🇬🇷 Let's Walk Around The WORST Neighborhoods In Athens Greece 2022

[@Jay_Force_One]

Every “hood” outside the US looks so tamed compared to the US. There are lots of places that look shitty in the world…..but when you’re afraid to even look at someone wrong, that’s the difference. I feel like I could walk down those streets no problem late at night. I can’t say the same about North Philadelphia or Las Vegas.

[@strayamericans]

Have you been there at night or are you just saying this? It is a very different environment at night. I don't intend to compare it to other places, just trying to warn travelers so they can avoid unsafe areas. They are right next to tourist areas and people often stumble into them by accident.

[@kaplicky2388]

Tame? this looks way more run down, poor and rougher than anywhere in America. you dont want to be there at night

[@konstantinossohos2349]

Look, central Athens can be mildly autistic, but coming from someone who has taken the bus there at midnight with homeless people, it's harmless, they are just like meth addicted butterflies, they'll leave you while they will scourge in the garbage

[@dimitrios1798]

@@kaplicky2388 It is not even close to being rougher than American cities at night. In general, violent crime in Athens is relatively low. Nothing like American cities.

[@bestchannelintheworld]

@@kaplicky2388 aesthetically, US ghetto areas look pretty decent because they were initially built according to plan, unlike European cities. But Euro ghettoes are orders of magnitude safer than American ones. So which is more important to you, aesthetics or being alive?

[@JerryBaiden-G]

IDK, to me these images of these streets seem very typical and inviting, and this ain't nothing close to the Tenderloin in San Francisco.

[@strayamericans]

Similar to the tenderloin at night.

[@michaelloudaros9953]

Try and watch Kensington Ave Philadelphia. The wealthiest nation. And that is in every city in the USA. By comparison this is kindergarten

[@strayamericans]

We are well aware. However, that doesn't justify anything going on anywhere else. Plus, we are American, so we can carry firearms to protect ourselves in the US but are unarmed elsewhere, which makes us feel more unsafe outside of our country in situations such as this. Thanks for your comment.

[@michaelloudaros9953]

@@strayamericans Statistics tell us a different story about guns. In 2021 the most recent data available, there were 48,830 people dead in the USA from gun related injuries. Based on Pew Research Centre analysis from CDC, the FBI and other sources.

[@peternorris3286]

Well here goes, we went to Athens in may this year and stayed in omonia, yes it is a bit run down but so is a lot of capital cities in the world, yes there were homeless people but don't look down on them as my dad used to say it's only a step away from park Avenue to skid row it can happen to anyone, anyway the people around omonia were lovely and very appreciated the tourists that visited, on a last note we came for a mini break for 4 nights from England and have rebooked for 10 nights next June, that's how much we enjoyed it, don't believe everything you read

[@strayamericans]

Happy you enjoyed Athens! We did as well. We don't say what we said to talk down on anyone and it doesn't really bother us personally because we are used to the type of environment. That being said, a lot of people who visit Athens are on their first holiday ever and have far less experience than we do. So for them it's really useful information. Skid row does neighbor a very touristy area in LA as well and people get mugged all the time because they don't have information like this. We really don't intend to talk down on others, especially those suffering from addiction but it is the truth. We had people injecting drugs in front of our door and that isn't something a new tourist should have to experience in our humble opinions. Anyways, cheers, thanks for sharing your experience and taking the time to comment 💗

[@peternorris3286]

Thanks PJ and mandy best wishes from across the pond, sure do agree that everyone is different and we all have different views, let me give you a example, santorini is lovely but when I visit a Greek island I don't want to see a balenciaga shop or Louis Vuitton shop as is the case in the former or mykonos, personal choice I guess, anyway enjoy your travels and keep safe from Pete and Karen in England

[@strayamericans]

@@peternorris3286 I agree, I'd personally prefer to go to Crete over Santorini any day but everyone's different. Cheers 💗

[@proud_greek223]

Visiting omonia is like visiting ohio 💀💀

[@ianvelarde8517]

I stayed at a flat in Neos Kosmos when I went. Very pleasant neighborhood and the metro was a 5 minute walk away. Absolutely loved the experience.

