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Administrative Region : Attica
Regional unit : South Athens

Glyfada (Greek: Γλυφάδα, pronounced [ɣliˈfaða]) 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 out from the foot of the Hymettus mountain and reaches out to embrace 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",[1] "Hellenic Hamptons",[2] or the "Beverly Hills of Greece".

History

In the ancient period, the area was a deme known as Aixone (Αιξωνή). 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 Gennitika.

Geography

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 encompasses 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.

Transportation
Tram in Glyfada

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.

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 Ioannis G. Theodoropoulos, who is the mayor of Glyfada for the 2006-2010 period. Kostantinos Kokoris was just elected Mayor.
The church of Saint Constantine and Eleni

Sports

The Glyfada Indoor Hall is located at the Municipality, formerly a major indoor sport venue of local Athens teams.

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
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
Tony Mokbel, Australian fugitive
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
Notis Sfakianakis, Greek singer
Tolis Voskopoulos, Greek singer
Chris Papadopoulos, Author, hit book "The Rolling Pumpkin"
Sarah Ataya, Sailing champion of the year 2008

Historical population
Year Population
1981 44,018
1991 63,306
2001 80,409

Districts

Agios Nikolaos, Glyfada
Kolimvitirio
Eksoni
Evriali
Pirnari
Egli
Ano Glyfada
Terpsithea

Twin cities

Glyfada is twinned with the following cities:

Serbia Niš, Serbia
Malta Gżira, Malta
Russia Vidnoye, Russia