Athens has modern marvels as well, plus an inviting Mediterranean climate that lends itself to visiting any time of year. Still, there are certain things that travelers to Athens should keep in mind to ensure the safest possible visit. When keeping in mind areas to avoid in Athens, know that Omonia, Exarcheia, Vathi, and Kolokotroni Squares have high crime rates and should be avoided at night, if not altogether.
As for other areas of Athens to avoid, Monastiraki and near the railway stations of Larissa and Peloponissos are crime hot spots , while the nightclubs of Glyfada Square are associated with organized crime. Protests are semi-common in Athens, especially at Syntagma Square, which tends to be the political center of things. Travelers should bear in mind that political protests can occur randomly and occasionally turn dangerousβso steer well clear.
If you somehow find yourself near a large gathering, be extremely cautious, do not cross police lines, keep a low profile, and monitor local media for updates and instructions. Travelers should also be aware of local scams in Monastiraki, Syntagma, and Glyfada ; the main one involves luring tourists into a bar while promising special prices on cocktails. Instead, patrons are presented with an overly exorbitant tab for their beverages and threatened with violence if they refuse to pay.
A couple of Athens bars where this type of extortion has been known to happen include Reina Bar and Hollywood Pub. In northern Athens, the neighborhood of Kolononaki is safe even at night, and boasts high-end restaurants and art galleries. Metaxourgio, previously an impoverished neighborhood, has been gentrified and is now a popular and safe place to explore during the daytime, especially for lovers of the arts.
In addition, Plaka and Psirri offer friendly cafes where you can get a lively taste of Greek life and culture. The most prominent form of crime in Athens is, as you might guess, pickpocketing. By all accounts, pickpocketing, purse snatching, and other forms of petty theft are common, especially at crowded tourist attractions, nightlife destinations, and on buses and trains, where you should take extra care to guard your belongings.
