Rafina

Rafina (Greek: Ραφήνα) is a town located on the eastern coast of Attica in Greece. It has a population of 10,701 inhabitants (2001 census). Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rafina-Pikermi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.

Geography

Rafina lies east of the Penteli mountains and northeast of the Mesogeia plain with an area of farmland near the coastline to the north. The Cephissus River lies to the west. It is located E of Athens and the Attiki Odos (number 63), S of Nea Makri, NNE of the Eleftherios Venizelos Airport and N of Loutsa. Rafina is about 30 km E of downtown Athens.

The municipal unit of Rafina contains, besides the city itself, a large portion of the surrounding area, which is mostly woodland and farmland. The only other town is Kallitechnoúpoli (pop. 557).

Road and sea access

The town can be accessed through Marathonos Avenue (GR-54) to the west. Other roads link with the town of Artemida, also known as Loutsa, to the south and Nea Makri to the North.

Rafina is a port town serving ferries to the southern part of Euboea as well as most of the Cyclades. Its port is the second largest of Attica, after that of Piraeus, but it will probably be superseded by the one in Lavrio, which is currently being expanded.

History

Rafina was established in the 1920s by refugees fleeing from Anatolia after the end of the Greco-Turkish War on...
Read More