Eleusina (Elefsis, Eleusis), Greece

Capital City

Forget the ancient mysteries and mythical connections - with a population of just 11,190, Eleusina is a gritty industrial hub, home to Greece's largest oil refinery. The brutal summer heat, regularly topping 33°C, is a persistent headache, while the town's anarchic industrial development has left a legacy of environmental pollution. Yet despite its challenges, Eleusina has attracted waves of economic migrants over the decades, drawn by the lure of jobs in its factories and shipyards. This is a city for the pragmatic, not the romantic.