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Glyfada

Glyfada (Γλυφάδα) is a suburb of Athens, situated in the southern parts of the Athens Metropolitan Area. The City, 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", or "Hellenic Hamptons".

History

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, 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 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.

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

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.

Famous residents and people

Anna Diamantopoulou, former Greek EU representative
Bessy Argiraki, Greek singer, Eurovision contestant and member of Glyfada's council.
Constantine Mitsotakis, former Prime Minister of Greece
Demetra Matsouka, Greek actress
Elena Paparizou, Pop singer and Eurovision winner
Fani Palli-Petralia, former Greek Minister of Tourism
Gerasimos Giakoumatos, former Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare
Giannis Parios, Greek singer
Julia Alexandratou, fashion model
Kalomira, Pop singer and Eurovision contestant
Marcelo Mattos, Panathinaikos Player from Brazil
Natalia Mavrogiannis, Greek singer
Panos Kostas, Actor
Pashalis, Greek singer and Eurovision contestant
Petros Doukas, Deputy foreign Minister of Greece
Sofia Aliverti, TV personality and actress
Tolis Voskopoulos, Greek singer
Tony Mokbel, Australian fugitive
Vanna Barba, Actress
Natalija Martinović, Arkans ex wife

People

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 golf course, regularly during an earlier era. Greek politician Alexandros Panagoulis was born in Glyfada.