Section of World’s Biggest Coastal Metropolitan Park Opens in Athens

The first section of the world’s largest coastal metropolitan park opened in the Hellinikon area of southern Athens on Monday.

“Experience Park” forms part of the Hellinikon redevelopment project covering an area of seven hectares; it is the first area of green space and recreation envisaged as part of the project.

It forms part of the Metropolitan Park being created on the site of the former international airport at Hellinikon, in one of the biggest urban redevelopment projects in Europe, which will create one of the largest parks in the entire world.

This specific section of the park was completed by Lamda Development ahead of schedule, six months after the agreement for it was signed.

According to the company’s announcement, 500 trees and 55,000 varieties of Mediterranean flowers and bushes have been planted, according to a design that is based on local biodiversity.

The project was designed using sustainable development principles, signaling a new, environmentally-friendly approach that includes the collection of rainwater for water supply needs, minimizing the use of fertilizers and pesticides and using local materials for architectural elements, such as paths and benches.

Hellinikon park offers a magical Christmas experience

The park features a fountain with hundreds of jets of water, an outdoor fitness area, a playground with environmentally-friendly equipment and a Zen garden with water elements.

Especially for the holiday season, from December 20 to January 9, Experience Park will offer the most beautiful and immersive Christmas experience, with two exceptional light installations seen in Greece for the first time: “The Stalactite,” with particularly bright patterns, synchronized to music, with the signatures of artists Christopher Bauder and Boris Divider, and “Helios,” an impressive light installation designed by the Algorithm team, which creates a landscape full of light, movement, and rhythm.

The park has also been decked out for Christmas, with a 17-meter-high “Christmas tree” made up of 180 live trees that will be donated for reforestation after the holidays.

Visitors can also enjoy culinary treats prepared by Akis Petretzikis, Ilias Skoulas, Lukumades, ÉSOPHY and ethnic flavors proposed by Esteban and Falafeladiko.

During the holiday season and until January 9, the park will be open between 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM, seven days a week; it can be entered, without charge, from Vouliagmenis Avenue near the Elliniko metro station, while free parking is also provided.

Earlier in December, Lamda Development unveiled the proposed Hellinikon Commercial Hub, a state-of-the-art commercial, leisure, and business destination that will be part of the regeneration project.

Lamda has promised to begin construction of the Hellinikon Project in February of 2022.

It constitutes the largest greenfield urban infrastructure development investment in Europe, specifically planned to trigger significant new investments in tourism, culture, entrepreneurship, innovation, and the environment, which are expected to result in positive impacts, not only for the region of Attica but for the whole country.