Greece travel warning issued from UK Foreign Office

New advice for people travelling to Greece from the Uk

The UK Foreign Office has issued fresh guidance for people travelling to Greece.

More than three million British travellers visited Greece in 2022. Most visits are trouble-free.

However, the Foreign Office has issued additional information on strikes and demonstrations, updated information on Covid-19 and staying safe.

Strikes:

Regular strikes, sometimes called at short notice, can disrupt public transport, road networks, and borders. Political demonstrations can also occur frequently.

Demonstrations occur regularly around major squares in central Athens, notably Syntagma Square. Nationwide strikes and protests can occur at any time and may disrupt road, air, and sea travel and cause delays/diversions at border crossings.

Demonstrations can be called at short notice, but there are specific dates on which demonstrations traditionally occur: May 1, November 17, and December 6.

Crime:

According to the Foreign Office, 33 cases of rape and sexual assaults in Greece were reported to British consular staff in 2022.

They said: "We also saw a small number of other personal attacks reported, and in some cases, the alleged attackers were British nationals.

"We recommend that all travellers take note of the following advice saving the location of your accommodation on your maps app, so it’s easier to find at the end of the night; setting up a WhatsApp group to keep in touch with each other; keeping an eye on each other’s drinks to make sure they don’t get spiked; not letting a friend walk back to their hotel alone; not giving a drunk person more alcohol."

Coronavirus:

It is mandatory to wear a mask on all public transport, including taxis and indoor spaces on boats, and in hospitals and care facilities for the elderly. It is also advised to wear a mask in pharmacies.

If you test positive for COVID-19 while in Greece, you must self-isolate for five days from the date of the positive test result. You may leave self-isolation after five days if you have not had a fever in the past 24 hours. Otherwise, you should continue to self-isolate.

There is an exception for tourists leaving Greece to return home. You may leave self-isolation before the end of the five-day isolation period to travel back to your country of origin, provided you wear a high-protection mask and do not have a fever.