Safest cities in Greece
6 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in GreeceTerrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Greece.
Protests and demonstrations
- Political protestsGreek authorities have increased security at some prominent locations, including tourist sites, due to events in Israel and Palestine.
- Strikes and demonstrationsThere are regular strikes, sometimes called at short notice, that can cause disruption to buses, trains, ferries and air travel, as well as road networks and borders.
Crime
- Protecting your belongingsThefts of passports, wallets and handbags are common on the metro and in crowded tourist places, particularly in central Athens. Do not carry all your valuables in one place and keep a copy of your passport photo page somewhere safe.
- Sexual assaultTo reduce your personal risk, especially late at night and around clubs and bars:
- Racially-motivated attacksThe majority of visitors experience no difficulties related to their race, but there have been some racially-motivated attacks, particularly in inner-city areas.
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDAlways carry your passport, to show to the police if they request identification. Police may not accept a copy.
- Public offencesThe Greek police will arrest you for any behaviour they find rowdy or indecent, especially where excessive drinking is involved. Some fancy dress costumes may be regarded as offensive and therefore against decency laws.
- Alcohol laws and underage drinkingIt is illegal to sell or provide alcohol to anyone under 18, any businesses found doing so can face large fines and possible closure. Bars and nightclubs are not allowed to admit or serve anyone under 18, even if accompanied by an adult. Expect age verification checks at points of sale.
- Illegal drugsIllegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties. You should expect a long jail sentence and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling illegal drugs, including when transiting through airports.
- Buying goods or servicesBy law restaurants must provide an itemised bill. Make sure you get a receipt for any goods or services you buy.
- Carrying weaponsOffensive items like pepper spray or knuckledusters are listed as weapons in Greece. A knife with a blade measuring 10cm or more counts as a weapon, and you need a special licence for any knife that is not made for domestic, professional, artistic or hunting use.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual activity is legal in Greece, and civil unions between same-sex couples have been legal since 2015. The age of consent in Greece is 15, this applies to partners of both the same sex and opposite sex. Transgender people are able to change their legal gender. Anti-discrimination and hate speech laws apply to gender identity.
- Military serviceMen aged 19 and above, born to a Greek national, may have military service obligations, regardless of any other nationality they hold. The authorities can stop you leaving Greece until you complete military service.
- Using cameras or approaching sensitive locationsIt is illegal to approach or take photos or videos of military installations, vehicles or buildings. The authorities will arrest and have prosecuted those doing so. Border areas are also militarily sensitive. If you visit such areas, do not take photos or videos.
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Music festivalsTake extra care of your valuables at festivals or large concerts. Read the festivals in Europe travel checklist for more advice.
- Swimming and water sports safetyEvery year, people drown in the sea and in swimming pools in Greece.
- Swimming poolsAlways supervise children. Keep small children within arms-reach in and around swimming pools, even if they can swim or there is a lifeguard present.
- BeachesTake care when swimming in the sea. Always supervise children and keep small children within arms-reach.
- Water sportsOnly book activities at a licensed water sports centre and before you start:
- Quad (ATV) biking and mopedsEvery year people suffer serious injury and even death due to accidents involving quad bikes. Make sure you get full instructions and training on their use. If you are not experienced with driving quad bikes proceed with caution as you will be sharing the roads with larger and faster vehicles.
- Hiking and exploring natureTake extra care when planning a hike or walk, especially during higher temperatures than you are used to. Trails often lack shade and the quality of route markings can vary.
- Camping and Motorhome travelGreece has introduced regulations prohibiting camping in tents and the parking of trailers, semi-trailers, camper vans and motorhomes at archaeological sites, seashores, beaches, edges of public forests and in general public areas. Ensure that you use licensed campsites to avoid fines.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Greece, see information on driving abroad and check the rules of the road in the RAC’s Greece guide. The guide lists driving regulations and other legal requirements you need to be aware of.
- Driving conditionsTraffic can be busy, fast and chaotic, especially in the larger cities. Local drivers regularly ignore speed limits, including in built-up areas.
- Pedestrian crossingsWhen walking roadside, take care when crossing the road and if possible use a pedestrian crossing. Drivers do not always stop at crossings, even though they are supposed to. The green pedestrian crossing signal sometimes allows cars to turn right on to a crossing, so cross with caution.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- Emergency alerts and preparednessGreece can experience extreme natural phenomena such as earthquakes, wildfires, extreme heat and flash floods. To be alerted to events near where you are located in Greece, make sure your mobile phone is set to allow emergency alerts. For instructions on how to do this see:
- FloodingAdverse weather conditions, including floods, can happen quickly. Register for Emergency alerts and follow ‘112 Greece’ on X for official updates.
- WildfiresThere is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near your location.
- EarthquakesThere is a risk of earthquakes and earth tremors in Greece. You should:
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Greece, updated 2026-08-11 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 0.85 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- Gini 33.42023
- Human development
- HDI 0.9082023
- Income
- $44,310/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 8.3 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 68/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 62/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 50/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 2.9/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.75GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 14.1 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 97%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 6.6 doctors /1k4.3 hospital beds per 1,000
Natural hazards
- Earthquake
- 8.1/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 7.2/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 3.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 1.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Greece (as of 2025).
How Greece compares
| Measure | Greece | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.8 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −1.5 /100k — better for Greece |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 33.4 | 35.2 | −1.8 — better for Greece |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.908 | 0.763 | +0.145 — better for Greece |
| Road deaths | 8.3 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −7.1 /100k — better for Greece |
| Rule of law | 62/100 | 52/100 | +10/100 — better for Greece |
| Corruption perceptions | 50/100 | 39/100 | +11/100 — better for Greece |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 14.1 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | −5.6 µg/m³ — better for Greece |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.9/10 | 3.8/10 | −0.9/10 — better for Greece |
| Measure | Greece | Europe median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.8 /100k | 1.0 /100k | −0.1 /100k — better for Greece |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 33.4 | 30.6 | +2.8 — better for Europe median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.908 | 0.911 | −0.003 — better for Europe median |
| Road deaths | 8.3 /100k | 5.5 /100k | +2.8 /100k — better for Europe median |
| Rule of law | 62/100 | 74/100 | −12/100 — better for Europe median |
| Corruption perceptions | 50/100 | 57/100 | −7/100 — better for Europe median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 14.1 µg/m³ | 11.2 µg/m³ | +2.9 µg/m³ — better for Europe median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.9/10 | 2.5/10 | +0.4/10 — better for Europe median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.