ABSTRACT
Over the last few decades, planning in Greece has been identified as an essential prerequisite for balanced spatial development and the necessary institutional frame was formed. As a prerequisite for successful application of the related policy, the main peculiarities of the public administration and some old planning culture rigidities had to be confronted. In this framework, the interference of planning in the ‘Athens 2004’ Olympic Games acquires distinctive importance due to the magnitude and the appeal of the event. The main questions addressed are how the planning procedure for the Games was integrated into general spatial planning and how the policy applied and the infrastructure developed affect the spatial development of the area.
