{"id":7401,"date":"2026-07-19T07:48:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T07:48:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelcho.com\/is-greece-safe-to-travel\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T10:12:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T10:12:13","slug":"is-greece-safe-to-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelcho.com\/es\/is-greece-safe-to-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Greece Safe to Travel?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last verified: July 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n

Greece holds a Level 1 “Exercise Normal Precautions” rating from the US State Department, and the lived experience mostly matches the rating: violent crime against tourists is genuinely rare, both in Athens and on the islands. As of an October 2025 update, the advisory specifically flags petty crime in busy tourist areas as the thing actually worth preparing for \u2014 which, once you know the specific pattern, is straightforward to avoid.<\/p>\n

Athens Metro: the one place to be specifically alert<\/h2>\n

The Metro line connecting the airport to central Athens is the country’s clearest pickpocketing hotspot, with organized groups reportedly working the route regularly, particularly during crowded periods. The response is the same as any crowded transit system worth extra caution on: bag in front of you, phone and wallet not in an easily-accessible pocket, a bit more attention specifically on this route than you’d otherwise apply.<\/p>\n

Neighborhoods worth a bit more caution<\/h2>\n

Omonia and Exarcheia, both in central Athens, see more petty crime and occasional unrest than the rest of the city, particularly after dark. Neither is off-limits \u2014 Exarcheia in particular has a genuine, well-regarded street-art and caf\u00e9 scene \u2014 but they’re worth slightly more awareness at night than the Plaka or Acropolis-adjacent areas most itineraries center on.<\/p>\n

The scams worth knowing by name<\/h2>\n
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  • Taxi meter refusal.<\/strong> A driver claims the meter is broken or quotes a flat inflated fare. Use a licensed taxi app (Uber or FreeNow both operate in Athens) rather than negotiating on the street, which removes the issue entirely.<\/li>\n
  • The “broken camera” request.<\/strong> Someone asks you to take their photo with their own phone or camera, which is pre-damaged or later claimed to be broken, followed by a demand for \u20ac100\u2013500 in compensation, often with theatrical distress to pressure a quick payment. Politely declining requests to photograph strangers with their own device at major tourist sites avoids this outright.<\/li>\n
  • Inflated restaurant bills.<\/strong> Occasionally seen in the most tourist-dense areas \u2014 checking a menu’s prices before ordering and reviewing the bill before paying is a reasonable habit anywhere this dense with visitors, not specific paranoia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    What isn’t the real risk<\/h2>\n

    The Greek islands generally see even less petty crime than Athens \u2014 the risk profile described above is heavily concentrated in the capital, not spread evenly across the country. A trip that’s mostly island time, bookended by a couple of days in Athens, carries less of this risk than an Athens-heavy itinerary.<\/p>\n

    Practical habits worth having anyway<\/h2>\n