The Athens metropolitan area () spans within the Attica region and consists of 58 municipalities plus parts of East Attica and West Attica, having reached a population of 3,638,281 according to the 2021 census. The municipalities of Athens and Piraeus both serve as the two metropolitan centres of the Athens metropolitan area.

According to the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission, the Athens metropolitan area consists of all areas with a dialing code of 21 and includes areas such as Salamina, Elefsina, Kifissia, Mandra, Magoula, Aspropyrgos, Pallini, Agios Stefanos, Dionysos, Parnitha, Koropi, Vari, Vouliagmeni, Voula and the Athens International Airport.

Administration

The Athens Urban Area, also known as Greater Athens, consists of 40 municipalities, 35 of which make up what was referred to as the former Athens Prefecture municipalities, located within 4 regional units (North Athens, West Athens, Central Athens, South Athens); and a further 5 municipalities, which make up the former Piraeus Prefecture municipalities, located within the regional unit of Piraeus. The Athens Municipality forms the core and centre of Greater Athens, which in turn consists of the Athens Municipality and 40 more municipalities, divided into four regional units, accounting for 2,611,713 people (in 2021) within an area of . The regional units of Central, North, South, and West Athens, Piraeus and parts of East and West Attica regional units combined make up the continuous Athens Urban Area.

Athens-Piraeus urban area municipalities This is a list of the main municipalities as well as municipal units which comprise the main bulk of the Athens-Piraeus urban area (dark red):

Municipality Municipal units Population (2021) Area (km²) Density per km² Regional unit Athens 643,452 39 16,499 Central Athens Dafni-Ymittos Dafni 23,431 1.375 17,040 Ymittos 10,455 0.975 10,700 Galatsi 57,909 4.026 14,477 Ilioupoli 76,730 12.7 6,042 Kaisariani 26,269 7.8 3,368 Nea Filadelfeia-Nea Chalkidona Nea Filadelfeia 25,198 2.850 8,841 Nea Chalkidona 9,760 0.800 12,200 Vyronas 59,134 9.26,428 Zografou 69,874 8.58,220 Agia Paraskevi 62,147 7.9 7,867 North Athens Chalandri 77,102 10.8 7,139 Filothei-Psychiko Filothei 7,370 2.301 3,200 Neo Psychiko 10,671 1.000 10,670 Psychiko 9,595 2.776 3,456 Irakleio 50,494 4.638 10,890 Kifisia Kifisia 48,700 25.937 1,880 Ekali 5,574 4.332 1,287 Nea Erythrea 18,604 4.831 3,851 Lykovrysi-Pefki Lykovrysi 9,705 1.950 4,977 Pefki 21,293 2.176 9,785 Marousi 71,830 12.938 5,552 Metamorfosi 30,174 5.502 5,484 Nea Ionia 64,611 4.421 14,610 Papagou-Cholargos Cholargos 31,304 3.950 7,925 Papagou 13,962 3.375 4,137 Penteli Melissia 23,618 3.956 5,970 Nea Penteli 6,916 3.230 2,141 Penteli 5,076 28.878 175.8 Vrilissia 32,417 3.856 8,407 Agios Dimitrios 71,664 4.949 14,480 South Athens Alimos 43,174 5.909 7,306 Elliniko-Argyroupoli Argyroupoli 33,312 8.228 4,049 Elliniko 16,715 7.127 2,345 Glyfada 89,597 25.366 3,532.2 Kallithea 97,616 4.749 20,560 Moschato-Tavros Moschato 25,322 2.325 10,890 Tavros 14,339 2.125 6,748 Nea Smyrni 72,853 3.524 20,670 Palaio Faliro 64,863 4.574 14,180 Agia Varvara 26,759 2.425 11,030 West Athens Agioi Anargyroi-Kamatero Agioi Anargyroi 32,283 3.200 10,090 Kamatero 29,179 5.950 4,904 Aigaleo 65,831 6.450 10,210 Haidari 47,051 22.655 2,076.8 Ilion 84,004 9.453 8,886 Peristeri 133,630 10.05 13,300 Petroupoli 60,146 6.597 9,117 Keratsini-Drapetsona Keratsini 75,721 7.601 9,962 Piraeus Drapetsona 13,815 1.725 8,009 Korydallos 61,248 4.324 14,160 Nikaia-Agios Ioannis Rentis Nikaia 88,077 6.649 13,250 Agios Ioannis Rentis 15,411 4.524 3,406 Perama 25,628 14.729 1,740 Piraeus 168,151 10.865 15,476 Acharnes Acharnes 100,857 146.41 689 East Attica Thrakomakedones 7,312 3.550 2,060 Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni Voula 31,497 8.787 3,584 Vouliagmeni 4,332 5.805 746 Fyli Ano Liosia 35,047 38.447 911.57 West Attica Zefyri 9,901 1.400 7,072

