- Abortion legal status
- Legal
- Emergency contraception
- Over the counter
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: athenstourism.org, mygreecetours.org
Good to know
Good to Know
- The emergency contraceptive pill is sold over the counter in Athens pharmacies with no prescription and no age check required — you can simply ask the pharmacist.
- Greek pharmacies (look for the green cross sign) are not usually 24-hour and many close on weekends, so if you need EC or the regular pill outside business hours, call the duty-pharmacy line to find one that's open.
- For an IUD or implant fitting, or if it's been 3–5 days since unprotected sex and you want the most effective emergency option (copper IUD), you'll need a same-day appointment with a gynecologist rather than a pharmacy visit.
- The 15900 national SOS helpline and the 197 victims'-support line are the two most useful numbers for a sexual assault or gender-based violence situation in Athens; both can help arrange police reporting and medical/forensic care.
- If you report an assault, avoid showering before a forensic medical exam if you want physical evidence preserved, and know that Greek law does not require you to pay any fee or show ID at the time of reporting to police.
- Abortion on request is legal and accessible up to 12 weeks; after that, access narrows to specific medical/legal circumstances, so timing matters if you need one while traveling.
- Public-system abortions are free for insured patients but can involve waiting and paperwork — many people (including locals) opt for a private clinic for speed and privacy despite the out-of-pocket cost.
- The morning-after pill is sold over the counter at any pharmacy in Greece without a prescription, which is a useful backup if condoms fail during a trip.
- Not every OB-GYN or hospital in Athens has strong English support — confirm language capability when booking, especially at public hospitals.
- Some of Athens' larger private maternity hospitals (e.g., Iaso, Mitera, Rea) sit in northern or southern suburbs roughly 20-30 minutes from the city center by taxi rather than in the center itself — factor that into planning if you need same-day access.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment
Reports consistently describe harassment as a low-level issue in Athens rather than a major threat. Several accounts describe occasional catcalling or unwanted verbal attention from local men as rare and unlikely to escalate, with instances reported more specifically around Omonia Square and in the less touristy parts of Psiri late at night. One tourism-focused source notes most solo female travelers find Athens easier than some other southern European cities for this kind of attention.
Walking Alone at Night — Where It's Fine and Where to Be Careful
Central, well-policed tourist areas such as Plaka, Syntagma, Kolonaki, Koukaki and Monastiraki are generally described as comfortable for walking alone in the evening, since the centre stays lively and busy well into the night. Sources advise extra caution and sticking to busy, well-lit main streets around Omonia and Victoria Square after dark, and recommend avoiding deserted side alleys, parks, or cutting through quieter back streets alone late at night.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
The Beat/FreeNow app is widely recommended as the safer way to get a ride, since it lets you book a licensed, metered taxi with a visible driver profile and avoids street-hailing or fare negotiation. Several sources specifically advise against hailing a taxi off the street late at night and suggest booking through the app or having a hotel or restaurant call one for you instead. Overcharging by some unofficial drivers, especially at the airport, is a documented risk; the official airport-to-centre fare is a flat rate, roughly 38-40 EUR by day and around 54 EUR at night, and travelers are told to use the official taxi queue and confirm the fare before setting off.
Late-night Metro Use
The metro is considered safe and efficient during the day, but sources advise more caution after around 22:00, particularly with valuables visible, since some stretches are less actively monitored late at night. The metro also stops running around midnight, so a licensed taxi or ride-hailing app is recommended for getting home after that.
Practical Precautions
Common advice includes wearing bags crossbody and in front of the body in crowded tourist spots and on the metro to deter pickpocketing, keeping a phone in a front pocket rather than a back pocket or exposed in hand, and not leaving bags hanging on the backs of chairs at outdoor cafes. Walking away from the curb is also suggested, since moped-based bag-snatching has been reported in the city.
Abortion Law
- Governing Law
- Law 1609/1986 (building on partial legalization under Law 821/1978)
- Confidentiality
- Patient confidentiality is legally protected; medical records related to abortion are not disclosed to unauthorized parties.
- Procedure Types
- Both medical (mifepristone/misoprostol, typically usable up to around 9-10 weeks) and surgical (vacuum aspiration) abortion are available; the law requires the procedure be performed by an obstetrician-gynecologist with an anesthesiologist present, which is why most abortions in Greece are done surgically rather than via pills alone.
- Referral Resource
- The Family Planning Association of Greece (FPAG) in Athens can help with referrals to a doctor or clinic for termination services.
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Consent And Process
- Prior to the procedure, a physical and mental health assessment plus counseling on options is legally required. For those under 18, written parental or guardian consent is required.
Abortion Time Limits
- On Request
- Up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, for any reason, no justification required.
- Rape Or Incest
- Up to 19 weeks of pregnancy.
- Fetal Abnormalities
- Up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, subject to approval from a medical committee.
- Risk To Life Or Health
- No abortion time limit if there is an inevitable risk to the pregnant person's life or serious, permanent damage to physical or mental health.
Cost And Access Routes
- Public System
- Legal abortion within the public National Health System (ESY) is covered for those with Greek health insurance/coverage, making the procedure free of charge, though demand and bureaucracy can cause delays.
- Private System
- Abortions are also widely performed in licensed private clinics and hospitals; cost is out-of-pocket and varies by clinic, pregnancy stage, and method (medical vs. surgical) — get a direct quote as pricing is not standardized or publicly published.
- Morning After Pill
- The emergency contraceptive pill (branded Norlevo in Greece) is available over-the-counter at pharmacies without a prescription and without proof of age.
OB-GYN Options
Elena Venizelou General Maternity Hospital
- Type
- Public hospital (ESY) — maternity & gynecology
- Notes
- One of Athens' main public maternity hospitals; performs legal abortions under the National Health System for insured patients. Central Athens location. English-language support can be inconsistent in the public system — bring a Greek-speaking contact or translator app if possible.
