Is Athens safe?
Safe for a European capital. Pickpockets on the metro and around Monastiraki and Omonia are the main issue; violent crime against visitors is rare.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 4/5, safe with normal care.
- US travel advisory: Level 1: Exercise normal precautions, updated 2025-10-22.
- Homicide rate in Greece: 0.8 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Greece: 8.3 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 100 · Ambulance 166 · Fire 199 · Tourist police 1571 · All emergencies 112.
Safety in Athens at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Pickpocketing on metro line 1 and the airport bus, bag snatching on busy streets, and bar-bill scams around Syntagma and Plaka. |
| At night | Central streets, Psyrri and Gazi stay lively late and feel fine. Metro runs until about midnight (later on Fri–Sat); use a taxi app afterwards. |
| Solo women | Comfortable for solo women in most areas. Avoid empty streets near Omonia at night and watch drinks in bars where strangers approach you. |
| Other risks | Heatwaves above 38°C in July–August; Wildfires on the outskirts in summer; Slippery marble paving at the Acropolis |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Friendly strangers lead you to a bar, then present a huge bill
- Taxi drivers claiming the card machine is broken or skipping the meter
- Fake petition or bracelet sellers distracting you while a partner pickpockets
Take care
- Omonia Square and surrounding streets at night: drug use and theft
- Metro line 1 and the Acropolis queue: crowded, pickpocket hotspots
- Exarchia late at night: occasional clashes and graffiti-filled streets
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Taking stones, fragments or artefacts from archaeological sites is a criminal offence.
- Flying drones over archaeological sites needs a permit.
- Drug laws are strict; even small amounts of cannabis can lead to arrest.
How Athens compares in Greece
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Naxos | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Paros | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Chania | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Milos | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Kefalonia | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Meteora | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Halkidiki | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Lefkada | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Nafplio | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Skiathos | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Hydra | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Thassos | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Athens | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Santorini | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Mykonos | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crete | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Rhodes | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Corfu | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Thessaloniki | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Zakynthos | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Kos | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Ios | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Peloponnese | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
Quick answers
Is Athens safe for solo female travelers?
Comfortable for solo women in most areas. Avoid empty streets near Omonia at night and watch drinks in bars where strangers approach you.
Is Athens safe at night?
Central streets, Psyrri and Gazi stay lively late and feel fine. Metro runs until about midnight (later on Fri–Sat); use a taxi app afterwards.
What is the crime rate in Athens?
Pickpocketing on metro line 1 and the airport bus, bag snatching on busy streets, and bar-bill scams around Syntagma and Plaka. Nationally, Greece records 0.8 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2023).
What number do I call in an emergency in Athens?
Police 100 · Ambulance 166 · Fire 199 · Tourist police 1571 · All emergencies 112.
More about Athens
Going to Athens solo?
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Athens Urban Transport Organisation (OASA)
- Athens International Airport
- Visit Greece
- Hygeia Hospital
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.