Travel Tips

ℹ️ TL;DR: The most important item to pack for Athens in 2026 is rubber-soled walking shoes with grip — the Acropolis marble is genuinely slippery and people fall daily. Also essential: high-SPF sunscreen (the Aegean sun is intense), a light scarf for church visits, and a crossbody bag for the metro. In summer: linen and cotton. In winter: layers — Athens can hit 10°C in January with rain. I learned what to pack for Athens the hard way — specifically, by wearing brand-new leather sandals to the Acropolis on a 37°C day. By noon I had blisters on both feet and was sliding around on marble like a newborn deer. Don’t be me.

I get asked this more than almost any other Athens question: “Is it safe?” Usually by people whose only reference point is news coverage from the 2012 debt crisis. So let me just say it clearly: yes, Athens is very safe for tourists — safer, in my experience, than Barcelona, comparable to Rome, and miles ahead of its reputation. But I’d be doing you a disservice if I left it at that. Here’s the honest, no-sugarcoating breakdown.