[@strayamericans]

Thank you for sharing ❤️🙏

[@konstantinossohos2349]

That's dank bro

[@willieexplore]

Enjoy your stay in Greece! Watch out for all the tourists scams in addition to the bad neighborhoods!

[@strayamericans]

We are enjoying it and are put of the main tourist area for the rest of our visit :) Cheers!

[@SenpaimustNotice]

6:53 Is that guy in the background flipping you off?

[@strayamericans]

I didn't see anyone 😭🤷

[@HobGothlin]

We stayed in Omonia about a month ago, in fact right next to where your video starts (The Brown Acropol). Athens is an eclectic city for sure and I certainly had reservations about staying in Omonia but the hotel was lovely and right next to the Metro. We did have a wander through some streets off to the north west (Vathi) and I wouldn't recommend it, we didn't stay long and that was in daylight but I think if you stick to Omonia Square and Athinas street you'll be fine. We'd heard Exarchia wasn't a great area but on going through there to get to the archaeological museum and coming back in the evening, it was fine. In contrast we went down a friends of a friends restaurant in Kallithea and it was a lovely suburban district. Good and bad in everything but as in any city best to keep your wits about you.

[@strayamericans]

I'm happy that you had a safe trip :) My trip was safe as well for the most part. Thank you for sharing!

[@mariakoutromanos262]

Omonia is known for the drugs many years ago they made the square legal for junkies so they would not bother the non junkies. There are some great other neighborhoods

[@strayamericans]

We went to the square in the evening off camera and it's very obvious at night. Yes there are some beautiful neighborhoods as well. We did another video right after this one about the best neighborhoods 💗 here's the link if you care to watch. Cheers! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoi4iaR9oLCUd9k

[@mariakoutromanos262]

@@strayamericans thanks

[@konstantinossohos2349]

Yeah bro go to Glyfada, the new architecture is fucking awful but it's one of the sexiest places in Athens

[@LeanderandSheilaAmazingJourney]

@@mariakoutromanos262 Μερικές φορές έχω τον εκνευρισμό μου με ανθρώπους που έρχονται εδώ μόνο για 2 μέρες και μιλούν για την Αθήνα σαν να έζησαν εδώ όλη τους τη ζωή. Ο θείος μου είναι Έλληνας, έκανε μπέιμπισιτ και με μεγάλωσε Έλληνας μη ρωτάς γιατί ενώ η μαμά μου είναι Ολλανδή και Ινδονήσιος πατέρας το έκανε. Αλλά για να επιστρέψω είναι ότι νομίζουν ότι όταν έρχονται στην Ελλάδα περπατούν σε μέρη όπως η πλάκα, το μοναστηράκι ότι είναι Ελλάδα...Όταν ήρθα να δουλέψω για τηλεπερίσταση εδώ πήγα σε τοπικά μέρη όπως ο Άγιος Δημήτριος για να γνωρίσω τους ντόπιους. Αυτού του είδους τα βίντεο δεν δείχνουν την πραγματική Ελλάδα, απλώς ο τουρισμός με ενοχλεί πολύ, η οικογένειά μου μου έδειξε επίσης την πραγματική Ελλάδα όταν τους επισκεφτήκαμε.

[@GS12G]

Athens isn’t particularly dangerous. Around Omonia is probably the worst ghetto in Greece. Even in Omonia if you mind your own business most likely no one will bother you. Crime statistics point toward the fact that it’s actually quite a safe city for travelers-Athens is not included on lengthy lists of the world’s most dangerous cities, and a 2020 crime index from Numbeo put the Greek capital at number 140 on the list, rating it safer than cities such as Tampa, Florida, San Francisco CA, Miami FL , Orlando FL, Philadelphia PA, Washington DC, London UK Manchester UK, Paris France , Brussels Belgium, Rome Italy, Naples Italy and Dublin Ireland. Heavy crimes like murder, rape etc. its pretty low, probably Athens in that aspect is one of the safest cities in the world. Still, there are certain things that travelers to Athens should keep in mind to ensure the safest possible visit. Stay vigilant for pickpockets and other petty thieves, scammers, these are the most common crimes targeting travelers in Athens. Be especially cautious at crowded attractions, on public transportation, and in taxis, where drivers sometimes scam their passengers for higher fees. Generally though they're very helpful and safe. Plus you can use an app (taxi beat or uber) to get a taxi this way you always get the right rate. The most prominent form of crime in Athens is, as you might guess, pickpocketing. By all accounts, pickpocketing, purse snatching, and other forms of petty theft are common, especially at crowded tourist attractions, nightlife destinations, and on buses and trains, where you should take extra care to guard your belongings. Be particularly vigilant if someone seems like they’re trying to distract you; meanwhile, someone else may be reaching into your purse. The rest of Greece is Very safe! Especially the Islands!

