The “Great Walk of Athens”, one of the largest urban initiatives ever held in the capital which aims to encourage on-foot exploration by citizens and tourists, will be pilot-tested on Thursday.
The streets affected include Vassilissis Olgas Avenue and Irodou Attikou, where the first pedestrian and bicycle zones have been demarcated.
Athens' city centre will remain open to vehicles, but traffic will be regulated.
Syntagma Square and Panepistimiou will be next to introduce the zones, as of Sunday 14th June, while related zoning will be introduced in the commercial/historical center as of early July.
In a statement, the municipality said the measures would be introduced gradually and adaptations made depending on feedback, especially from residents and workers: "The pilot nature of the regulations will allow for any changes to be made in the near future so that the result is the best for both residents and workers and visitors to the city. The evolution of all the changes will be gradual so that Athenians as well as the visitors of the capital will enjoy the significant improvements that the Great Walk brings to their lives but also to get better acquainted with the interventions that have been planned..."