Lavrio

Lavrio, also known as Laurion, is a port town in East Attica, Greece. It lies on the southeastern coast of the Attica peninsula, near Cape Sounion, about 60 kilometers southeast of Athens. It is the seat of the municipality of Lavreotiki in the regional unit of East Attica.

The area has been known since antiquity for the Laurion silver mines, which provided much of the silver used in the coinage of Classical Athens. Mining activity continued in various forms under Roman, Byzantine, and later periods. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the mines were reopened and modernized, leaving a substantial industrial heritage visible in tunnels, mills, and worker housing. Today the mining area is preserved in part as the Lavrion Mining Museum and within the Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park, which repurposes historic facilities.

Lavrio has developed into a coastal town with a working harbor and a growing tourist economy, serving as a gateway to the Sounion coast and the broader Attica region. The port handles passenger ferries and cargo and supports fishing activity. Cultural institutions include the Mining Museum of Lavrio and the Archaeological Museum of Lavrio, which complement the nearby historical and natural attractions.