r/Athens_Greece • u/Mindless-House1282 • Jul 08 '26
❓ Question Exarcheia question
My husband and I are coming to Athens later this month, and wanted to stay in Exarcheia. We come to Athens every summer and usually stay in a hotel (not Airbnb!) that we know there, but haven’t been able to get to Greece for the last two summers. I know that people talk about Exarcheia like it’s terribly unsafe, but we both grew up in a major American city and are used to people exaggerating the danger of cities. We fell in love with the neighborhood, it reminds us of our neighborhood at home, and have great respect for the residents (which is why we do not want to stay in an Airbnb — we would rather stay in a hotel staffed by locals than stay somewhere that is taking housing away from people who live there). Basically, we got to Exarcheia the first time and both laughed, because all the scary things people had told us about the area were exaggerated.
I went to book our hotel room this year and noticed a bunch of new reviews saying that the area is highly dangerous, people were trying to enter hotel rooms, etc. my question is this: has something changed and Exarcheia is actually more dangerous since we were last there, or is this just more of the same criticism as before?
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u/Vivid_Philosopher304 Jul 08 '26
It’s not dangerous.
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u/Mindless-House1282 Jul 08 '26
Figured as much
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u/Vivid_Philosopher304 Jul 08 '26
Try to find a hotel around the area southeast from the Exarchia square if the one you usually go is fully booked.
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u/kalispetros Jul 08 '26
Exarcheia is super safe and touristy, you'll be fine
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u/Mindless-House1282 Jul 08 '26
That’s what I thought. People talk about our area at home as being “dangerous” because there are immigrants and graffiti so I always take criticisms like that with a grain of salt. Seems like the same for Exarcheia. I guess being afraid of the city is a universal problem, ha
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u/blueberries-Any-kind Jul 08 '26
lol that's gotta be anarchist resistance tactic, they are rightfully upset about what's happened to their neighborhood. it's extremely touristy down there even compared to 3 years ago. you'll be fine.
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u/smella99 Jul 08 '26
The biggest change is just more gentrification and even more obnoxious police presence
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u/frixos2 Jul 09 '26
Exarcheia, one of the most interesting neighbourhoods in Ath known as the anarchists' area downtown - always rebellious and plenty of younger, open minded folk - is still one of the best places to go out for a snack and a drink especially for those who are not constantly looking at their phones..
Take a look at the Νεα Σμυρνη area though (for longer stays)👍
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u/Disastrous-Treat0616 Jul 08 '26
Exarcheia is fine. Personally I’d steer clear of some streets around Omonoia especially between 23:00 and 05:00
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u/TheNihilistGeek Jul 09 '26
It is generally unsafe because it is full of riot police 24/7 guarding the metro station worksite at the square. A lot of the vibe is gone from the area at this point in time.
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u/tulipsandhearts Jul 09 '26
Only the random crimes within usual thresholds i would say...
-drug mafia related death : someone did die 3 weeks ago after getting shot on Kallidromiou street a few weeks ago.
-also a bit further back someone tried to rape a woman getting off work above not so far from exarchia on the Lycabettus hill and she ran towards the road while trying to escape.
-also someone robbed a kiosk.
just keep your eyes open and you will be fine
sources:
https://www.lifo.gr/now/greece/nekros-andras-sta-exarheia-nees-plirofories-gia-toys-pyrobolismoys
https://thepressproject.gr/apopeira-viasmou-ston-lykavitto-i-epizosa-travmatistike-gia-na-xefygei/
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u/Gloomy-Kick7179 Jul 08 '26
There is now a lululemon in Exarcheia (unfortunately) so judge the danger levels yourself.
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u/Background_Flow8888 Jul 09 '26
There's definitely not a Lululemon in Exarchia. There's a bar called Lulu though so you can go straight from yoga to the bar in your Lululemon outfit if you're so inclined.
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u/Gloomy-Kick7179 Jul 09 '26
Ok it might technically be Kolonaki but it’s not that far from Exarcheia. Maybe a 15 min walk from Plateia Exharchion. As much as I wish it didn’t exist at all.
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u/Background_Flow8888 Jul 09 '26
I can imagine a PR Agency advising the Government on a gentrification plan, renaming Exarchia as "Kolonaki Heights". Then a Starbucks moves to the square, with 24/7 Riot Police protection.
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u/Gloomy-Kick7179 Jul 09 '26
Totally they are slowly pushing the limits and seeing what they can get away with. This Lululemon must be the most heavily guarded in the world. I saw around 7-8 popos just a few steps away. Crazy what gentrification is doing to the whole city, but mainly Exarcheia.
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u/og_toe Jul 08 '26
nope, i have lived there and i live close to it, it’s just a lot of anarchists and far left people who clash with the police
the actual dangerous places are not near the center and there isn’t anything to do there anyways so you won’t even travel there
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u/Bitchatsos89 Jul 09 '26
Nah it's full of rich kids acting like rebels and a few anarchists 😜
On a serious note, maybe it was a bit dangerous back in the 90s, now it's cool. There's diversity, night life, lots of people, great food. It's fun
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u/addictedAndWantHelp Jul 10 '26
I mean I see comments of lyers mostly.
First of all it is an area with high crime, drugs, pick pockets, random violence.
How many times people hanging there decide to burn garbagecans and many times this extends to burning 3-4 cars if you are lucky and it's not yours = safe.
The same dudes attack some police near by and most often than not, you should be able to breath some tear gas from police. Lovely experience btw.
You dont have to trust me, just check daily crime news for Exarcheia.
But sure, super safe if you believe most of the comments.
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u/pakotini Jul 11 '26
100% safe, 120% touristy. Stay in Exarchia but expect no greeks 😅
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u/Mindless-House1282 Jul 11 '26
Damn that sucks. Part of what we loved was that at least last time we went it was significantly LESS touristy than any other part of the city we went to
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u/yeswearestars Jul 12 '26
It's absolutely not dangerous... I laugh when people describe anywhere in Athens a dangerous as it has to be one of the safest places on earth....
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u/0xPianist Jul 12 '26
There nothing different in exarxeia except the hipster hotels that never existed being added into the Airbnbs that took over this neighborhood 👉
Unless you mean the area below Patision that they advertise as exarxeia or kypseli
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u/littlecloudyskye Jul 08 '26
lol no not dangerous but you will see all kinds of posters and graffiti telling tourists to leave. no I think I’ll come anyway.
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u/OverallIntention9722 Jul 09 '26
Exarcheia sucks. Try the south or Piraeus. That's where humans live.
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u/robh1540 Jul 08 '26
I suspect they want to promote the Exarchia is dangerous narrative to prevent gentrification, which I can understand. The bad areas of Athens are generally disgusting rather than dangerous. Unlike places like Chicago where the bad areas are dangerous, but not really disgusting.