Be Safe in Athens

Visitors need not overly concern themselves with health and safety issues on a trip to Athens; however, it is important to take sensible precautions and take out adequate insurance so that you are covered should an unforeseen event occur.

Safety

Athens is considered a reasonably safe city to visit, with only the usual concerns such as pickpockets and bag-snatchers to worry about. By nature, most Greeks are fairly honest people however, and you should not be surprised to find you bag completely untouched should you accidentally leave it in a coffee shop.

While petty crime is present, violent crime is very rare and therefore visitors need not be over cautious with regards to their own personal security. Common sense and a close eye on belongings should be enough to ensure your holiday is not interrupted by any unfortunate incidents.

Taxi drivers do sometimes try to rip tourists off however and should you suspect a driver is trying to overcharge you, it is reasonable to request he step inside your hotel to verify the price with your hotel reception staff. A threat to call the police should be enough to convince the driver to back down.

Local police are helpful should you have a problem and tourist police possess excellent English language skills.

Police: 100

Health

Travellers to Greece should ensure they are up-to-date with standard vaccinations including tetanus and polio, while inoculation against hepatitis A is optional.

Citizens of EU countries can take advantage of reciprocal health agreements which ensure part or all of their medical fees while abroad will be free. Citizens of countries outside of the EU should take extra steps to ensure they have comprehensive medical insurance to cover any unforeseen medical expenses.

Hospitals in Athens have good facilities and are in line with healthcare services in other parts of Europe, while pharmacies, which are identifiable by a large neon green cross outside, are available for minor medical complaints.

Athens General Clinic
15 M. Geroulannou 115 24
Tel: +30 210 692 14 84 87
Email: info@agclinic.gr