Galaxidi is a town and a former municipality in the southern part of Phocis

Phocis

Phocis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth...

, Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delphi

Delphi

Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...

, of which it is a municipal unit. It has a small harbor on the Gulf of Corinth

Gulf of Corinth

The Gulf of Corinth or the Corinthian Gulf is a deep inlet of the Ionian Sea separating the Peloponnese from western mainland Greece...

. The Greek National Road 48

Greek National Road 48

Greek National Road 48 is a highway in Western and Central Greece. It runs from 2 km south of Rio at GR-8/GR-9 , or at the beginning of the Patras By-Pass in the south up to near Levadia. It is now connected with a new bridge, the Rio-Antirio bridge and for 5 km is a joint with GR-5...

/E65

European route E65

European route E 65 is a north-south Class-A European route that begins in Malmö, Sweden and ends in Chaniá, Greece. The road is about in length.-Itinerary:* Sweden** E 65: Malmö – Ystad* Baltic sea, ferry Ystad-Świnoujście* Poland...

 connects Galaxidi with Naupactus

Naupactus

Naupactus or Nafpaktos , is a town and a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nafpaktia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...

 and Itea. Galaxidi is located about 10 km S of Itea and about 30 km S of Amfissa

Amfissa

Amfissa is a town and a former municipality in Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delphi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is also the capital of the regional unit of Phocis...

, S of Lamia

Lamia (city)

Lamia is a city in central Greece. The city has a continuous history since antiquity, and is today the capital of the regional unit of Phthiotis and of the Central Greece region .-Name:...

, about 25 km SW of Delphi

Delphi

Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...

, WSW of Livadeia

Livadeia

Livadeia is a city in central Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture Boeotia. Livadeia is located 130 km NW of Athens, E of Nafpaktos, ESE of Amfissa and Desfina, SE of Lamia and west of Chalkida. Livadeia is linked with GR-48 and several kilometres west of GR-3. The area around Livadeia...

 and E of Naupactus

Naupactus

Naupactus or Nafpaktos , is a town and a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nafpaktia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...

.

History

Until the late 19th century, Galaxidi had a sizeable merchant marine fleet and was a prosperous commercial centre. This is reflected in the size and style of the local buildings. Preservation of the traditional architecture has facilitated the growth of tourism in recent decades. The marine museum contains exhibits from this period.

Galaxidi has a primary school, a high school, three churches, several bakeries, a post office, bank, a pottery and three squares (plateia

Plateia

Plateia or platia is the Greek word for town square. Most Greek and Cypriot cities have several town squares which are a point of reference in travelling and guiding...

).There are few farms in the area. In recent years commercial fish farming has been developing.

Municipality of Galaxidi also consists of nearby villages "Ayioi Pantes" , "Penteoria" and "Vounihora" . There is a road behind the town that leads up the mountain to the Monastery of the Metamorphosis (actually a convent that was inabited by one nun as of 2010). This provides a splendid view of the city and its surroundings. On a clear day, the Peloponnese

Peloponnese

The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...

 can also be seen to the south.

Town layout

Galaxidi is a small port situated on a natural double harbour surrounded by mountains. The deeper main harbour provides docking facilities for yachts and small fishing boats and is lined with restaurants, bars, and stores. The smaller harbour, Hirolaka, is residential, with a park (platia) from which there is a splendid view of Itea

Itea

Itea may refer to:*Itea , a genus of plants that includes Itea virginica, the scientific name of Virginia Sweetspire.*places in Greece:**Itea, Evros, a village in the southeastern part of the Evros Prefecture...

  and Delphi

Delphi

Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...

. The western part of Parnassus

Mount Parnassus

Mount Parnassus, also Parnassos , is a mountain of limestone in central Greece that towers above Delphi, north of the Gulf of Corinth, and offers scenic views of the surrounding olive groves and countryside. According to Greek mythology, this mountain was sacred to Apollo and the Corycian nymphs,...

 can be seen from here. On the rocky shoreline by the side of the larger harbour, is a pine forest planted by school children in the early twentieth century.

Subdivisions

The municipal unit Galaxidi consists of the following communities:

• Agioi Pantes
• Galaxidi
• Penteoria
• Vounichora

Historical population

Year	Town population	Municipality population
1981	1,264	-
1991	1,369	2,494
2001	1,718	3,030

Sites of interest

• Maritime Museum of Galaxidi, a museum which includes the Galaxidi Chronicle which was published by KN Sathas in 1865. It used to serve as a town hall for Galaxidi.

External links

• History of Galaxidi
• http://www.galaxidi.gr
• Maritime Museum of Galaxidi

	North: Amfissa Amfissa Amfissa is a town and a former municipality in Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delphi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is also the capital of the regional unit of Phocis...
West: Tolofona Tolofona Tolofon is a village and a former municipality in Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Dorida, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2001 population was 3,073 . The seat of the municipality was in Erateini. The village was formerly known as Vitrinitsa...	Galaxidi	East: Itea
	South: Aigio Aigio Aigio is a town and a former municipality in Achaea, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Aigialeia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. Its population is around 30,000. Aigio is surrounded by trees in the north and cliffs in the...