European beach city reveals new £397m seaside attraction to open with swimming pools, open-air cinemas and massive park
A CITY in Europe is set to be transformed by a huge £397million seaside attraction with coastal trails, sports facilities, a marina and open-air cinemas.
Even though Athens is normally associated with ancient buildings, the city is set to benefit from a huge modern development.
Spanning 570-acres, Aenaon Metropolitan Park will be located in Faliro.
Faliro is just south of Athens and is part of the Athenian Metropolitan Area.
The new project, which has been dubbed the Open Park of Mediterranean, is expected to cost (€479million) £397million.
Described as a seaside oasis by local newspapers, the attraction will feature walkways and bicycle paths.
Several outdoor sports facilities will also be built, including tennis courts, a football pitch, beach volleyball courts and swimming pools.
There will also be an on-site marina and open-air cinemas.
Athens’ newest attraction will also incorporate four repurposed Olympic facilities – although it’s not yet known how they will be used.
The huge park will also have 4,000 trees and 185,000 shrubs, making sure it’s environmentally friendly.
Aenaon Metropolitan Park is set to open in 2028 and will be free to enter.
When the park opens, in three years, it’s expected to welcome over four million visitors every year.
Expected to cost £397million, the Mediterranean park is being funded by both Greece and the European Union.
At an event, Attica Region Governor Nikos Hardalias said: “The new park will prove that urban regeneration can be designed based on sustainability, aesthetics, inclusion, and recreation.”
The first phase of the project has already been completed, with construction work on the second phase set to start this month.
This isn’t the only huge new development project currently underway in the Greek capital.
Athens is also set to benefit from the Ellinikon Project – a huge $13billion (£10.2billion) real estate project that’s being built on the site of the former Ellinikon International Airport.
It will be located 20 minutes from Athens city centre and 35 minutes from Athens International Airport.
Dubbed Europe‘s biggest real estate project, it will be home to five-star hotels, 8,000 homes, multiple shopping centres, restaurants, a casino, and a marina with moorings for mega-yachts.
Over 300 yachts and boats will be able to dock at the huge marina and the site will also have a long sandy beach.
There will also be extensive leisure facilities on the site, including a 600-acre public park that will connect the sprawling development to the beach.
Three little-known Greek islands to visit
THERE are plenty of Greek islands to visit, including several little-known spots that are free from the crowds.
- Located in the Dodecanese Sea, Symi is a fairytale-like island home to traditional Greek villages and harbour-front bars and cafes. Reaching the tiny island became a lot more accessible after Jet2 announced the launch of a new route from the UK.
- Despite being twice the size of Mykonos, Tinos is often overlooked by most holidaymakers. But holiday demand for the island is predicted to grow thanks to local food and sandy beaches.
- Meanwhile, the island of Paros has a wave of chic new hotels opening. The island has its own airport – making it much easier to visit than some other smaller islands in Greece that can only be accessed by ferry.
And here’s the tiny Greek neighbourhood hidden on the mainland that’s been likened to Santorini.
If you don’t want to go this far, then a beautiful UK seaside town has been compared to a Greek island.