[@strayamericans]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@WhoWhoandZulu]

The tourist police discourage tourists from claiming they've been robbed instead the tourists come to understand that they should only claim that they lost their things ...so we really don't know the true stats ......Zulu

[@Bboo-pl3wb]

Where is the safest and cheapest places to rent in Greece?

[@strayamericans]

Short term or long term?

[@Bboo-pl3wb]

​@@strayamericansBoth

[@Bboo-pl3wb]

Both ​@@strayamericans

[@Raj78605]

Wow so very beautiful video

[@strayamericans]

Thank you

[@georgebililis7516]

Τthe worst neighbourhood in athens is still better tand safer hen any neighbourhood in the USA.

[@strayamericans]

Maybe an American city but not the towns

[@KNIGHTTEMPLAR555]

@@strayamericansAt least we don’t buy guns from super markets😂😂😂😂.

[@Bboo-pl3wb]

Add Australia to that one

[@RovexHD]

I stayed in Omonia in 2016. It’s probably safer than it looks. It’s just sad to see an area so close to the main sights run down to this level. Actually, I’ve been to most capitals in Europe, and it’s the only one I can think of with a gloomy area right in the centre.

[@strayamericans]

That's exactly why I made the video. I was shocked to see them so intertwined. I've been through bad areas all over the US and Europe and they are usually away from the tourist areas.

[@theteochewtower]

Ive seen most of Europe and would say maybe Naples comes close

[@cairanhennessy7028]

Spicy. Thanks for the preview, I'm going to living here for four months for a traineeship, so that's bound to be an interesting experience. It's remarkable to see that the neighborhood hasn't improved much since the last 10 to 20 years, judging from other video material.

[@strayamericans]

Make sure you check out the surrounding towns and the coast. It's beautiful. Unfortunately there are bad places but a lot of nice places too. We made another video on the nice areas in Athens as well if you care to check it out!

[@pipilongue]

This info that PJ and Mandy are sharing is very important! It only takes 1 bad experience to ruin a vacation. Thank you and stay safe. Cheers 🥂

[@strayamericans]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@tonyatthebeach]

7:41 😅

[@strayamericans]

🐕 😂

[@gjmarc]

Omonia Square was a shady place when I was in Athens in the mid 1970s, never stayed there and only went once. It was always known for bad cheap hotels. So not surprised by your findings.

[@strayamericans]

I suppose that's what happens when you roll the dice. I suppose I was hopeful that the city would be structured better because of it's history but after being to many European cities, I should have known better.

[@maestrolimpio86]

And a dog pooping in the background 😂

[@strayamericans]

🤣🤣🤣

[@travelgilson]

Very interesting and cheers 🥰🙏🥰🙏

[@strayamericans]

hey thanks! cheers :)

[@travelgilson]

I'd appreciate it if you come to my channel, too

[@BATOOLESK]

Iam coming in fee days and will be staying in omonia , iam so worried now

[@strayamericans]

You should take a look around before checking in and see if it is something that bothers you. We used Beat which is like Uber and you can pay with cash for taxis. I would only go out at night if you take a taxi or are right on the main street. Even the "square" is a bit sketchy at night. Hope that helps.. :]

[@johnpaizis4809]

Omonia Square Once the shops close The Greeks go home back to the suburbs, and the migrants take over. Stayed there seen it.

