Athens is not a fashion capital like Milan or Paris, but for shopping it has something rarer: living markets, craft workshops and food products from all over Greece gathered in a few blocks.
The central market and its streets
The central market (Dimotiki Agora or Varvakios), on Athinas Street halfway between Monastiraki and Omonia, is open Monday to Saturday. In the large 19th-century building are the meat and fish stalls, loud and colourful; opposite is the fruit and vegetable market. In the surrounding streets, especially Evripidou Street, shop after shop sells spices, herbs, mountain tea, pulses, dried fruit, olives, cheeses, cured meats and sauces: paradise for anyone wanting to take Greek flavours home. See eating in Athens.
Monastiraki flea market
Around Avissinias Square and along Ifestou Street are junk dealers, antique shops, sellers of records, old books, copperware, army uniforms, ceramics and objects of every kind. Sunday morning is the best day, when stalls spill into the streets. Haggling is normal. See Monastiraki and Psyrri.
Neighbourhood markets (laiki)
Every neighbourhood has its laiki, the weekly open-air market of fruit, vegetables, fish, olives and flowers, where producers shout their prices. One of the best known is the Saturday market on Kallidromiou Street in Exarchia. It is a great chance to see daily life and buy seasonal fruit cheaply.
Shopping streets
| Area | What you'll find |
|---|---|
| Ermou Street | Pedestrian from Syntagma to Monastiraki, international chains and clothing shops |
| Kolonaki | Luxury, Greek designers, design, jewellery, bookshops |
| Plaka and Adrianou Street | Souvenirs, icons, jewellery inspired by ancient art, ceramics |
| Psyrri | Sandals, leather, baskets, craft objects |
| The commercial triangle | Between Ermou, Athinas and Stadiou: wholesale, fabrics, haberdashery, household goods |
| Glyfada and Kifissia | Malls and boutiques of the upmarket suburbs |
What to buy
- Extra virgin olive oil, including in tins, and Kalamata olives.
- Thyme and pine honey, among the world's best.
- Chios mastic, the resin used in sweets, liqueurs and cosmetics. See Chios.
- Spices and herbs: oregano, thyme, mountain tea (tsai tou vounou), Kozani saffron.
- Ouzo, tsipouro and Greek wines. See ouzo.
- Handmade leather sandals, an Athenian tradition with historic workshops in the centre.
- Komboloi, the "worry beads" slipped through the fingers, in amber, wood or stone.
- Painted ceramics and replicas of ancient vases, including in the official museum shops.
- Jewellery inspired by ancient and Byzantine art.
- Natural cosmetics based on olive oil, honey and mastic.
Practical information
- Shops are usually open from 9 am to 9 pm on weekdays and until the afternoon on Saturdays; on Sundays many are closed, except in Plaka, Monastiraki and some tourist streets.
- Sales usually run from January to February and from July to August.
- Visitors resident outside the European Union can claim a VAT refund (tax free) in participating shops.
- Replicas of antiquities can be bought freely, while exporting genuine antiquities without permission is forbidden.
See also shopping in Greece.