The Municipality of Pilea-Hortiatis belongs to the Region of Central Macedonia and was formed according to the provisions of law 3852/2010 ‘Kallikratis Plan’. While Panorama is the seat of the municipality, Hortiatis has been designated as its historical seat.
It consists of the three Municipal Units (ME):
1. Panorama, with a population of 17,546 inhabitants,
2. Pilea, with a population of 34,678 inhabitants,
3. Hortiatis, with a total population of 18,429 inhabitants, a number that concerns all Municipal and Local Communities. Specifically, the Municipal Unit of Hortiatis consists of the Municipal Communities of Asvestohori (6,404 people), Filyro (5,440 people), Hortiatis (4,809 people) and Exohi (1,776 people). The former Municipality of Hortiatis was established pursuant to Law 2539/1997 "On the Establishment of Primary Local Government" known as the "Kapodistrias" Plan (Government Gazette 244 issue aʹ 04.12.1997), consisting of the former Communities of Asvestohori, Exohi, Filyro and Hortiatis.
The Municipality of Pilea-Hortiatis is located 18 km northeast of the urban Complex of Thessaloniki and borders the Municipality of Langadas to the north and northeast, the Municipality of Thermi to the south and southeast and the Municipalities of Kalamaria, Thessaloniki, Neapoli-Sykies, and Pavlos Melas to the west, while it is washed by the Thermaic Gulf to the southeast. The eastern part of the municipality contains Mt Hortiatis and the forests of Sheikh Sou and ‘Kouri’, as well as the grove of Filyro. Mt Ηortiatis, at 1,201 m above sea level, is the highest mountain in the area, with the homonymous suburb built on its foothills.
The villages of Asvestohori, Exohi and Filyro are situated on the hill range of Asvestohori at 600 m above sea level, while Profitis Ilias, in Asvestohori, and Panorama rise to 738 m and 380 m above sea level, respectively.
Exohi owes its exceptional charm to its proximity to large stretches of lush greenery; the forest of Sheikh Sou extends to the south and the stream of Dendropotamos, a most characteristic feature of the specific landscape, crosses the area flowing from southeast to northwest and continuing towards Asvestohori. The Municipal Community of Filyro boasts the forest of Amadryas at the edge of the village, a grove in its northwest part, and a stream flowing between the two demarcated sections of the village, which lend the area a unique natural beauty.
The land area of the Municipality of Pilea-Hortiatis is approximately 155,800 km2. It extends from Mt Hortiatis to the Thermaic Gulf and possesses places of breathtaking natural beauty and a long exploitable seaside zone in its south-southeastern part. The coastline is approximately 4.5 km long, although the accessible zone is only 1.5 km long. A part of the seashore has been converted to recreation and commercial areas, while it also hosts activities of the secondary sector. To the south of it, however, there is a free zone owned by the municipality which has not been subject to any man-made change.
Over the last two decades, the area that makes up the present-day Municipality of Pilea-Hortiatis, has witnessed constant residential and population growth, a phenomenon due to the deurbanization of the city of Thessaloniki. According to the last census, which was conducted in 2011, the population of the municipality amounts to 70,653 inhabitants, therefore Pilea-Hortiatis ranks fourth nationwide among the municipalities that have exhibited the largest population growth, namely ~41% in relation to the previous census, that of 2001.
Each Municipal Unit today presents some remarkable development characteristics. In particular:
Panorama, from the 1970s onwards, started growing and developing into an affluent suburb of Thessaloniki and today it is a purely residential area with middle to very high-income residents. Over the last two decades, the number of luxury houses and villas built in Panorama has greatly increased, as a consequence of the overall socioeconomic growth of the country. Thus, important private and public service providers of the tertiary sector, as well as providers of specialized education and social support services, are active in the area.
Pilea is a non-pure residential area, where during the last twenty years a significant residential development was observed, while at the same time a remarkable commercial and industrial activity developed. large stores, shopping centers and other service businesses serve not only the needs of the Municipality and the city of Thessaloniki, but also the wider region of the Prefecture and the Central Macedonia Region in general. This category includes modern shopping centers, luxury hotels, children's play areas, etc. To the development factors of Pilea can also be added the operation of the largest private medical units in Northern Greece, such as the Transbalkan Medical Center of Thessaloniki, the private maternity clinic Genesis, the rehabilitation and recovery center Euromedica Arogi Thessaloniki and the modern animal clinic Veterinary Center of Thessaloniki. In addition, European and international development, education, research and technology agencies operate within the boundaries of Pilea, such as CEDEFOP, the renowned Anatolia College, the American Agricultural School, the German School of Thessaloniki, the Greek-French School of Kalamari, the Aristotle College, the Arsakeio of Thessaloniki, the Standard Schools of Thessaloniki, the Schools of Apostolos Pavlos and others. The Center for the Recovery and Rehabilitation of Children with Disabilities of Thessaloniki KEPEP Agios Dimitrios belongs to the structures of specialized health and social support services. The PAOK SPORTS ARENA stadium of the basketball team of the Panthessaloniki Athletic Club of Constantinople (PAOK) operates in the Municipal Unit of Pilea.
The Municipal Unit of Hortiatis is a non-pure residential area, where also during the last twenty years a large residential development was observed, while the agricultural and livestock activity - which in the 20th century had an uninterrupted presence there - today tends to be completely eliminated, due to the broader socio-economic changes of recent years. Until 1997, the administrative structure of the region concerned the Communities of Asvestohori, Exohi, Filyro and Hortiatis. With the "Kapodistrias" Plan from 1998 onwards, the four former Communities were merged into the then newly established Municipality of Hortiatis with headquarters in Asvestohori and respectively consisted of the Municipal Apartments of Asvestohori, Filyro, Hortiatis and Exohi. Notable health and social care structures are active in Hortiatis Community. The Georgios Papanikolaou public hospital operates in the local Rural Community. The Greek Children's Village "SOS" operates in the Municipal Community of Filyro. Throughout the Municipal Unit of Hortiatis, since the 1970s, significant culinary activity has been observed, with a number of catering establishments that host daily visitors and excursionists from the wider area of Thessaloniki