Glyfada
Description
Glyfada is a suburb of Athens, situated in the southern parts of the Athens Metropolitan Area. The area, which is home to many of Greece's millionaires, ministers and celebrities, stretches from the foot of the Hymettus mountain to the Saronic Gulf. It is the largest of Athens' southern suburbs. This fashion-conscious suburb is known in Greece for its upmarket cafes, well-known restaurants, boutiques and cosmopolitan summer clubs; Glyfada has also been called "Knightsbridge-on-Sea", "Hellenic Hamptons", or the "Beverly Hills of Greece".
On the quay at Glyfada is a rescue and rehabilitation centre for sea turtles, run by ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece. The staff there provide free educational tours of the facilities and treatments for visitors.
History
In ancient times, the area was a deme known as Aixone (Αἰξωνή). Today, Glyfada is packed with some of the capital's best-known nightclubs, upscale restaurants and shops. It could be argued to be one of the most "Americanized" of Athenian municipalities, since an American airbase was located nearby until the early 1990s. The base's population contributed in part to Glyfada's character, leading to a unique blend of Greek and American atmosphere and cuisine. Although the base is now gone and the school relocated, Glyfada still retains part of its American flavour while continuing to offer distinctly Greek cuisine, entertainment and nightlife.
Glyfada was established as the heart of Athens' southern suburbs, because of its prime waterfront location, rich commercial centre, and modern business district. It has been described as the headpoint of the 'Athens Riviera' and features some of Europe's most opulent seafront residences, gardens and extensive beachfront property, with a modern marina.
The town hall is located at the center of the municipality; nearby, Glyfada’s shopping district has one of the most vibrant and diversified commercial centres of Athens' neighbourhoods, with a collection ranging across specialist and designer boutiques. Its proximity to a succession of beaches and a concentrated seaside club scene also greatly increases the number of visitors during the summer months. The area’s shopping district runs across Metaxa Avenue and Grigoriou Labraki Street while both the offices of major businesses and shopping areas also dot the Avenues Voyliagmenis, Goynari and Gennimata.
At the beginning of the 20th century the town had already changed its name to "Glyfada", a name given because of the presence of salt-water wells typical of this area.
Geography
The municipality has an area of 25.366 km2. Glyfada Marina includes marine space and coastal land area totaling 3 kilometres (2 miles), and a concrete land mass between basins A and B with a length of roughly 250 metres (820 feet), between basins B and G with a length of roughly 150 metres (490 feet), between basins G and D with a length of roughly 300 metres (980 feet), and between basin D until the end of the basin of roughly 350 metres (1,150 feet), with all harbor facilities and buildings found within this space.
Northwest is the golf course of Athens, the Glyfada Golf Club, located south of the former Ellinikon Airport. To the east and northeast is an urban sprawl which spreads over the southwest shoulder of Mt. Hymettus and its rocky landscape.
Transportation
Glyfada is connected to central Athens via two major avenues (Poseidonos Avenue and Vouliagmenis Avenue) and a tram line operated by STASY S.A which goes across the seaside next to Posidonos Avenue.
Municipality
32,492 people registered with the Municipality of Glyfada voted during the Municipal Elections of October 2006. At the second round, 54.79% of the votes were for Thanasis Papakostas, who is the mayor of Glyfada for the 2006-2010 period. Kostantinos Kokoris was just elected Mayor.
Famous residents and people
- Sophia Aliberti, TV personality and actress
- Bessy Argyraki, Greek singer, Eurovision contestant and ex member of Glyfada's city council
- Anna Diamantopoulou, former Greek EU representative, minister for Education
- Christos Dantis, Greek Rock artist
- Predrag Đorđević, Serbian footballer
- Evridiki, Greek Singer
- Takis Fyssas, Greek footballer
- Mihalis Hatzigiannis, Greek Cypriot artist
- Kalomira, Pop singer and Eurovision contestant
- Giorgos Karagounis, Greek footballer
- Zeta Makripoulia, Greek actress
- Giorgos Mazonakis, Greek singer
- Constantine Mitsotakis, former Prime Minister of Greece
- Fani Palli-Petralia, former Greek Minister of Tourism
- Giannis Ploutarhos, Greek singer
- Alexandros Panagoulis, Greek politician and poet
- Elena Paparizou, Pop singer and Eurovision winner
- Giannis Parios, Greek singer
- Antonis Remos, Greek singer
- Tolis Voskopoulos, Greek singer
- Sarah Ataya, Sailing champion of the year 2008
- Mikael Nilsson, retired football player from Sweden
- Peja Stojaković, retired NBA player from Serbia
- George Candris,Businessman