Porto Rafti
Porto Rafti (Limin Markopoulou)
Πόρτο Ράφτη | |
|---|---|
 View of Raftis Island and Raftopoula | |
  Porto Rafti (Limin Markopoulou) | |
| Coordinates: 37°53′13″N 24°00′15″E / 37.88694°N 24.00417°ECoordinates: 37°53′13″N 24°00′15″E / 37.88694°N 24.00417°E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Attica |
| Regional unit | East Attica |
| Municipality | Markopoulo Mesogaias |
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Rural | 9,686 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 190 03 |
| Area code(s) | 22990 |
| Vehicle registration | Z |
| Website | www.portorafti.online |
Porto Rafti (Greek: Πόρτο Ράφτη), official name: Limin Markopoulou (Greek: Λιμήν Μαρκοπούλου), is a seaside resort town in East Attica, Greece. It is part of the municipality Markopoulo Mesogaias, and it is 13 minutes by car from the International airport of Athens, Eleftherios Venizelos, and about 30 minutes from downtown Athens via the highway. In 2011, its permanent population was 9,686. However, during high summer season the population is believed to exceed 90,000. The region of Mesogaia is well known for its fine vineyards, figs, and pistachios. Currently, there are several modern wine-making facilities in the region. It is part of Athens metropolitan area.
Geography[]
The town of Porto Rafti stretches amphitheatrically around the Rafti Bay, a bay of the Aegean Sea, on the east coast of the Attica peninsula. It is surrounded by pine-cladded hills, the tallest of which is , 613 m above sea level. It is 5 km south of Vravrona, 6 km east of Markopoulo and 26 km southeast of the center of Athens.
Climate[]
Porto Rafti has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa). Porto Rafti experiences hot, dry summers and mild winters.
| Climate data for Porto Rafti | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 12.79 (55.02) |
13.27 (55.89) |
15.44 (59.79) |
20.13 (68.23) |
25.31 (77.56) |
30.39 (86.70) |
32.76 (90.97) |
32.49 (90.48) |
28.97 (84.15) |
23.54 (74.37) |
18.33 (64.99) |
14.82 (58.68) |
22.35 (72.23) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 9.82 (49.68) |
10.09 (50.16) |
11.69 (53.04) |
15.86 (60.55) |
20.89 (69.60) |
25.79 (78.42) |
28.20 (82.76) |
27.84 (82.11) |
23.80 (74.84) |
19.28 (66.70) |
14.87 (58.77) |
11.57 (52.83) |
18.34 (65.01) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 6.66 (43.99) |
6.72 (44.10) |
7.80 (46.04) |
10.84 (51.51) |
14.44 (57.99) |
19.29 (66.72) |
21.73 (71.11) |
21.57 (70.83) |
18.87 (65.97) |
14.90 (58.82) |
11.52 (52.74) |
8.42 (47.16) |
13.80 (56.84) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 52.56 (2.07) |
50.75 (2.00) |
60.91 (2.40) |
32.37 (1.27) |
13.53 (0.53) |
5.47 (0.22) |
6.83 (0.27) |
6.10 (0.24) |
7.89 (0.31) |
47.83 (1.88) |
66.30 (2.61) |
71.01 (2.80) |
421.55 (16.60) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 129.37 | 134.15 | 174.88 | 219.70 | 283.14 | 343.84 | 352.03 | 334.73 | 271.39 | 198.73 | 130.33 | 107.54 | 2,705.5 |
| Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[2] | |||||||||||||
History[]
The port was a major trading place until the collapse of the Roman Empire. The names of the ancient villages around the bay of Porto Rafti were Steiria, Prasiai, and Koroni. They belonged to the paraktia (seaside) Pandionis phyle, according to the division of the Ancient Athenian Democracy by Clisthenes in the early 5th century BCE. The port of Porto Rafti is no longer in use as a commercial harbor due to environmental concerns, but it has an organized marina for smaller recreational vessels with seaside restaurants and cafes. This port was the scene of the allied troops' evacuation after the German invasion in Greece at the end of April 1941.[3]
Churches[]
"St. Spiridonos Church" Greek Orthodox Church which is situated on south end of Piratis Mountain, just on the coast of a major beach, Agios Spyridonas, that is named after the church. It is one of the oldest churches in the area.
"Agia Marina Church" Greek Orthodox Church is another scenic seaside church, on the other side of Porto Rafti. Again, the beach, Agia Marina, is named after the church.
Porto Rafti Today[]
Porto Rafti is nowadays a famous seaside resort, with free beaches at the locations of Agios Spyridonas, Erotospilia and Avlaki, and an organized municipal beach at Avlaki. Porto Rafti, along with the areas of Keratea, Markopoulo, and Koropi, has experienced a housing development boom since 2004. It is also a place of permanent residence for many due the proximity to Athens and the multiple blue flag beaches.
At the borders of the Municipality of Markopoulo, to the north of Porto Rafti, there is the Historic site of ancient Brauron with an ancient temple and a local museum.
Today Porto Rafti is accessible through Attiki Odos and the nearby subway station "Koropi". In addition, a study has been submitted for expansion of suburban railway from Koropi to Lavrio, with intermediate stops in "Markopoulo", "Kalyvia" and "Keratea".
Historic population[]
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 3,292 |
| 2001 | 7,131 |
| 2011 | 9,686 |
References[]
- ^ a b "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
- ^ "Porto Rafti Climatic Data". Hellenic National Meteorological Service. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ Wendy and Allan Scarfe No Taste for Carnage: Alex Sheppard: A Portrait, 1913-1997, Henley Beach,South Australia: Seaview Press, 1998, pp. 94-109.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Porto Rafti. |
- Populated places in East Attica
- Bays of Greece
- Mediterranean port cities and towns in Greece
- Landforms of East Attica
- Landforms of Attica