Two U.S. tourists were wounded Tuesday morning in Athens after a knife-wielding man attacked them near the Acropolis, in an incident Greek authorities are treating as an apparently random assault close to one of the nation’s busiest landmarks.
According to The Associated Press, police said the victims — a 53-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman described as a Greek American couple — were walking on a pedestrian street near the Acropolis Museum and an entrance to the famed archaeological site when the attack occurred shortly after 8 a.m. local time.
The man sustained a serious wound to his arm and had to be fitted with a tourniquet before being transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. The woman was treated for a less serious injury to her leg. Officials said both victims were expected to survive.
Tourists move through the area near the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after two visitors were stabbed and injured on a pedestrian street close to the entrance of the archaeological site. (AP Photo / Petros Giannakouris)
Police arrested the suspect at the scene. Authorities identified him only as a 60-year-old Greek man, and he was expected to be brought before a prosecutor Tuesday for formal charges.
Investigators have not publicly established a motive for the Athens stabbing, though police indicated the suspect appeared to be experiencing psychological issues.
Local Greek news outlets reported that, before the attack, the man had allegedly been waving a knife and threatening passersby, leading a witness to contact police.
Tourists walk near the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after two people were attacked on a pedestrian route near the entrance to the historic archaeological site. (AP Photo / Petros Giannakouris)
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The violence unfolded just after the Acropolis opened for the day.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site, which includes the Parthenon and other ancient monuments overlooking Athens, attracts millions of visitors each year and is among Greece’s most popular tourist attractions.
Early morning visits at the historic site are especially common during the summer months, when tourists seek to avoid the intense midday heat on the exposed hilltop.
Sun rays break through the clouds above the ancient Parthenon temple as tourists walk across the Acropolis during a hot day in July 2026. (AP Photo / Petros Giannakouris)
Greece is experiencing its first major heat wave of the season, with temperatures in Athens forecast to reach about 100 degrees and even higher in other parts of the country.
Despite the attack, authorities did not close the Acropolis or the nearby museum, and both continued operating as normal throughout the day.
Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or announced what charges the suspect will face.
INC News has reached out to the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Athens to confirm the victims’ citizenship, determine whether consular assistance is being provided and request additional comment.