[@strayamericans]

The second the sun sets the dealers and addicts come out full force. It is like a different city

[@JimmGr7]

nice video. I am from GREECE. there is an area in athens that is really dangerous there. it's Zefiri. the inhabitants there are mainly gypsies. even the policemen are afraid there. it would be nice to make a video with the rich cities of athens. like Ekali, Kifissia and more(the Zefiri town, is near the Kifissia town). Northern Athens and Glyfada, Voula and more. south athens. I wish you nice travels!

[@strayamericans]

Oh wow, wish we would have been able to go to some of those areas on our trip but it was shorter than planned. Guess we will have to come back! Thank you 💗

[@marcopolo2395]

Το ζεφυρι δεν ειναι καν στην αθηνα, στο μενιδι δεν ανηκει; 20 χλμ απο το κεντρο

[@IAmHisBeloved5]

Are Makrygianni and Koukaki nice areas?

[@lolaproductions9725]

It is a bad neighbourhood,so much drug use and i saw drug effected neighbourhoods . This was extreme. Avoid omonia and matoxergiou

[@strayamericans]

We didn't show much on camera because of this reason but there were many people on busy streets injecting drugs in the day time... Almost everywhere we went actually. We went out of our way to make this video hoping that it would help people, especially those with young children. Thanks for your comment ❤🙏

[@ashlynngalluzzo1589]

Thanks for the tour. Stay safe.

[@strayamericans]

always! thanks for watching 💓

[@freespirit3818]

I lived in Athens 40 years ago. Omonia was always va bit run down but it's off the scale by the sounds of it now.

[@strayamericans]

It's crazy now :o just completely overrun

[@adamz3641]

LOL this is Ghetto ? wow, this looks like a great place comparing to the Ghetto in my city. I guess it is time to consider move to Europe, Drinking coffee and walking around, Yeah good luck with that here.

[@strayamericans]

I'm not intended to compare it to anything rather to show others what to look out for. At night time the area is a completely different place. It is right next to the tourist areas and easy to stumble onto.

[@Super64phillipyoutub]

looks like a neat place to stay still!!

[@strayamericans]

Honestly the city itself is pretty interesting. there are a few areas that are definitely worth visiting. We'll be doing another video on athens to show some of the really cool neighborhoods!

[@dbarrett1539]

I'm staying in Omonia. It looks a little like my home city, even a lil safer. If i use common sense, i should be fine ✌️

[@strayamericans]

Absolutely. Intuition helps especially if you are familiar with living in a major city where these things are present. Hope you have a lovely trip!

[@SdH76zhEU]

Freddo Esspresso is that Drink in Greece.. Used to be Frappé, but real coffe is way better!

[@strayamericans]

I love the Freedom Espresso in the hot summer! 😃❤️

[@freespirit3818]

Did you not question why the accomodation was so cheap? Remember you get what you pay for on this life. Looks like skid row.

[@strayamericans]

We did look around. We bought it last minute and it had 2 5 star reviews surprisingly. The pinpoint on the map was a lie and was about 4 blocks off. I stay in cheap accommodation frequently and you're right sometimes it's what you pay for but most of the time it is just fine for us.

[@kristivako783]

Ugly city. The architecture is disasterous

[@strayamericans]

You would think they would try their hardest to preserve it

[@mariamarija7753]

I know how you felt. I'm in Exarchia part of Athens right now, not so bad, but still very scary to me. 😬Today I went to Acropolis and on the way down discovered Plaka, what a lovely neighbourhood! Wish I did more research before booking my trip to Athens, can't wait to go back to UK, to be honest!!! Thanks for your videos, very informative, wish I found you earlier.

[@strayamericans]

I can definitely see it being very scary for most tourists, if not all. You're in an unfamiliar place. You just want to feel safe, totally normal. Thank you for the compliment. I'm happy to help. Some cities have been worse than others, but there are areas like this in most cities so I definitely recommend researching, it changes the experience.

[@paulafranciscac2787]

I hope you made it safe home. Was there no review about your hotel that would hint about what kind of hood you were getting into? Thanks for sharing.

