Accessibility
While in Greece, individuals with disabilities will find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. While Greek law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical and intellectual disabilities in employment, education, access to health care, or the provision of other government services, in practice, enforcement of these provisions is uneven. The law mandates access to buildings for persons with disabilities and special ramps for the sidewalks and means of public transportation; however, enforcement is inconsistent and is a work in progress. While handicapped parking spaces and sidewalk ramps exist or are being constructed throughout the country, they are often occupied or blocked by parked vehicles, thus hindering accessibility for disabled persons.
The general condition of the sidewalks can be problematic. They are very narrow in places and there are often broken paving stones, large holes, and poorly-positioned signs. A small but growing percentage of public buildings are fully accessible to persons with physical disabilities, with the majority in Athens. Many buildings with special ramps might not have accessible elevators or lavatories. You should ask your hotel before booking. The Athens Metro and Athens International Airport are fully accessible and have ramps and elevators installed.
The Deputy Ombudsman for Social Welfare handles complaints related to persons with disabilities, especially those related to employment, social security, and transportation.
Many sidewalks in Athens have detectable warning and way-finding systems of bumps and lines for visually impaired travelers and a few traffic lights are equipped with audible crosswalk signals.
Scams: In the last few months, we have seen a number of instances of Grandparent Scams. This scam targets elderly citizens in the United States and convinces them to wire money to assist a relative (often a grandchild) in distress overseas.