Athenians are not so desperate to attack foreign tourists in order to make a living.......

Athens is one of the safest cities in Europe. I've never heard of a single case of a tourist being harmed, and I've always felt safe even walking around alone at 2 am. With the current economic climate, visitors are more welcome than ever.

Read what "nick_arch", who lives in Athens, has to say: http://tinyurl.com/86ryqvb

We were just in Athens two weeks ago and the only issue we had in was that the museums closed earlier than expected. The Greek people are the nicest we have ever met. Go and spend your money - they will appreciate it.

thank you all I was just a little worried because some news stations were reporting food shortages in markets and increasing number of demonstrations. I've always wanted to go though so will still do it - plus, perhaps it will be better in January anyway ...

January is a long way off so things may change, but we are planning to be in Athens in August and have no concerns!

When demonstrations happen in a big city they generally affect only the area around them...so just avoid that area and you likely wont even notice...I always take the media coverage with a grain of salt. My brother in law is a news reporter and told us the mantra is - if it bleeds, it leads - they focus on the stuff that grabs attn and that sometimes can skew people's perception!

Enjoy your vacation!

IN Greece there is NO food shortage and there are NO demonstrations right now.
I wonder where you got this information from, as it is NOT true at all.

" some news stations were reporting food shortages in markets and increasing number of demonstrations. "

Then:
1. You should choose your radio stations better. EVERY market in the world can be claimed to have a "food shortage" if an unprofessional reporter, out to invent a story that suits the agenda of his bigoted editors, visits it 2 minutes before closing. In the old Soviet Union, it's claimed brainwashed reporters used to visit US supermarkets just after opening, film shelves overflowing with fresh produce, and report it as evidence of how poor Americans couldn't afford to buy food. Your radio station clearly acquired its reporting standards at the same Moscow University journalism class.

2. Are demonstrations illegal in your country now? Back when America was a free country, your propagandists used to point to public demonstrations in America as the mark of free speech (seriously deluded in many cases that this was unique to the country that gave the world, and supported, Joseph McCarthy.) Greece hasn't yet followed America in its terror of free citizens making their opinion known in public.

Which said, Greece's mood of significant, but restrained, discontent may improve or get a lot worse over the next few weeks. I just wouldn't take a decision about visiting the country for a month or so were I of a nervous disposition.