Shopping in Greece is among one of the many pleasures
to be had during your vacation
in Hellas. From crafts, to food and wine items, to the
latest fashions from top designers, while shopping in
Greece ,you will find any number of items to bring back
with you when it’s time to go. Shopping in Athens
Greece is akin to big city shopping in Paris
and New
York and if you are there in the winter, you can often
find some great bargains. If you are visiting the islands,
you will find a bunch of unique items that will serve
to remind you of the wonderful time you had during your
travels in Greece.
The first thing to do when planning to go shopping in
Greece is get comfortable with the currency in Greece.
Like many other countries in the European Union, the original
Greece currency switched to the Euro a couple years back.
No other currency is readily accepted in Greece, and the
best place to change your dollars into euros is at a bank.
You can also change your money at the airport, but ideally
you will just change enough there to get you going. At
the new Athens airport, you can change some of your money
into Greece currency at several machines if you just need
a little spare dough to grab a bite or something. The
banks in Greece are typically open from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The Great thing about the currency in Greece is that it
is the same as the majority of other European nations,
meaning once you’ve changed money, you can head
to Italy or France
without having to worry about it again and again.
Now, that you have changed your money and are ready
to spend some euros, take advantage of the great shopping
in Athens Greece. Two of the best neighborhoods to visit
when shopping in Athens Greece are Plaka and Kolonaki.
The Plaka market is open
every day, and especially on Sundays, where thousands
make way for the Monastariki flea market. You can find
just about anything at this market, and it is a great
place to go antique-hunting. If you are looking for rugs,
scarfs or just about anything else, you ca n get some
great deals here. One of the most famous shopping streets
in all of the country can be found at Plaka. Ermou street
is home to many local shops and international clothes
makers. You can also find jewelry stores on Ermou and
the selection of shoes along this strip might see you
shipping a couple pairs home. Kolonaki is the other most
popular shopping district in Athens. It is one of, if
not the city’s most upscale neighborhood, and among
its shops are the most haute couture fashion designers.
If you really are looking to buy some jewelry, head to
Kolonaki’s Voukourestiou Street. Shopping in Athens
Greece caters to every budget and need. You will find
a store somewhere in Athens that has what you are looking
for, not to mention a lot of tourist shops.
For more big city shopping in Greece, you can always head to Thessaloniki, where the experience will be much akin to shopping in Athens. You will find a lot of designer stores for adults and teens here, and, like Athens, you will find shoe store upon shoe store in Thessaloniki. On Agias Sofias Street there are some really nice boutique shops and for a real jet-set atmosphere head to Timiski Street. You can find intricacies like religious paraphernalia and ceramics if you explore the streets of Chalkeo and Kissouras. Thessaloniki has arguably the best food market you are going to find when shopping in Greece. This wonderful display of olives, fresh fish, meat and other foods covers a couple city blocks and if you are hungry, it could well be a fun place to spend some currency in Greece. Although it is not exactly vogue anymore, some people still like to buy furs, and some of the best furs can be found shopping in Greece. Most of the finest come from Kastoria in the Macedonian region.
If you are heading off the mainland, you will find some
interesting shopping opportunities among the islands.
The island of Kos is known for its
bathing sponges, and on Crete
you will find anything from hand-woven rugs to olive oil
soap. If you can, try to pick up a bottle of wine or a
jar of honey from Crete. Santorini
also has local wines with distinct flavors from the volcanic-rich
soil found there. If you still haven’t satisfied
your jewelry needs, you can always hit the shops on the
upscale island of Mykonos. You
can find a lot of good leather shops in Greece’s
big cities, but also on the island of Rhodes.
You’ll always remember your trip to Rhodes with
a nice leather bag that you can use for years. You can
also bring home some nice handmade lace items in Rhodes,
which will accent your kitchen table. Many of the main-hub
cities on the islands are rather cosmopolitan, and you
will find a nice array of boutiques, fashion shops and
other stores in places like Rhodes Town, Mykonos Town
and Heraklion Crete. Santorini, like other islands, has
some wonderful pottery shops and the artist population
in Santorini has made for some interesting galleries to
peruse.
