Glyfada, an ex-touristy suburb of Athens

Why Â"exÂ" one might ask. Well, when the old airport was still in use, many tourists chose to stay at hotels in Glyfada, despite the noise of the airplanes. When the new airport opened at Spata in March 2001 we hoped that Glyfada would be upgraded as a tourist resort, since it became a quiet place overnight. Just the opposite happened. Then, while the new tram line was under construction, we hoped that it would bring more visitors. When it opened in 2004 it proved to be too slow to attract a serious number of passengers. If you get on the tram at Syntagma, youÂ' ll only see the color of the sea 40 minutes later. Then the tram takes another 20 minutes until Glyfada. If you want to enjoy the coast from within the tram, it is better to take metro line 1 to Neo Faliro and then hop into the tram that takes about 30 minutes from Neo Faliro to Glyfada.









Although Glyfada does not have any notable tourist attractions, it is an example of upscale suburban life-style in Athens. Several beaches, marinas, luxurious shops, dozens of cafes, bars, restaurants etc. and lots of modern apartment buildings make up a very interesting mix.













































Metaxa Str. is in a mess right now because works are in progress to turn it in a pedestrian street. When they are completed, hopefully in a few weeks, it will be the widest pedestrian shopping street in Athens metro area. It runs for about 1 km, accommodating the tramway line in the middle.



Here are some posh shops:



























As Greeks are rather individualistic, they hate it when the neighborÂ's house is identical with their own. Row houses are unheard of. People make their houses look as original as they can afford.











Who said that apartment buildings have always to be ugly?







































































Here are some examples of business buildings in Vouliagmenis Avenue and elsewhere.



















Glyfada square, under reconstruction





This is the only golf course in Athens metro area.



The town hall



Some popular cafes and fast-foods





















Aghios Konstantinos church under renovation



The tallest building in the town

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