[@strayamericans]

No there was only one review on airbnb for it which was mostly positive. However when I looked at the location on airbnb it looked like it was 3 or 4 blocks over which was considered safe.. Since airbnb only gives you a "general location" at first. I left a bad review because a few days into our stay we started seeing homeless people shooting up drugs openly in front of the building door where we had to ask them to move, then we saw a mattress with blood appear in the lobby, and then we ended up finding reaches so at that point (on the same day) we left and left a review and got half of our money back. Nothing bad happened to us during our stay but we had an offer to house sit in a nice area not far from there so we ultimately decided to leave otherwise we probably would have stayed the entire stay.... BUT...We are from a city in California that is far more dangerous so for us it really wasn't out of the ordinary but for someone new to traveling, or solo traveling, or not from a place with high crime I would highly suggest staying away from the area we were in because you'll most likely become a target for crime. If you decide to visit feel free to comment or send a message on social media and I'll let you know how I felt about the area 💗 -Mandy

[@Chris-yt1nu]

Every large city has slum neigborhoods and you would be crazy to go out after 12 at night. NY, Paris, London, Rome, etc.. they are all the same.

[@strayamericans]

I feel like that doesn't justify anything.

[@georgebourlos1430]

Hoods of Athens : next year you should show Agios Eleftherios

[@strayamericans]

There is more?! Perhaps I will! I plan to go back to Greece but I'm not sure if I will return to Athens soon.

[@oxidan78]

Doesn,t look like that the worst in any case.

[@strayamericans]

Where is the worst?

[@Fajriah89]

Good video

[@strayamericans]

thank you so much!

[@theresasouthern8631]

I must have grown up in the "ghetto" because this doesn't seem at all that bad. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Maybe if I was there at midnight?

[@strayamericans]

I did grow up in the ghetto and it's still pretty bad. Perhaps moreso because it's unfamiliar and foreign. I would say the biggest concern is theft, drug use, and prostitution. Lots of scammers in the tourist area/central part of town and it's filthy.

[@nileswift]

Omonia platia is just great its what makes athens athens its not as bad as new orleans or brooklyn but yet again brooklyn wouldnt be brooklyn unless you had graffiti and derelict people.i spent alot of time in athens.and apart from New york best city on the planet

[@strayamericans]

That's a great point, it is a really vibrant city. I just think it's sad that you cannot walk around this area without exposing yourself to addicts injecting drugs in public during the day. I don't mean to insult, I just want others to be aware when they visit because they may have small children or are scared. We did enjoy it and have a positive video on Athens as well ❤ thank you for commenting :)

[@dekenlst]

This is what 4 decades of socialist mayors gets you. Thank god I left 5 years ago.

[@strayamericans]

We were talking about how it must have been very recent... 50 years or so for the city to become that way. 3,000 years and then we come along and ruin it in the past couple generations.. Thanks for watching!

[@damianlody]

Between 2004 and 2008 Athens was at its peak especially Omonia, Victoria, Metaxourgeio etc

[@Visitor93]

perfect ❤from Azerbaijan❤

[@strayamericans]

Thank you 💗

[@dharakis]

greetings from within the kosmos Ellene [ unity ] the original word for greek .Ellada [ got it together ] original word for greece .Ελληνικη [ Ellenike ] unity in being with victory ] ΑΩ

[@strayamericans]

Greetings :) thanks for watching and thanks for the info!

[@colonelrayhenson7768]

Not really a fan of this negative girl on here! He’s more qualified!

[@strayamericans]

Just giving an honest perspective 😉

[@LeanderandSheilaAmazingJourney]

Ghetto talks like she actually lives in Greece 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Omonia is nothing conmpared to Philadelphia, No such thing as the hood in Athens and in 2 days you can't say much about Greece i am from the Netherlands i've lived here in Athens for 8 years i know the areas not to go but Omonia seriously Omonia 🤣🤣🤣🤣 there are places worse than Omonia. Can't say much in only 2 days

[@strayamericans]

👎

[@michaelsiebielec5554]

Great video but it has cooled my desire to visit this nasty graffiti covered mess.

[@strayamericans]

lol 🤣 we will be putting another video out on the better parts of Athens but I can't lie, most of it is pretty filthy. I was shocked considering it was the first city and has been active for thousands of years. This is probably from the past 50-100 years or so sadly.

[@calibre_au6183]

@@strayamericans Athens is quite dirty, but at night all that is hidden, it looks beautiful!

