Athens is about to start a major, possibly transformative, aesthetic reboot. It’s called “Return to Athens 2015-2020”, the project aims to turn around crumbling parts of the city’s downtown, specifically its northwestern section, by refurbishing 1,800 older buildings.
Cracked sidewalks will also be replaced and better lighting will be installed. Additionally, the area will see a clampdown on illegal parking and enact tighter restrictions on café tables encroaching into public space.
The idea is to attract people back—not just tourists, but well-heeled locals—to an area that isn’t in great condition right now.