The cultural route Elefsina – Athens – Lavrio in the Region of Attica

An ambitious and innovative project is being designed for the Region of Attica, with a positive impact extending across the country. The project—Attica Trilogy: Elefsina – Athens – Lavrio—is spearheaded by the non-profit association DIAZOMA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Attica, the Municipalities of Athens, Elefsina, and Lavrio, and private sector partners.

The central vision of the Attica Trilogy is to revive the historical unity of the triad Athens – Elefsina – Lavrio and to promote Ancient Attica and its unified territory as a distinctive and attractive cultural tourism product.

• A few words about the narrative

  Athens and its grandeur in ancient times were defined by its Trilogy: The Acropolis, the first pillar, was the administrative, cultural and commercial center, fortified, both literally and figuratively, by its connection to the Long Walls and the port of Piraeus. The second pillar was Eleusis, the religious and spiritual center, which at times was likely considered the most significant sanctuary in the ancient world. The third, Lavrio, was of a developmental and economic nature. It was home to what were arguably the most important business and industrial activity of the time, particularly renowned for its groundbreaking approaches.

  What Attica currently requires to be regarded as a significant cultural tourism destination is a substantive unification of its cultural assets—in other words, the offering of integrated cultural products that provide meaningful experiential value. This particular project aims squarely at this objective, creating a “cultural route” that will restore the connection once held by ancient Athens with Eleusis and Lavrio. It seeks to highlight and invigorate the region’s rich cultural and environmental heritage, in synergy with the local production of goods and services, with the ultimate goal of fostering sustainable tourism development across the entirety of Attica.

• The Objectives of the Strategy

  The central objective and ambition is for Attica to be perceived as an integrated cultural tourism destination, composed of multiple points of interest. The core focus of the Attica Trilogy thus centers on two key aspects:

  • the spatial distribution of tourist flows across the entire Region, connecting the historic center of Athens and the Acropolis with the archaeological sites of Eleusis and Lavrio,

  • the extension of visitors’ length of stay by enriching their experiences.

  
  Within the overarching goals of spatial dispersion and temporal extension of visitor stays, the design of the Attica Trilogy seeks to achieve the following objectives:

  • the creation of a branded tourism product,
  • the development of local cultural routes,
  • the showcasing of local identity, through the combination of ancient heritage and industrial legacy,
  • local tourism development.

  
  The programme is designed from the outset as an integrated Cultural Tourism product and its development is structured around four distinct steps:

  1. ensuring the necessary infrastructure (accessibility, operational and archaeological),
  2. implementing the marketing plan and relevant digital actions,
  3. establishing clusters to promote business participation,
  4. creating a governance mechanism for the programme.

  
  

The purpose of the “DIAZOMA” Association is, with the contribution of “New Metropolitan Attica SA”, to prepare a comprehensive project for inclusion in the new NSRF 2021-2027 – Operational Programme ATTICA 2021-2027, as an Integrated Territorial Investment. The Destination Management Organization of Attica will play a significant role in managing the actions for the "Attica Trilogy".