The Editors
The main city of Greece can be the true house of ancient globe treasures, such as the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and Hadrian’s Arch. Found near Greece’s southern tip, Athens is filled with most of the beauty that accompany troves of ruins and antiquities, most of them dating back to into the fifth century BCE, which places these present times into appropriate viewpoint. Athens has contemporary marvels too, plus an inviting mediterranean weather that lends itself to visiting any moment of the year.
But people that are considering scheduling a vacation usually end up wondering, “Is Athens safe to visit?”—especially in many years since Greece has struck difficult financial times, and since European countries has seen terrorism surge.
Be confident that Athens is not specially dangerous. Crime data point toward the simple fact it safer than cities such as Tampa, Florida and Dublin, Ireland that it’s actually quite a safe city for travelers—Athens is not included on lengthy lists of the world’s most dangerous cities, and a 2019 crime index from Numbeo put the Greek capital at number 130 on the list, rating.
Nevertheless, there are specific items that people to Athens should keep in your mind so that the best visit that is possible.
Methods for Remaining Safe in Athens
- The areas which are regarded as dangerous in Athens, like the nightclubs of Glyfada Square, plus the protests that are semi-frequent demonstrations that happen near political facilities.
- Remain vigilant for pickpockets as well as other thieves that are petty because these will be the most typical crimes focusing on people in Athens. Be specially careful at crowded tourist attractions, on general public transport, plus in taxis, where motorists often scam their people.
- Know that prostitution is appropriate in Athens—but that many associated with the populous town’s prostitutes operate outs
Anti-Theft Backpack
Travel Money Belt
Protection Whistle
Secure Places—and Places to Avoid—in Athens
When bearing in mind areas to avoid in Athens, realize that Omonia, Exarcheia, Vathi, and Kolokotroni Squares have actually high criminal activity prices and really should be prevented at evening, or even completely. These regions of Athens could be dangerous in component because they’re frequented by anarchist teams, in addition to medication dealers and thieves—even kiddies who will be thieves. In terms of the areas of Athens in order to avoid, Monastiraki and nearby the railway channels of Larissa and Peloponissos are crime spots that are hot even though the nightclubs of Glyfada Square are related to planned criminal activity.
Protests are semi-common in Athens, particularly at Syntagma Square, which is commonly the center that is political of. Tourists should keep in mind governmental protests can occasionally occur randomly and turn dangerous—so guide well clear. In the event that you somehow get near a sizable gathering, be extremely careful, never get across authorities lines, keep a reduced profile, and monitor regional media for updates and directions.
Tourists must also know about neighborhood frauds in Monastiraki, Syntagma, and Glyfada; the primary one involves luring tourists into a club while guaranteeing special rates on cocktails. Rather, clients are served with a extremely excessive tab for their beverages and threatened with violence when they will not spend. A handful of Athens pubs where this sort of extortion happens to be recognized to happen consist of Reina Bar and Hollywood Pub.
Along with understanding the areas that are dangerous Athens, it is additionally good to learn in which the city’s safest places are. In north Athens, the area of Kolononaki is safe also through the night, and boasts high-end restaurants and free galleries. Metaxourgio, previously a neighborhood that is impoverished has been gentrified and it is now a well known and safe destination to explore through the daytime, especially for enthusiasts associated with arts. In addition, Plaka and Psirri provide friendly cafes where you are able to get a taste that is lively of life and culture.
Ways to get Around Safely in Athens
Probably the most form that is prominent of in Athens is, while you might imagine, pickpocketing. By all records, pickpocketing, bag snatching, along with other kinds of petty theft are normal, specially at crowded attractions, nightlife locations, as well as on buses and trains, for which you need to simply simply take care that is extra defend your possessions. Be specially vigilant if some one seems like they’re attempting to distract you; meanwhile, somebody else might be reaching into the bag. Keep your wallet in your front side ( perhaps perhaps not your straight back) pocket, and give consideration to purchasing a slash-resistant backpack by having a dependable zipper.
Whenever you’re away on the highway, remember that Greece has comparatively high prices of traffic fatalities, due mostly to motorists that are speeding, sidetracked, or simply just maybe perhaps not after the guidelines. Hefty traffic and obscured highway indications are additional conditions that affect security on Athens’ streets. Drive defensively—or never, if it can be avoided by you.
Be mindful, too, if you’re intending to simply just take taxis in Athens, as taxi frauds are extensive here. Though Athens taxis are often safe with regards to your physical wellbeing, exactly the same can not be stated when it comes to security of one’s money. Athens’ taxi drivers, particularly those that get through the airport, are notorious for gouging tourists, recharging their people much more than they’re really owed.
Therefore once you go into a taxi in Athens, ensure that you and your driver have agreed on at least a ballpark range for the fare, that you know the directions to where you’re going (speak up if your driver starts to take a roundabout route), and that you’ll be willing to call the police if you’re being ripped off—this will usually get your taxi driver on the right path again that it’s licenced and official, that your driver turns on the meter when he starts driving (not before, and not never.
Other Athens Scams and Protection Recommendations
While you make your means through Athens, there are various other scams that tourists should know to remain safe and far from criminal activity: keep from buying the pirated and fake things that can be purchased in droves in the roads of Central Athens and Thessaloniki—it’s unlawful to purchase these products in Greece, and it’s unlawful to move them in to the usa. Don’t use ATMs in Athens unless they’re in a professional resort or bank, as a recently available uptick in bank card skimming was reported throughout Greece.
Though Athens offers a mostly protected climate for feminine tourists, females traveling right right here could find that guys are more ahead in Greece compared to other nations. In the event that you decrease their improvements, guys will most of the time apologize and go along. Nevertheless, females should work out some care in indian brides at https://mail-order-bride.biz/indian-brides/ Athens at night—especially in Monastiraki, Omonia, Psirri, Mextaxourgio, and any poorly lit place—and keep belongings close.
Prostitution in Athens
Prostitution is theoretically appropriate in Greece, beginning during the age of 18. Legal intercourse employees needs to be registered and carry a card that is medical has to be updated every fourteen days. Nevertheless, there’s loads of unlawful prostitution right right right here too; consumers looking for escorts in Athens have actually reported seeing victims of intercourse trafficking and peoples slavery in brothels.
In the past few years, Greece has grown to become a destination point for females and young ones taken from Eastern and Southern Europe, South Asia, Africa, and China, who’re put through intercourse trafficking in unlicensed brothels along Solonos Street, Theatrou Square, and Evripidou Street. Remember that a number of these women (and males) don’t make the appropriate precautions—in that is medical, it is perhaps perhaps maybe not well well worth the danger.