Metropolitan area municipalities This is a list of additional municipalities and municipal units which are considered parts of the Athens metropolitan area according to EETT (bright red):

Municipality Municipal units Population (2021) Area (km²) Density per km² Regional unit Dionysos Agios Stefanos 10,597 8.136 1,302 East Attica Anoixi 6,592 4.582 1,439 Dionysos 7,021 69.36 327.9 Drosia 7,837 2.201 3,561 Kryoneri 5,318 4.531 1,174 Rodopoli 2,110 9.550 221 Stamata 2,901 18.950 153.1 Kropia (Koropi) 30,817 102.0 302.1 Markopoulo Mesogaias 21,722 81.84 265.4 Paiania Glyka Nera 11,877 9.238 1,286 Paiania 16,159 43.92 367.9 Pallini Anthousa 2,158 3.865 558.3 Gerakas 33,856 6.633 5,104 Pallini 23,445 18.93 1,239 Rafina-Pikermi Rafina 14,620 18.979 770.3 Pikermi 7,707 21.522 358.1 Spata-Artemida Artemida 21,924 18.653 1,175.4 Spata 12,991 55.042 236.02 Saronikos Palaia Fokaia 3,025 22.944 131.8 Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni Vari 16,717 22.633 738.61 Aspropyrgos 31,381 101.98 307.72 West Attica Elefsina Elefsina 24,971 18.455 1,353.1 Magoula 5,176 18.134 285.4 Fyli 3,209 69.28 46.32 Mandra-Eidyllia Mandra 12,365 205.770 60.091 Salamis Ampelakia 6,985 15.169 460.5 Islands Salamis 30,235 80.992 373.31

Climate

Due to its large area metropolitan Athens has a variety of climates. The largest part of the Athens metropolitan area has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa), while some areas of the Athens Riviera, some areas of the Thriasio Plain and some areas in the west have a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSh). According to the meteorological stations of the National Observatory of Athens and the Hellenic National Meteorological Service areas in the north have wetter and colder winters. Dionysos has a January average high of around 9 °C and an average low of 4 °C, while Parnitha mountain has a January average high of around 4 °C and an average low below 0 °C. Areas in the south have very mild winters with Nea Smyrni recording a January average high of 15 °C and an average low of 9 °C.

The highest summer maximum temperatures are recorded in the interior of the Athens Basin and also in west areas with Magoula, Nea Filadelfeia, Harokopio University and Salamina registering July mean maximum temperatures as high as 36.5 °C. Due to land breezes, summer nights can be particularly hot in the south and especially around Piraeus which records an average August low of around 27 °C. The highest average annual temperature is recorded in Piraeus Port registering around 20.9 °C, while the lowest is recorded in Parnitha mountain with less than 11.0 °C. Neos Kosmos is the warmest area of Downtown Athens with an average annual temperature of 20.2 °C and a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSh) closely bordering a hot-summer mediterranean (Csa) climate. During July 2024 minimum temperatures remained over 30 °C (86 °F) for 12 consecutive days in metropolitan Athens, breaking all known records for any area in the country.

The lowest average annual precipitation in metropolitan Athens is recorded in Piraeus Kallipoli with 304 mm, while the highest average annual precipitation is recorded in Parnitha mountain with around 720 mm. The highest temperature ever recorded in the Athens metropolitan area was 48.0 °C in Elefsina and Tatoi on July 10, 1977 which according to the World Meteorological Organization was also the highest official temperature ever recorded in Europe until 2021. The lowest temperature ever recorded was −12.0 °C in Parnitha mountain on January 9, 2017. The highest minimum temperature of was recorded on July 26, 2023 in Hellinikon. Furthermore, Metropolitan Athens has experienced temperatures of 47.5 °C and over in four different locations.

Regarding the whole of the Attica peninsula, the lowest average annual precipitation is found in Anavysos, Athens Riviera with around 290 mm, while the highest average annual precipitation is found in Avlonas with around 910 mm. Lavrio is the only area in mainland Attica that has never recorded an air frost according to the National Observatory of Athens station which operates since 2008.

Economy

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 87.4 billion € in 2018, accounting for about 47% of the Greek economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 28,000 € or 93% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 99% of the EU average. Attica is the region in Greece with the highest GDP per capita.

Transport

Urban transport

Road transport

Ferry transport

Air transport

References