The Foreign Office has issued a warning to holidaymakers who are going abroad or planning to go abroad this year to Greece. On the gov.uk website under their safety and security section, they caution that because of some strikes, your travel plans could be disrupted.
You should therefore try to plan ahead. Yet in spite of this, they say that it can sometimes happen at short notice.
The officials warn: “There are regular strikes, sometimes called at short notice, that can cause disruption to buses, trains, ferries and air travel, as well as road networks and borders. Demonstrations often take place around major squares in central Athens, in particular Syntagma Square”
Political demonstrations may take place on certain dates:
- May 1 (Labour Day)
- November 17 (anniversary of when student protests against a military dictatorship were put down violently – ‘Polytechnio’)
- December 6 (anniversary of the shooting of 15-year-old student Alexandros Grigoropoulos)
The government officials caution travellers heading to Greece that in the past, some demonstrations have turned violent. It’s therefore recommended that where you can, to avoid them and move away to the last known safe place.
In addition to travel disruption, the officials said that there’s a heightened risk of protests, particularly in central Athens. As a result, Greek authorities have increased security at some prominent locations which includes tourist sites, due to events in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, they say.
Because of this, they ask people to stay vigilant, be aware of your surroundings, stay away from protests and follow the advice of local authorities.