Porto Rafti (Greek: Πόρτο Ράφτη), officially named Limni Markopoulou (Λιμήν Μαρκοπούλου), is a seaside resort town located in East Attica, Greece.
Porto Rafti
(Limni Markopoulou) Πόρτο Ράφτη (Λιμήν Μαρκοπούλου) | |
|---|---|
Settlement | |
 View of Raftis Island and Raftopoula | |
  Porto Rafti (Limni Markopoulou) | |
| Coordinates: 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 (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 10,526 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 190 23 |
| Area code(s) | 22990 |
| Vehicle registration | Z |
| Website | www.portorafti.online |
Porto Rafti's main source of income is tourism and winemaking. It is part of the municipality of Markopoulo Mesogaias. In the 2011 census data, its permanent population was 9,686. Today, the permanent population is believed to be closer to 15,000, peaking at 100,000 every year during the summer season.[2]
Geography
editThe 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 Merenta, 613 m above sea level. It is 5 km south of Vravrona, 6 km east of Markopouloand 26 km southeast of the center of Athens.
Climate
editPorto 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 |
| Mean daily maximum °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) |
| Mean daily minimum °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[3] | |||||||||||||
History
editThe 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.[4]
Churches
edit"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. An inscription on the front of the church mentions it was established on June 20th 1949.
-
Front of Agia Marina Church -
Inscription on the front of Agia Marina Church
Tourism
editPorto Rafti attracts visitors as a seaside resort,[5] with beaches at Agios Spyridonas, Erotospilia and Avlaki, and an organized municipal beach at Avlaki.
Historic population
edit| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1991[6] | 2,244 | — |
| 2001[6] | 5,148 | +129.4% |
| 2011[6] | 9,686 | +88.2% |
| 2021[1] | 10,526 | +8.7% |
References
edit- ^ a b "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
- ^ Gct. "Porto Rafti – Tranquility and quality of life, a breath From Athens". Retrieved 2022-11-18.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Athens Porto Rafti beach | Athens Beaches | Greeka". Greekacom. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
- ^ a b c "Απογραφές πληθυσμού 1991,2001,2011 σύμφωνα με την κωδικοποίηση της Απογραφής 2011" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
External links
edit