5 Tourist Scams in Athens

You land at Athens International and take a taxi to your hotel in Monastiraki — a well-known destination. The driver doesn't start the meter and quotes you €80 for what is a €38 fixed-rate trip (the official regulated price from AIA to Athens center). One tourist on Reddit paid €160. When confronted about the overcharge, the driver produces a printed card claiming 'night rate zone surcharges' that don't legally exist. The same taxi drivers who do this know the penalties for overcharging are severe — they rely on tourists not knowing to threaten to call police.

You choose a restaurant with a stunning Acropolis view near Monastiraki because the host outside calls out the view and shows you the menu — prices look normal. After your meal the bill includes an 'Acropolis view table supplement' of €8 per person, a bread basket you didn't ask for at €4 each, and service charge on top of the already-inflated prices. View-premium surcharges aren't illegal in Greece, but they're rarely disclosed upfront in tourist areas.

A man near the Acropolis entry sits with colorful bracelets spread on a cloth. As you pass, he takes your wrist and quickly ties a bracelet on before you can stop him — hands moving fast. 'A gift, no problem!' He then explains how it brings luck, tells you about his family, and creates enough social awkwardness that you feel obligated to give him money. The bracelet won't come off without scissors. The amount he expects is 'whatever feels right' — and his expression makes it clear that should be €20+.

Two men in plain clothes stop you near Omonia Square and show what appears to be a police badge — they say there's a counterfeit money problem in the area and need to check your wallet and banknotes. Your wallet changes hands for 'verification.' You get it back but some bills have been swapped for fakes, or cash is simply missing. This fake police scam operates in Athens's busier, more chaotic tourist-adjacent neighborhoods.

You sit at a café on Syntagma Square to watch the changing of the guard ceremony. You order two coffees and a water. The bill is €28. The coffees you just had are the same brand as a café three streets back where they cost €3 each. Cafés directly on Syntagma Square and around major tourist ceremony sites charge 3-4x normal Athens coffee prices because tourists don't know the difference, and the turnover is purely tourist traffic.