Glyfada

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Glyfada (Γλυφάδα)
The marina of Glyfada

Location

Coordinates	37°52′N 23°45′E / 37.867, 23.75Coordinates: 37°52′N 23°45′E / 37.867, 23.75
Time zone:	EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max):	0 - 5 m (0 - 16 ft)
Government
Country:	Greece
Periphery:	Attica
Prefecture:	Athens
Districts:	2
Mayor:	Ioannis G. Theodoropoulos (since: 2006)
Population statistics (as of 2001^[1])
City Proper
- Population:	80,409
- Area:^[2]	25.366 km² (10 sq mi)
- Density:	3,170 /km² (8,210 /sq mi)
Codes
Postal codes:	166 xx
Area codes:	210
License plate codes:	Z
Website
www.cityofglyfada.com

Glyfada (Greek: Γλυφάδα) is an elegant and stylish suburb of Athens, situated in the southern parts of the Athens Metropolitan Area. The City of Glyfada stretches out from the foot of the Hymettus mountain and reaches out to embrace the Saronic Gulf. It is the largest of the Athens' southern suburbs, divided into Kato Glyfada, located by the sea, and Ano Glyfada, the area next to Mount Hymettus. The area is known in greece for its upmarket cafe and night life, well-known restaurants, shops and seasonal summer clubs; and its popularity with celebrities, singers, actors, athletes and journalists.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Transportation
4 Municipality
5 Famous residents and people
- 5.1 People
6 Historical population
7 Subdivisions
8 Twin cities
9 See also
10 External links

In the ancient period, the area was a deme known as Aixone (Αιξωνή). Today, Glyfada is a city 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 in the 1980s. The base's population contributed in part to Glyfada's character in terms of the types of restaurants and other shops in the area, 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 center, modern business district and developed transportation network. It has been described as the headpoint of the 'Attican 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 stores. 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 Posidonos Avenue and Pandora, Cyprus, Labraki and Metaksa streets, while both the offices of major businesses and shopping areas also dot the Avenues Voyliagmenis, Goynari and Gennimata.

Glyfada Marina includes marine space and coastal land area totaling 3 kilometers, and a concrete land mass between basins A and B with a length of roughly 250 meters, between basins B and G with a length of roughly 150 meters, between basins G and D with a length of roughly 300 meters, and between basin D until the end of the basin of roughly 350 meters, with all harbor facilities and buildings found within this space.

Northwest is the forested wooded golf course of Athens, the Glyfada Golf Club, located south of the old Airport of Athens. To the east and northeast is an urban sprawl which spreads over the southwest shoulder of Mt. Hymettus and its rocky landscape. The roads are lined and curved to nearly NW at a 90 degree angle, and it also encompassses a marina and a popular beach, while its beaches are located in the western part of the municipality. Half of the municipality is located on rocky landscape of Mount Hymettus. The urban sprawl of Athens began in the 1950s and 1960s and continued into the 1990s, when housing development continued in that part of Hymettus.

Glyfada is connected to central Athens via two major avenues (Posidonos and Vouliagmenis) and a tram line which goes across the seaside next to Posidonos Avenue. 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.

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 Ioannis G. Theodoropoulos, who is the mayor of Glyfada for the 2006-2010 period.

Constantine Mitsotakis, former Prime Minister of Greece
Anna Diamantopoulou, former Greek EU representative
Petros Doukas, Deputy foreign Minister of Greece
Gerasimos Giakoumatos, former Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare
Fani Palli-Petralia, former Greek Minister of Tourism.
Elena Paparizou, Greek singer and Eurovision winner
Tolis Voskopoulos, Greek singer
Antonis Remos, Greek singer
Katerina Stanisi, Greek singer
Pashalis, Greek singer and Eurovision contestant
Bessy Argiraki, Greek singer, Eurovision contestant and member of Glyfada's council.
Tony Mokbel, Australian fugitive
Marcelo Mattos, Panathinaikos Player from Brazil
Julia Alexandratou (1985) fashion model

Glyfada has also become famous for its residents who include mythical billionaire Aristotle Onassis, Onassis's and Athina Livanos's daughter Christina Onassis, but also the Mitsotakis family, who own a summer house in Glyfada. Former President of the Hellenic Republic Konstantinos Karamanlis visited Glyfada regularly during an earlier era. Greek politician Alexandros Panagoulis was born in Glyfada.