Is Athens Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Group travel

Athens is a beautiful place, a must visit in my opinion if you are even slightly interested in Ancient Culture or Western History. The museums are exceptional, I've felt very connected to humanity in this trip. I would recommend to stay in the central neighbourhoods, although they are more expensive and full of tourists, I only felt safe where we stayed because we were a very large group. This city is beautiful and people are amazingly nice, but the truth is that many places are completely abandoned and there is a lot of poverty, even children asking for money.

Couple travel

I felt really safe in Athens - no one was harassing or anything but maybe it’s because I was traveling with my partner. The food was amazing and tried so many authentic restaurants like Diporto. And took the boat to Egina and that was really nice too

Solo travel

I loved Athens. I was there for 12 days and I stayed in Exarcheia. I felt very safe and people were also so friendly. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that almost everyone spoke English (of course saying a few words in Greek helps). There are lots of museums to explore and the city is very walkable. You can also take day trips to islands like Aegina and Agistri. Food was also delicious and affordable if you’re coming from Germany. I highly recommend the city.

Solo travel

Athena’s was amazing, all the culture and monuments are so beautiful and the landscape too. The city really feels 100% safe and I will be happy to return. The museums also are incredible and the food is delicious!

Group travel

Safety was moderate, we were in a group, but we came across off-putting people every once in a while and traffic was really chaotic and dangerous sometimes. Food is amazing, would recommend local taverns in central regions. The Acropolis is a must visit, so are the museums and galleries in the whole city. Everything is pretty cheap and the shop owners are always friendly. We stayed in a 4 star hotel in Alimos and it was excellent, very cozy and safe, with a great view of the sea. Transport is tricky in Athens, there's so many means of transport to choose from but so much traffic all the time.

Solo travel

I stayed in the Safestay Hostel in Monastiraki and it was quite safe and inexpensive. It was also right by the metro station so it was easy to travel to other parts of the city. There are many people that will try to sell you things in the square but if you ignore them they will leave you alone.

Although I don’t live exactly in the center of Athens, I live in an area close to it, and I can say that Athens at night is quite dangerous. It’s best for us girls not to walk around alone at night. And if you’re out for a drink, always be careful with your glass!

It really depends on the neighbourhood you’re in, especially in the center, where a lot of popular areas are crowded and there’s chances you’ll have your things stolen if you’re not careful. Generally if you’re cautious and guarded and know how to move carefully you’ll be fine. Areas that should be avoided, especially at night are Omonoia and Victoria (central areas). Metaxourgio area should also be probably avoided, it’s full of beggars and drug addicts, and walking alone through the area feels very uncomfortable and unsafe, although chances are nothing will actually happen. The suburbs (northern and southern, so basically Kifissia and Glyfada) are pretty safe, easy to reach either by bus or by train/metro, and although crowded, the atmosphere is completely different from the center of Athens. Transportation is safe (certain bus routes excluded : 608, 049, and probably a couple others). The two routes mentioned are pretty popular because they pass through central areas, but especially in later hours they are crowded with men, many of which might make you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise transportation is pretty safe, you can easily (most of the time) get wherever you want without trouble. Generally if you’re careful enough and know how to navigate a foreign city and do your research you’ll have no trouble.