Porto Rafti Tourist Attractions
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Pórto Ráfti, a picturesque little port in a bay on the east coast of Attica, takes its name from a large marble statue of the Roman period, popularly known as the "Tailor" (raftis), on a rocky islet which shelters the harbor.The predecessor of the present town in ancient times was Prasiai, on the hill of Koroni at the south end of the bay, which played an important part in the shipping trade between Attica and the islands during the seventh and sixth centuries B.C. The ancient town walls which can still be seen, however, date only from the third century B.C.To the north of Pórto Ráfti bay was Steiria, to which a Mycenaean necropolis in the Peráti district belonged (finds in Brauron museum).
Steiria
To the north of Pórto Ráfti bay was Steiria, to which a necropolis of the Mycenaean period in the Perati district belonged. Finds from this site are in the museum at Brauron, 9km/6mi north of Pórto Ráfti.
Merénda
At Merénda a later cemetery (eighth-fourth century B.C.) was found, together with a kouros and kore which are now in the National Archeological Museum in Athens.
Rafina, Greece
Nine km/6mi north of Loútsa is the port of Rafína, which preserves the name of ancient Araphen. Rafína is connected by local boat services with Marmári and Kárystos on Euboea and with the islands of Ándros, Tínos, Kéa, Mykonos and Syros.
Keratea, Greece
25 km/16 mi south of Pórto Ráfti is Keratéa or Kakí Thálassa. Beyond this, to the left of the road to Lávrion, is the site of ancient Thorikos (28 km/17 mi), on a hill on the north side of Lávrion Bay which was fortified in 490 B.C., during the Persian wars. There was a settlement here in Mycenaean times, as is shown by two nearby tholos tombs (between the two summits of the hill and on its eastern slopes).The most notable structure on the site is the theater (fifth-fourth century B.C.), which belonged to a sanctuary of Dionysos. It is of rather archaic type, with an orchestra which is neither circular nor semicircular, as was the usual style, but almost rectangular. In consequence the auditorium also departs from the usual circular form.Fires during the summer of 2007 swept through Keratéa causing devastation.
Keratéa (Kakí Thálassa - Theater)
The most striking feature of the Thorikós site is the theater (fifth-fourth century B.C.), which was associated with a sanctuary of Dionysos. It has a rather archaic air, since the orchestra is neither circular nor semicircular but almost rectangular and the auditorium also departs from the usual semicircular form. In front of the auditorium, to the left, is the site of a small temple of Dionysos; to the right are two earlier rock-cut chambers.
