––––
Michaela Koutsoudaki, Georgia Machaira
––
Pachi is a small village of western Attica, located at the south part of Megara and about 35 km far from the centre of Athens. There are two islands near the village, which are not habitable; the island of Pachi and a smaller one, named Pachaki. The village of Pachi is also near the island of Salamina and Revithoussa, areas of a great geographical and industrial importance.
Historically, the place where Pachi is presently located, was considered to be “Nisaea”, the main port of Megara. There is no archeological evidence proving Nisaea’s existance, though, except for some ancient Greek written documents. There are three tiny churches to remind us of the old days, when Pachi was firstly established; this of Saint George at the top of the hill, the one of Panagitsa in the port of the village, and this of Saint Nicolas, protector of ships and fishermen.
What is worth pointing out is the controversy of the different scales met in the region, as it is surrounded by the hill of Saint George’s, the small islands of Pachi and Pachaki, the huge premises of the Military Camp and, finally, the international LGMG Airport. With approximately 350 residents, Pachi’s main source of income comes from fishing activities and tourism.
old photo of Pachi ‘During the conveyance of wine from the port’: megara.gr
Tourism in Pachi: a full-scale alternative
During our research, we came to realize that Pachi consists a touristic village, a place of leisure and relaxation for the residents of both Megara and Athens, especially during the weekends and the summer period. As is the case in other places, tourism in Greece is strongly related to the beaches, coffee shops and restaurants near the sea, with Pachi being no exception.
Pachi offers a number of coffee shops and traditional taverns to be visited, all of them comprising a significant touristic zone which leads to the coast. This, in combination with the fact that there are owners of properties who do not use them as permanent residence but for vacation purposes, leads us to think that tourism is our priority in this region.
We also noticed that the islands of Pachi and Pachaki are used only by scouts who camp there every now and then. Consequently, our goal will be to create a strong connection between the village and the islands, forming thus a new, broadened touristic system.
All the above considered, we suggest the expansion of the port along with a broadened pedestrian space around it, which will lead to a park to the west, and to the beach to the east of Pachi.
Furthermore, in an effort to revitalize the area of Pachi, numerous existing buildings will consist a new Institute of Tourist Professions during winter time, while they will provide a new summer accommodation network.
Concerning the islands, beside the intention of Pachi’s island being the desired destination for a lot of campers and fishermen, establishing a Herb Centre is prioritized so that numerous herbs could be cultivated.
