Broadly safe for most visitors, with only routine travel precautions needed. Public health and infrastructure are well developed.
Regional breakdown
Athens sees most of the incidents that affect travellers. Pickpockets and bag-snatchers work the metro, the queues at the Acropolis, and the squares at Monastiraki, Omonia and Syntagma. Protests gather near Syntagma Square and in Exarcheia. The UK tells travellers to keep a wide distance, since these crowds can turn tense with little warning. Thessaloniki shows the same pattern around its central squares and student quarter, but less often. The islands — Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes and Corfu — carry softer warnings. Most reported problems involve road crashes, scooter and quad-bike accidents, and drinking injuries in nightlife areas. Ferries get disrupted by strikes or bad weather in the high season. Travellers on tight island-hopping plans should add buffer days. The eastern Aegean islands near Turkey — Lesvos, Chios, Samos and Kos — sit on migration routes. Coastguard and Frontex patrols are active there. The land border with Turkey in the Evros region is sensitive. Travellers should take extra care and avoid taking photos near military sites.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance runs normal travel guidance for Greece. It does not warn against travel to any part of the country. Recent updates focus on summer wildfires from May to October, especially in Attica, Evia, Rhodes and parts of the Peloponnese. The official advisory guidance also flags protests, ferry and air strikes, and pickpocketing in Athens. It reminds travellers to check entry rules and to buy full travel insurance. The official advisory guidance puts Greece in its lower advisory tiers. It tells travellers to take normal precautions. It also flags protests, a terrorism risk in line with other European capitals, and the impact of wildfires and strikes. Both governments update their pages often. Travellers should check again close to departure. Wording can shift during the summer fire season or around big political events.
What travellers should know
Good preparation matters more than avoiding regions. Buy insurance that covers medical evacuation from small islands. Carry a printed copy of your hotel details. Keep valuables locked away in Athens transit hubs. These steps cover the most common problems. In summer, watch the Greek civil protection service and local wildfire alerts. If you stay in rural or forested areas, find your evacuation routes when you arrive. Ferries and domestic flights can stop at short notice because of strikes. Build flexibility into island plans so you do not miss onward connections. Mountain and island roads are demanding. Scooters and quad bikes cause a large share of the injuries reported to consulates. Protests in central Athens are usually announced ahead of time. Give Syntagma and Exarcheia extra room on key political dates. The emergency number is 112. Operators speak English.