Athens’ tourism boom capitalises on building regulations relaxed in the economic crisis The 10-storey hotel at 5 Falirou street in Athens was always going to stand out. Built to impress, its handsomely modernist wood-panelled facade adds a contemporary touch to the streetscape of the popular Makriyanni area beneath the Acropolis. But as local residents watched it go up over the winter, they became ever more concerned. By February, when it had reached 31.5 metres, the hotel was the tallest building in the neighbourhood and had started to impede what had once been uninterrupted views of the Parthenon and the 5000BC monument’s fortified walls. Continue reading...