Urban areas increasingly have to deal with systemic transitions in response to climate change, such as adaptation for extreme precipitation and heat, which require interventions to mitigate and adapt. In the case of Athens, since 2010, these challenges have been dealt with in a context of urban crisis and austerity governance, which exacerbated available resources for the management of public spaces and green areas. In response to these challenges, the municipal administration of Athens of 2010-2018 has engaged in innovative urban initiatives and formulated strategies for promoting urban resilience (City of Athens 2017; City of Athens 2018). A key component of these initiatives was creating synergies with social stakeholders and promoting participation and collaborative action. The Program for the Regeneration and Activation of Lycabettus Hill initiated by the Municipality in 2018 assumes all the above characteristics since it involved the collaboration of two universities, the Municipality as well as numerous local and international experts and engaged more than 200 stakeholders with support from the 100Resilient Cities network that Athens forms part of. The program focused on issues of adaptation to climate change, mobility, sustainable environmental management and ecological design for Athens’ major touristic landmark and urban forest. The text presents the rationale of the strategy developed by the National Technical University of Athens.