[@killbill1175]

You guys were stuck in and around the center. You should leave the center and visit the north or southern suburbs. Big difference..

[@strayamericans]

@@calibre_au6183 I agree, we went out a few nights and it really comes to life at night 😍

[@strayamericans]

@@killbill1175 we stayed in palaio faliro for half of our stay as well and that was nice, plus we went to the mall and got to see the different neighborhoods between the 3. You are definitely right, such a different place outside of the city center and Greek people are really lovely too.

[@teopeiramatikos]

thats not the worst areas in athens

[@strayamericans]

What area is?

[@teopeiramatikos]

@@strayamericans for example those areas u mentioned can be possibly dangerous at night . but also there are some other areas that do not have a good reputation. for example areas like menidi, acharnes , viktoria, zefyri , kamatero and more.

[@kimoshoheeb5402]

And you guys are not high?! Let's say coca for example that makes you talkative and a bit tense?! Yeah with coke you always need a drink to dehydrate.

[@strayamericans]

No lol. Completely sober 😅

[@kimoshoheeb5402]

@@strayamericans 😜😂😂😂

[@strayamericans]

@@kimoshoheeb5402 definitely the right neighborhood though lol 😆

[@gioulimar6957]

Omounia it’s pronounced

[@strayamericans]

Thank you

[@jeet-Seattle]

And you think California is safer than omonia?😂😂😂😂

[@strayamericans]

Absolutely not 😂 that's why I felt so confident walking Omonia lol.

[@bernardfranchi1791]

2 blaireaux dans les rues d athenes pour nous faire partager leur frissons dans les rues pauvres Je n imaginais pas un seul instant que cela pouvait exister bref un moment de rêve Au fait c est pour quand le prochain tatouage ? Bye bye

[@strayamericans]

Was that supposed to be an insult?

[@georgehimon1445]

My friends ,every city in every state has this ,run down old parts and newly built high trackick shopping districts ,america has rich and poor , let's not call out a view ,but put some prospective ,the united states has ,hate marches , robberies, whole town's that are far worst ,a multiple shooting in most city's of America ,entire blocks are drug infested ,example Kensington pa , at most you will see in the region your exploring , a cab driver and an argument ,a far crie from the good ol USA .I'm American ,it's in every city and every state ,good is where your heart is ,thanks for the explore ,thou your views are only hersa, crimes are nothing like america. Stay safe ,🙏🤟 in america there's a thirty dollar motel and a hundred fifty a night hotel.

[@strayamericans]

Sure , there are problems all throughout the world but I made the video specifically on Athens and I made it because I was a bit surprised by everything. It's not meant as an insult but just to show people what is happening if they want to travel there. Thank you for your comments and perspective, it is always welcome. Regardless of where a bad area is, people have the right to avoid such neighborhoods.

[@upupaepops1988]

i think someone who can't even learn the greek for 'thank you' when conducting a basic transaction should just remain within the confines of an ibis hotel.

[@strayamericans]

Not an ibis hotel 😭🤮 That's so mean lol.

[@Sezfluffy]

You shouldn't be using plastic ...look after the oceann

[@strayamericans]

you're right.

[@zeikerd]

I love the gnarly streets of athens. I come every year to get fucked up and do a ton of graffiti

[@strayamericans]

Where are you originally from? There is some amazing graffiti in Athens!

[@zeikerd]

@@strayamericans the netherlands

[@strayamericans]

@@zeikerd lovely! I've had the pleasure of staying there for about 5 weeks and had an amazing time!

[@Falcon-m9w]

You dont dare to walk there after 12 at night ... 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

[@strayamericans]

Probably not a good idea 😅

[@strayamericans]

@@Falcon-m9w sorry to hear, I'm from a place similar in the United States and can tell it is not safe at all at night.

[@Falcon-m9w]

@@strayamericans why you sorry its the same things....

[@strayamericans]

@@Falcon-m9w because it is unfortunate to live this way and to see communities corrupt with drugs and crimes. Unless you are happy, then it's not bad 🙂

[@strayamericans]

@@Falcon-m9w no I don't think you are bad people. I never said that. I mean the bad neighborhoods, not the place as a whole