Athens to undergo radical facelift

After the ambitious vision of creating a large traffic-free zone in Athens more or less fizzled out at the end of the previous decade, the Athens Municipal Council breathed new life into the project on Monday after approving a proposal for an extended pedestrian network and a drastic reduction of cars in the city center.

Following the example of many large and small European cities which saw the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to introduce traffic restrictions, Athens will be taking immediate, aggressive measures within a month for the benefit of pedestrians and bicycles.

"During this period, a number of cities around the world, from London and Berlin to Bogota, have decided to take a series of emergency measures to deal with the pandemic," Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis told Monday's city council meeting.

"We want more public space so we can practice...