Is Athens a safe city? When it comes to Europe, I consider myself pretty well-travelled. Still, I was nervous about Athens. With so many people telling me that the city felt unsafe, I was paranoid that I was going to get mugged the second I arrived. In this post, I discuss safety in Athens, including Athens crime stats, pickpocketing, common tourist scams, areas to avoid, and whether Athens is safe for solo female travellers. So, how safe is Athens? Named after Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, and taking the crown as the birthplace of democracy, philosophy, and the Olympic Games, Athens certainly has an impressive history.
The financial crisis of left the Greek economy on its knees, and the refugee crisis, which began in , only added to the strain.
With thousands of refugees forced to live destitute, often turning to drugs in order to survive, certain corners of Athens can feel a little seedier, or even less safe , than others. The crime rate in Athens does not suggest that Athens is a dangerous city. According to the Global Peace Index , there were just 76 homicides in Greece in , at a rate of 0. To put that number into context, the homicide rate in the UK is currently 1. According to Numbeo , in the crime rate in Athens was less than that in Dublin , Rome , Catania , and more!
Of course, Athens is still a big city, and you should exercise caution as you would in any big city, but overall, Athens is safe. The biggest threat to your safety in Athens is probably pickpocketing. Major tourist attractions, crowded areas such as Monastiraki Square , and the metro, tend to attract pickpockets, so you should be extra vigilant in those places.
YES, but it does have its fair share of people who want to scam tourists. These people usually lurk around popular tourist attractions such as the Roman Agora and Monastiraki Squre, as well as in metro stations.
