Stroll through Athens’ busy Plaka and Koukaki neighborhoods and you’ll quickly see and hear the effects that the short-term rental boom has had on the city center and its denizens.
The issue is a delicate one, and on a recent day in both districts, most residents approached for this story blamed Airbnb-style rentals for rising prices in the city center, saying they have also drained supply. Business owners, unsurprisingly, were more forgiving, while tourists said they understood the squeeze being felt by the locals.
The number of short-term rental listings in central Athens jumped in recent years, pushing past 14,000 at the end of last year, according to rental analysis platform AirDNA.
In 2024, the Greek government capped the number of short-term rentals in three central Athens districts, though active listings still rose in 2025, according to AirDNA.
“All of the apartment buildings have been split up into Airbnbs,” said Iason, who lives in Koukaki, which attracts young tourists and digital nomads for its central location, and plethora of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and short-term rentals.
