Women traveling in Greece will not run into any situations particularly different from those encountered by men except while visiting monasteries and some churches, when women will be held to stricter dress codes and may even be denied entry.
That said, young women -- especially singles or small groups -- may well find Greek men coming on to them, especially at beaches, clubs, and other tourist locales. But our informants tell us that, in general, Greek men (a) do not attempt any physical contact; and (b) respect "No." One tactic said to work for women is to say, "I'm a Greek-American." The other advice is not to leave well-attended locales with someone you don't really know. Women should also be aware that some cafes and even restaurants are effectively male-only haunts; the men will not appreciate attempts by foreign women to enter these places.
Women Welcome Women World Wide (www.womenwelcomewomen.org.uk) works to foster international friendships by enabling women of different countries to visit one another. (Men can come along on the trips; they just can't join the club.) The big, active organization has more than 3,500 members from all walks of life in some 70 countries.
Check out the award-winning website Journeywoman (www.journeywoman.com), a "real life" women's travel information network where you can sign up for a free e-mail newsletter and get advice on everything from etiquette to dress to safety; or try the travel guide Safety and Security for Women Who Travel, by Sheila Swan Laufer and Peter Laufer (Travelers' Tales, 1998), offering common-sense advice and tips on safe travel.
