Glyfada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glyfada Γλυφάδα  (Greek)
Coastline of Glyfada St. Constantine & Helen Church Athens Tram 3rd Glyfada Marina Glyfada Beach
Glyfada Location in Greece
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Attica
Regional unit	South Athens
Area
• Municipality	25.366 km2 (9.794 sq mi)
Elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Municipality	89,597
• Municipality density	3,532.17/km2 (9,148.28/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	166 xx, 165 xx
Area code(s)	210
Vehicle registration	I
Website	Δήμος Γλυφάδας

Aerial view of Glyfada and Vouliagmeni

Glyfada (Greek: Γλυφάδα, romanized: Glypháda) is a lively town and suburb in Greece. It's part of the Athens Riviera, located right on the coast of the Saronic Gulf. This area is in the southern part of the Athens urban area. Glyfada stretches from the bottom of the Hymettus mountain all the way to the sea.

A Glimpse into Glyfada's Past and Present

In ancient times, Glyfada was a place called Aixone. Today, it's a very popular spot with many famous nightclubs, fancy restaurants, and shops. It's known for having a mix of Greek and American styles. This is because an American airbase was located nearby until the early 1990s. People from the base helped create a unique blend of cultures and food. Even though the base is gone, Glyfada still has some of that American feel, along with great Greek food and fun nightlife.

Glyfada became a main hub for Athens' southern suburbs. This is because of its amazing waterfront location, busy shopping areas, and modern business district. Many people call it the "headpoint" of the 'Athens Riviera'. It has some of Europe's most beautiful homes by the sea, lovely gardens, and long beaches with a modern marina.

The town hall is in the center of Glyfada. Close by, the shopping area is one of the most exciting in Athens. You can find all sorts of stores, from special boutiques to designer shops. Glyfada is also very close to many beaches and seaside clubs. This brings a lot of visitors during the summer months. The main shopping streets are Metaxa Avenue and Grigoriou Labraki Street. You'll also find businesses and shops along Vouliagmenis, Gounari, and Gennimata Avenues.

At the start of the 20th century, the town changed its name to "Glyfada." This name comes from the salt-water wells that are common in this area.

Getting Around Glyfada

Poseidonos Avenue

Glyfada is connected to central Athens by two main roads: Poseidonos Avenue and Vouliagmenis Avenue. There's also a tram line that runs along the coast next to Poseidonos Avenue. Plans are being made to extend the Athens Metro's Line 2 to Glyfada. This would add two new stations, making it even easier to get around.

Glyfada's Local Government

The mayor of Glyfada is Giorgos Papanikolaou. He was first elected in 2014.

Exploring Glyfada's Geography

Glyfada covers an area of about 25.366 square kilometers. It's a key part of the Athens Riviera. The Glyfada Marina has a large space for boats and land along the coast, stretching for about 3 kilometers. It includes several basins for boats.

To the northwest, you'll find the Glyfada Golf Club. This golf course is located south of the old Ellinikon Airport. To the east and northeast, the town spreads up the lower slopes of Mount Hymettus.

Glyfada's Weather

Glyfada has a Mediterranean climate. This means it has mild winters and hot summers. Summer nights can be especially warm. The driest months are during the summer. The most rain usually falls in autumn and early winter.

Sports in Glyfada

Glyfada is home to the Glyfada Indoor Hall, a big sports venue. It's also where several sports clubs are based, including:

• ANO Glyfada: This club was founded in 1946. It's famous for its Water Polo teams, which have won many national titles for both men and women.
• Terpsithea Glyfada B.C.: Started in 1958, this club has teams for Basketball and Football. Their women's basketball team has played in Greece's top league.
• Glyfada F.C.: Founded in 1976 (originally as Keravnos Glyfada), this Football club has played in the Gamma Ethniki league.
• Spartakos Glyfadas: This club, founded in 1979, has won national titles in Baseball.
• G.S.Glyfadas.: Established in 1997, this club focuses on Athletics and has won many national titles in various events.

Famous People from Glyfada

Many well-known people have lived in or are from Glyfada, including:

• Sophia Aliberti, TV personality and actress
• Bessy Argyraki, Greek singer
• Christos Dantis, Greek Rock artist
• Predrag Đorđević, Serbian footballer
• Eleni Foureira, Greek Singer
• Takis Fyssas, Greek footballer
• Mihalis Hatzigiannis, Greek Cypriot artist
• Kalomira, Pop singer
• Giorgos Karagounis, Greek footballer
• Zeta Makripoulia, Greek actress
• Giorgos Mazonakis, Greek singer
• Elena Paparizou, Pop singer and Eurovision winner
• Giannis Parios, Greek singer
• Antonis Remos, Greek singer
• Peja Stojaković, retired NBA player from Serbia
• Tolis Voskopoulos, Greek singer

How Glyfada's Population Has Grown

Neighborhoods in Glyfada

Glyfada is made up of several distinct neighborhoods:

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

Sister Cities

Glyfada has special partnerships with other cities around the world, called "twin cities" or "sister cities":

• Bayside, New South Wales, Australia
• Niš, Serbia
• Gżira, Malta
• Vidnoye, Moscow Oblast, Russia