no surprise that it wasn’t soccer, but seafood, that had taken me to Piraeus. No points for guessing that in a quest to savor a variety of marine dishes I conveniently forgot about the soccer club I like. I didn’t make an effort to visit the stadium even after I was done eating. Instead, after hanging around in Marina Zea for a while, I returned to my hotel.

That being said, Olympiakos will celebrate its centenary year in 2025. I plan to head to Athens again two years from now. The idea is to watch a game at the Karaiskakis Stadium.

It’s seafood that took precedence on this occasion. During the next visit to Piraeus, watching a soccer game will be an absolute priority. Hopefully…