Greece by campervan: safety and healthcare

Campervan safety in Greece: vehicle security, healthcare, emergency contacts and practical prevention. What to know before you go.

Published 18 September 2026Last checked 18 September 2026

Currency
Euro
EUR. Cards in towns, cash on small islands
Language
Greek
Own alphabet. English is widely spoken in tourism
Driving
Right
Motorway 130 km/h, towns 30 or 50 km/h
Power
230V, type F
Same two-pin plug as most of Europe
Tap water
Safe on the mainland
Many islands are desalinated
Emergency
112
Police 100, ambulance 166, coast guard 108

Safety and health

Greece is a safe country to travel and sleep in. Violent crime against travellers is rare and the van itself is rarely the target. Petty theft is a city problem, concentrated in a few places in Athens: Monastiraki, Omonia and the metro to the airport. Outside the cities the usual rules are enough, which are to arrive before dark, leave nothing visible through the windows and pick a place with people around rather than an empty scenic layby.

Fishing boats moored along a whitewashed Greek harbour with taverna tables set out on the quay — A working harbour with people in it beats an empty headland

What works

Arrive before dark so you can see the place you picked, and so you can leave it if you do not like it.
Nothing visible through the windows. No bags, no laptop on the table.

Numbers and pharmacies

112 for everything, in English. 100 police, 166 ambulance, 199 fire, 108 coast guard.
112 is also the channel the state uses for wildfire and evacuation alerts, so leave emergency alerts switched on.

Greek mountain roads are the thing most likely to cost you a holiday. They are narrow, often unfenced, frequently patched, and shared with goats and with drivers who know every corner. Plan half the daily distance you would plan on a motorway, and do not drive them at night.