Alexandra General Hospital (Obstetrics & Gynecology Clinic)
- Type
- Public teaching hospital
- Notes
- Major public OB-GYN clinic in central Athens affiliated with the University of Athens medical school; handles routine and complex gynecological/obstetric care.
Family Planning Association of Greece (FPAG)
- Type
- NGO / referral and counseling service
- Notes
- Based in Athens; provides family planning counseling and can direct patients to doctors offering termination and reproductive health services.
Dr. Andreas Bazeos, FRCOG
- Type
- Private OB-GYN
- Notes
- English-speaking obstetrician-gynecologist practicing in central Athens; reviewed positively by international/expat patients for clear communication and coordination around surgery and travel logistics.
Dr. Sokratis Kallitsis
- Type
- Private OB-GYN
- Notes
- English-speaking gynecologist in Athens offering routine gynecological check-ups (Pap test, colposcopy, ultrasound) and pregnancy follow-up in line with European medical guidelines.
Dr. Georgios Kalantzopoulos
- Type
- Private OB-GYN
- Notes
- Practices near Mavili Square in central Athens; collaborates with Iaso Maternity Hospital and also serves as medical director of a fertility (IVF) clinic.
Contraception Access
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Pharmacy Access Notes
- Pharmacies (farmakeío) are marked with a green cross but are not typically open 24 hours and many close on weekends; calling 1434 or checking a duty-pharmacy list is the way to find one open outside normal hours.
Ongoing Contraception
- Pill
- Combined oral contraceptive pills are legally available at pharmacies; a physician's prescription is technically required, though in practice pharmacists sometimes dispense without strict enforcement.
- IUD And Implant
- IUDs and contraceptive implants are legal and available through gynecologists/clinics in Athens, but usage rates in Greece are low and neither method is reimbursed by the state for family-planning purposes.
- Cost Reimbursement
- Greece has no contraceptive reimbursement scheme, so the pill, IUD, implant and emergency contraception are all paid out-of-pocket.
Emergency Contraception
- Price
- €22
- Access
- Both levonorgestrel (LNG) and ulipristal acetate (UPA) emergency contraceptive pills are sold over the counter at pharmacies without a prescription or age restriction, a policy in place since January 2015 for UPA.
- Timing
- LNG pills work best within 24–72 hours of unprotected sex; ellaOne (UPA) can be used up to 5 days after.
- IUD Option
- A copper IUD fitted by a doctor within 5 days of unprotected sex is also recognized in Greek family-planning guidelines as a highly effective emergency contraception option, but requires a same/next-day clinical appointment rather than an over-the-counter purchase.
- Brands Available
- Norlevo, Postinor and ellaOne are the emergency contraceptive pills sold in Greek pharmacies.
- Price Notes
- Typical over-the-counter price range cited for Greece is roughly 15–30 EUR (about 17–34 USD) depending on the specific pill and pharmacy; the figure above is a mid-range estimate.
Legal Status Of Reporting
- Status
- illegal
- Summary
- Rape and sexual assault are criminal offences under Greek law, with prison sentences for rapists starting around 5 years and higher for multiple perpetrators. Marital rape is legally recognized.
Practical Notes
- No fee should ever be charged to report a sexual crime to Greek police, and no legal ID is required at the time of reporting.
- Reporting and prosecution processes in Greece can be slow and are described by advocacy groups as complicated; contacting a legal-aid or victim-support organization can help navigate this.
- Pregnancy resulting from rape can legally be terminated by abortion up to a specified abortion time limit under Greek law.
Assault And Gender Based Violence Hotlines
National SOS Helpline (General Secretariat for Family Policy & Gender Equality)
- Number
- 15900
- Availability
- 24/7
- Notes
- Part of a nationwide Network of Counselling Centres and shelters coordinated by the General Secretariat for Demography and Family Planning and Gender Equality.
- Description
- National hotline for domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape and trafficking; run by Greece's national gender-equality authority.
Victims of Violence Hotline / National Center of Social Solidarity (EKKA)
- Number
- 197
- Availability
- 24/7
- Notes
- There is no dedicated rape-specific hotline in Greece, but operators on this line are able to assist assault survivors and most speak English.
- Description
- Government hotline that assists victims of sexual assault and rape, including help communicating with police.
Greek Police Emergency Line
- Number
- 100
- Availability
- 24/7
- Description
- General police emergency number for reporting a crime, including sexual assault, in Athens.
European Emergency Number
- Number
- 112
- Availability
- 24/7
- Description
- EU-wide emergency number connecting to police, ambulance and fire services, operable throughout Athens.
Hate Crime / Crime Reporting Line
- Number
- 11414
- Availability
- 24/7
- Description
- Dedicated Greek Police number for directly reporting a crime, including hate-motivated crimes.
Panic Button App
- Notes
- Since May 2024 it has been available to all adult victims of domestic violence nationwide, regardless of gender.
- Description
- A safety app developed by the Greek gender-equality authority with the Ministry of Citizen Protection and Vodafone, allowing at-risk individuals to send an urgent help request; piloted in Athens and Thessaloniki before national rollout.
Forensic Medical Exam Info
- Process
- A forensic medical examination (needed to secure legal evidence and check for pregnancy/STIs) is authorized via the police or public prosecutor and is only carried out with the victim's cooperation.
- Athens Forensic Service Address
- 10 Anapafseos Str., 116 36 Athens — handles cases reported within the Attica region.
- Notes
- Hospitals will try to arrange examination by a female practitioner on request but this cannot be guaranteed; showering/bathing before the exam is discouraged as it can damage evidence.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.