.

Palaia Fokaia (Greek: Παλαιά Φώκαια meaning Old Phocaea) is a former community and a town (pop. 2,436 in 2001) in southeastern Attica. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Saronikos, of which it is a municipal unit.[1]

View Larger Map

Geography

Palaia Fokaia is located approximately 40 km SE of Athens, S of the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, NW of Cape Sounio. Souniou Avenue (GR-91) connects Palaia Fokaia with Athens and Sounio. Another road runs east towards Lavrio.

Mountains cover the eastern part of the community, consisting mostly of rocks and grasslands. Forests lie to the east and to the north. The remaining area, including one further northwest, is covered by farmlands and residential buildings. Rocky seashore dominates the southern part. In general, the terrain is quite hilly, apart from the northwest which is mostly flat. The community includes town of Thymári (pop. 687) and the small, rocky and deforested island of Patroklos (Νήσι Πατρόκλου Nisou Patroklou), which is uninhabited.

The population was rural until the 1960s. Farmlands used to dominate the northern part. Suburban housing appeared in the 1980s and, by the 1990s, the majority of population was urban. Later, Palaia Fokaia became part of the Athens Metropolitan Area. Tourism and commerce have been the most popular business sectors in Palaia Fokaia after the shift from a rural economy.

The town has restaurants, shops, bars and taverns, next to the beach and surrounding the highway. Hotels also cover the coastline. Trees surround the coastline, from the junction of the highway with the road to Kalyvia Thorikou all the way to the eastern part of the beach. A park is in the centre of the area and a beach lies to the west and an amusement park used mainly in the weekends lies to the northwest.

Other

Palaia Fokaia has schools, lyceums, gymnasia, banks, churches, a post office and squares (plateies).

Historical population
Year Village population Community population
1981 1,430 -
1991 1,631 2,051
2001 2,436 3,123

See also

List of municipalities of Attica
Saronikos, Attica

References

^ Kallikratis law Greece Ministry of Interior (Greek)

Municipalities of Athens