Porto Rafti
{{Infobox Greek Dimos
| name = Porto Rafti
{{small|(Limin Markopoulou)}}
| name_local = {{lang|el|Πόρτο Ράφτη
{{small|(Λιμήν Μαρκοπούλου)}}}}
| periph = Attica
| periphunit = East Attica
|municipality = Markopoulo Mesogaias
| population = 10526
| area =
| population_as_of = 2021
| elevation = 5
| coordinates = {{coord|37|53|13|N|24|00|15|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code = 190 23
| area_code = 22990
| licence = Z
| website = www.portorafti.online
| image_map =
| image_skyline = Raftis Island.JPG
| caption_skyline = View of Raftis Island and Raftopoula
| city_flag =
| city_seal =
}}
Porto Rafti ({{langx|el| Πόρτο Ράφτη}}), officially named Limin Markopoulou ({{Lang|el|Λιμήν Μαρκοπούλου}}), is a seaside resort town located in East Attica, Greece.
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.{{Cite web |last=Gct |title=Porto Rafti – Tranquility and quality of life, a breath From Athens |url=https://asandyou.com/blog/porto-rafti-tranquility-quality-of-life/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |language=en-US}}
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 Merenta, 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.
{{Weather box
|location=Porto Rafti
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|Jan high C=12.79
|Feb high C=13.27
|Mar high C=15.44
|Apr high C=20.13
|May high C=25.31
|Jun high C=30.39
|Jul high C=32.76
|Aug high C=32.49
|Sep high C=28.97
|Oct high C=23.54
|Nov high C=18.33
|Dec high C=14.82
|year high C=22.35
|Jan mean C=9.82
|Feb mean C=10.09
|Mar mean C=11.69
|Apr mean C=15.86
|May mean C=20.89
|Jun mean C=25.79
|Jul mean C=28.20
|Aug mean C=27.84
|Sep mean C=23.80
|Oct mean C=19.28
|Nov mean C=14.87
|Dec mean C=11.57
|year mean C=18.34
|Jan low C=6.66
|Feb low C=6.72
|Mar low C=7.80
|Apr low C=10.84
|May low C=14.44
|Jun low C=19.29
|Jul low C=21.73
|Aug low C=21.57
|Sep low C=18.87
|Oct low C=14.90
|Nov low C=11.52
|Dec low C=8.42
|year low C=13.80
|Jan precipitation mm=52.56
|Feb precipitation mm=50.75
|Mar precipitation mm=60.91
|Apr precipitation mm=32.37
|May precipitation mm=13.53
|Jun precipitation mm=5.47
|Jul precipitation mm=6.83
|Aug precipitation mm=6.10
|Sep precipitation mm=7.89
|Oct precipitation mm=47.83
|Nov precipitation mm=66.30
|Dec precipitation mm=71.01
|year precipitation mm=421.55
|Jan sun=129.37
|Feb sun=134.15
|Mar sun=174.88
|Apr sun=219.70
|May sun=283.14
|Jun sun=343.84
|Jul sun=352.03
|Aug sun=334.73
|Sep sun=271.39
|Oct sun=198.73
|Nov sun=130.33
|Dec sun=107.54
|year sun=2705.50
|source 1 = Hellenic National Meteorological Service{{cite web
| url=http://climatlas.hnms.gr/sdi/
| title=Porto Rafti Climatic Data
| publisher=Hellenic National Meteorological Service
| access-date=15 March 2021
}}
| date=May 2021
}}
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.Wendy and Allan Scarfe No Taste for Carnage: Alex Sheppard: A Portrait, 1913-1997, Henley Beach,South Australia: Seaview Press, 1998, pp. 94-109.
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. An inscription on the front of the church mentions it was established on June 20th 1949.
File:Front Agia Marina Church.jpg|Front of Agia Marina Church
File:Stele of Agia Marina Church.jpg|Inscription on the front of Agia Marina Church
Tourism
Porto Rafti attracts visitors as a seaside resort,{{Cite web |title=Athens Porto Rafti beach {{!}} Athens Beaches {{!}} Greeka |url=https://www.greeka.com/attica/athens/beaches/porto-rafti/ |access-date=2022-09-22 |website=Greekacom |language=en}} with beaches at Agios Spyridonas, Erotospilia and Avlaki, and an organized municipal beach at Avlaki.
Historic population
{{Historical populations
|align = none
|1991{{cite web |title=Απογραφές πληθυσμού 1991,2001,2011 σύμφωνα με την κωδικοποίηση της Απογραφής 2011 |url=https://www.statistics.gr/documents/20181/1210503/Kallikratis_me_plithismous_1991_2011.xls |publisher=Hellenic Statistical Authority |lang=el|access-date=17 April 2024}}|2244
|2001|5148
|2011|9686
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Port Rafti|Porto Rafti}}
- [http://www.portorafti.online News & Events]
{{Landmarks of Attica}}
Category:Populated places in East Attica
Category:Mediterranean port cities and towns in Greece