Greece - Korina Miller [66]
Pacific Travel Luggage Storage (Map; 210 324 1007; Nikis 26, Syntagma; per day €2; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat)
Media
Athens News (www.athensnews.gr) Published every Friday; provides entertainment listings.
Athens Plus (www.ekathimerini.com) Comprehensive weekly English news and entertainment newspaper; published on Friday by Kathimerini and available online.
Insider (www.insider-magazine.gr) Monthly glossy magazine aimed at visitors and foreigners living in Greece.
Kathimerini (www.ekathimerini.com) The International Herald Tribune publishes an eight-page English-language edition of this Greek daily, with news, arts, cinema listings and daily ferry schedules.
Odyssey (www.odyssey.gr) Bimonthly Greek diaspora magazine; handy annual summer guide to Athens.
Medical Services
Ambulance/First-Aid Advice ( 166)
Duty Doctors & Hospitals ( 1434, in Greek) Published in Kathimerini.
Pharmacies ( 1434, in Greek) Check pharmacy windows for notice of nearest duty pharmacy. There is a 24-hour pharmacy at the airport.
SOS Doctors ( 1016, 210 821 1888; 24hr) Pay service with English-speaking doctors.
Money
Major banks have branches around Syntagma and there are ATMs all over the city. Standard bank opening hours are 8am to 2.30pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 2pm on Friday, though some banks open until 8pm weekdays and on Saturday morning.
Eurochange Syntagma (Map; 210 331 2462; Karageorgi Servias 2; 9am-9pm); Omonia (Map; 210 552 2314; Kotopoulou 1); Monastiraki (Map; 210 322 2657; Areos 1) Exchanges travellers cheques and arranges money transfers.
National Bank of Greece (Map; 210 334 0500; cnr Karageorgi Servias & Stadiou, Syntagma) Has a 24-hour automatic exchange machine.
Post
Athens central post office (Map; www.elta.gr; Eolou 100, Omonia; 7.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-2pm Sat) Unless specified otherwise, all poste restante is sent here.
Parcel post office (Map; Nikis 33, Syntagma; 7.30am-2pm Mon-Fri) Parcels weighing over 2kg must be taken here, unwrapped, for inspection.
Syntagma post office (Map; Plateia Syntagmatos, Syntagma; 7.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-2pm Sat)
Telephone
Public phones all over Athens allow international calls. Phonecards are available at kiosks.
Toilets
Public toilets are relatively scarce in Athens and keep inconsistent hours. There are 24-hour portable, self-cleaning pay toilets (€0.50) around the centre. Fast-food outlets and big hotels are also handy.
Tourist Information
EOT (Greek National Tourist Organisation; www.gnto.gr) Syntagma (Map; 210 331 0392; Leoforos Vasilissis Amalias 26a; 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun); Airport ( 210 353 0445-7; Arrivals Hall; 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun) Has a handy free map of Athens and public transport information. You can also pick up a free copy of the glossy Athens & Attica booklet.
Tourist police (Map; 24hr 171, 210 920 0724; Veïkou 43-45, Koukaki; 8am-10pm) General tourist information and emergency help.
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DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
Athens has its fair share of the problems found in all major cities but is one of Europe’s safest capitals. Violent street crime remains rare, but travellers should be alert to the traps listed here. The streets northwest and southwest of Omonia have become markedly seedier, with the increasing presence of prostitutes, junkies and mostly illegal immigrants, and should be avoided at night.
Pickpockets
The favourite hunting grounds for pickpockets are the metro system, particularly the Piraeus–Kifisia line, and the crowded streets around Omonia, Athinas and the Monastiraki flea market.
Scams
BAR SCAMS
Unsuspecting travellers have been taken in by the various bar scams in central Athens, particularly around Syntagma.
One scam runs something like this: friendly Greek approaches solo male traveller; friendly Greek then reveals that he, too, is from out of town or does the old ‘I have