Greece is turning an abandoned airport into an $8 billion smart city. Take a look at Ellinikon.

• Greece is building what’s billed as Europe’s largest and greenest smart city close to Athens.
• Ellinikon’s developers say they’re trying to construct a “zip-code paradise.”
• At the center of the project is the Riviera Tower, set to become Greece’s first skyscraper.

Greece is building Europe’s largest and greenest smart city in an $8 billion project that’s been more than a decade in the making.

Located on the site of a former Athens airport, Ellinikon is set to feature Greece’s first skyscraper, a high-end mall, and a sports park.

Its developers told Business Insider they’re trying to construct a “zip-code paradise” that merges scenic coastline views with tech-savvy and eco-friendly infrastructure. They’re estimating that the project’s first phase, which is expected to be completed by 2026, will attract a million new tourists and boost the Greek economy by 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion).