Is Athens Safe for Tourists in 2026?

The Monastiraki flea market and its surrounding metro station are among the highest-density pickpocketing zones in Athens, particularly on weekends when the area swells with both tourists and locals. Organized teams typically work in pairs or threes: one creates a distraction — a bump, a dropped item, or a pointed question — while another lifts wallets, phones, or passports from bags and back pockets. The narrow lanes between stalls on Ifaistou Street and Kynetou Street make it easy for thieves to disappear into the crowd within seconds.

How to avoid: Keep valuables in a front zip pocket or a crossbody bag worn across your chest. Do not stop to engage with strangers who approach you with questions or physical contact near the market entrance. Be especially alert when boarding or exiting the Monastiraki metro.

Where: Monastiraki metro station exit, Ifaistou Street flea market stalls, Kynetou Street, and Adrianou Street near Thisio

Near the Acropolis and Syntagma Square, a well-dressed local strikes up a friendly conversation and eventually invites the tourist to a bar "where locals go." The bar serves overpriced drinks — sometimes with uninvited female company added to the tab — and applies enormous bills running into hundreds of euros. The new friend disappears before the bill arrives, and staff may become aggressive or physically intimidating if the tourist refuses to pay.

How to avoid: Enjoy conversations with locals but be cautious about following new acquaintances to venues you do not know. Look up the bar on Google Maps first. Never let a new friend order on your behalf.

Where: Near Monastiraki, Psiri, and Thissio neighborhoods. Scammers position near the Acropolis Museum and the main tourist walking routes between major archaeological sites.

Some taxis at Athens International Airport have rigged meters that run at double speed, or drivers switch to a higher tariff (Tariff 2, only valid at night and for certain distances) during the day. The correct daytime flat rate to the city centre is €38.

How to avoid: Insist on the metered fare and confirm it is Tariff 1 during the day. The legitimate airport flat rate is €38 during the day and €54 at night.

Where: Taxis departing from Athens International Airport toward central Athens (Syntagma, Monastiraki) and the port of Piraeus. The airport-to-center route is a fixed regulated fare, making deviations easy to identify.

Organized pickpocket teams operate specifically on the Athens Metro, particularly on Line 1 (Green Line) between Omonia and Monastiraki stations and on Line 2 (Red Line) at Syntagma and Acropolis stations. Teams of three to five individuals — sometimes including minors who are harder to detain — create bottlenecks at turnstiles, crowd onto carriages as doors close, or stage loud arguments to draw attention while a member works through the crowd. Metro Line 1 running through Omonia is considered the highest-risk route for tourist theft in the city.

How to avoid: Keep phones and wallets in a front trouser pocket or inside a zipped chest pocket, never in back pockets or the outer pocket of a daypack. Be especially alert when boarding at busy stations — thieves exploit the crush at closing doors. If you see an unusual commotion or argument in the carriage, move away and check your belongings immediately.

Where: Athens Metro Line 1 (Green Line): Omonia, Monastiraki, and Thissio stations. Line 2 (Red Line): Syntagma and Acropolis stations. Also at the Piraeus metro terminus during cruise ship arrival days.