Women and lone travellers

In Greece, thousands of women travel on their own without encountering harassment or intimidation. Nearly all of the traditional Mediterranean masculine motivation for dating foreign ladies has vanished as relationships between unmarried Greek men and women have become more westernized. At some well-known resorts, such as Kávos in Corfu, Laganás in Zákynthos, and Faliráki in Rhodes, northern European men are more likely to sexually assault foreign women than bad-intentioned locals. It is prudent to avoid going out on a solo bar crawl or accepting late-night rides from strangers (hitching at any time is not advisable for lone female travellers). You're more likely to be treated as an xéni if you're traveling with a man.


In particular, in the area of Sndagma in Athens, lone males should be cautious when being asked into bars because these establishments are frequently staffed with hostesses—some of whom may also be prostitutes—who will try to convince you to buy them drinks. You'll be handed an enormous bill at the end of the night, some of which goes toward the hostess's commission; those who refuse to pay are threatened physically.