Is It Safe To Travel To Greece?

Greece is considered an attractive country to travel to in Europe because of its historical background, beautiful islands, Mediterranean shores, and tasty cuisine. Nevertheless, regarding the recent economic crises and the increasing number of refugees arriving in the country, many tourists start to question – whether is Greece safe for tourists to travel to.

The short answer is yes – Greece is still a very safe country for tourists. The level of violence is small, and it has been reported that crimes such as murder and armed robbery are almost unheard of in areas frequented by tourists. Like in most other countries, there are standard cautions that tourists need to take, such as keeping an eye on pick-pockets in crowded places, not leaving personal belongings unattended and not to wander to deserted or abandoned areas at night. However, in general, Greece can be considered as not more unsafe than any other country in Europe.

Political and Economic Unrest

In 2009, Greece and the Greek economy started experiencing recession and entered a crisis that affected the political stability of the country in the following years. The discontent grew to demonstrations and strikes in Athens which at times were characterized by violence. It has become relatively calm now, however, protests do occur once in a while, especially in Athens and other large cities. These are usually directed towards the government and not the tourists or foreign investors. They are expected and carried out in specific regions such as Syntagma Square so there is a tendency that tourists will not be affected by the same. No need to attend any protest, just follow local news, and that is it, even if during your stay some protest happens, you will be fine.

Refugee Crisis

In 2015-2016, when the European refugee crisis was at its height, almost one million refugees and migrants arrived in Greece from countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. They came through the territories of modern Greece such as Lesbos and Chios situated close to the shores of Turkey. However, an agreement between the EU and Turkey in 2016 significantly reduced the flow of immigrants to Greece. Sea and aerial accesses too were closed off between Turkey and those islands to discourage refugees from landing.

Today there is virtually nothing that migrants can do that poses a threat to the tourists. All the refugees were anyway passing through Greece to the northern EU countries and not planning to settle down there. Any conflicts or crimes, which were, if any, were within the migrants themselves over space, food, clothes, etc, Visitors no longer have risk associated with the refugee situation in Greece today.

Terrorism

The threat of Islamic terrorism has remained relatively low with no direct attack on Greece, unlike attacks on some cities in Europe such as Paris, Brussels, Berlin, and so on in recent past years. However, threat levels can still be considered relatively low in comparison with the majority of the capitals of Western European countries. Greece also has satisfactory issues of intelligence cooperation with other countries of the EU to counter external threats as well.

Crime Risks

As per Numbeo’s crime index ranking of 2022, Greece is very low on the list of countries with crime. Crimes such as murder, assault, or rape are exceptions and are not very common, especially on foreigners. Small-scale criminal acts such as pickpocketing or snatching of bags and other personal effects can be witnessed in many of the tourist attractions, transport terminals, beaches, and markets in Athens, Thessaloniki, and other famous islands including Mykonos and Santorini.

Some of the measures include avoiding flashiness such as not waving cash in public, keeping jewelry in hotel safety deposit boxes, keeping wallets or phones in front of pants’ pockets or bags, and not leaving belongings unguarded. Also, be careful of con men and diversions employed by them before a theft. So it is also wise not to carry more valuable items or important documents while on the move. However, it is important to note that serious crime concerns are very rare when it comes to tourists in Greece.

Natural Disasters

Yes, they can happen since Greece is located on seismic fault lines but severe ones are not very common. Observe the evacuation procedures or emergency instructions of the place in case there is an occurrence of tremors while on your tour. There are minor eruptions on such islands as Santorini which are not any threat other than the temporary closure of the airspace. It can also get very hot in Greece with temperatures above 100°F (38°C) during July, August, and September. Drink plenty of fluids, wear sunscreen avoid strenuous activities during the hottest hours of the day, and heed any health warnings for high-risk populations such as the elderly, children, or those with chronic diseases.

Bottom Line

Greece has gone through many unstable years, and currently faces the problem of migrants; however, personal security threats in present-day mainland, as well as islands, and famous landmarks like Acropolis are extremely low for tourists. Common sense measures regarding pick pocketing, demonstrations, hot weather, and climatic anomalies are all that are required. Tourists are fairly safe enjoying Greece’s multicultural offering including the natural beautiful islands, archaeological sites, and Mediterranean dishes within the current or even the next couple of years.

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