There is an expression: "Greece has everything". And tourists who have visited Athens for shopping will confirm this. Of course, you should not compare the capital of Greece with cities such as Milan or Paris in choosing fashionable clothes. But such things as fur coats, shoes, clothes and products made of precious metals can be purchased in Athens. Shopping in this city is as diverse as Athens itself. Gentle sea, healing air and shops for every taste.
Useful information
The capital of Greece is a large and beautiful city of Athens, located partly on the hills. The districts of the city are remote from each other, therefore, when planning to carry out shopping, you should decide in which area of Athens to shop. In the city center are the shopping areas of Plaka, Kolonaki, Psiri, as well as Ermou Street. They can devote one day. Another day can be allocated to visit Glyfada and coastal areas. It is also worth setting aside a day for Kifisia.
To move around the city, it is best to use the subway. The cost of one trip costs 80 cents. Unlike other European capitals, Athens often uses taxi services as a daily transport. The trip costs between 5 and 8 euros.
It is worth noting that according to the generally accepted schedule in Athens for large shops, the first, third and sixth days of the week are considered short days. Shops are open from 10:00 to 14:30. During discount periods, the working day is extended until 18:00. The second, fourth and fifth days of the week are considered long days. Shops are open from 10:00 to 20:00. During the discount period, the end of work will be at 21:00.
Small shops and boutiques operate according to their own schedules, which may differ from the generally accepted. Sunday is a day of rest. Only food stalls, tobacconists and newsstands are open.
Plaka shopping area
Plaka is one of the oldest shopping districts in Athens. There are many souvenir shops, restaurants and taverns here, and boutiques of famous world brands are located on the tangled streets. The Plaka area is a fairly lively shopping area in Athens. Tourists can spend hours walking around the flea market located in the area, looking at local antiques, as well as good handicrafts. The main thing is to be able to control yourself so as not to make unnecessary purchases, and then regret it.
If someone is interested in antiques such as paintings, or original copies, antiques or icons, all this can be purchased at the Coral store. Such antique shops in Plakaseveral.
In one of the picturesque places of Plaka there is a classic Psarra tavern. It serves Greek cuisine. Tourists tired of the summer heat and shopping can come here for lunch or dinner.
Trading on Ermou Street
Shopping in Athens includes trips to multi-brand giant supermarkets and small shops where you can find some kind of rarity. A shopping trip usually starts from the main pedestrian shopping street, which bears the name of the Greek god of trade, Hermes. By the way, every Greek city that respects itself has Ermou street, the street of commerce.
This main artery of Athens is always full of shoppers. Already in the 19th century, shops with fashionable clothing brands appeared here. Tourists and locals still shop there.
There are boutiques on the street where you can buy high-quality leather shoes from the world famous brands Benneton and Zara. In addition to boutiques and fashionable shops, there are taverns and restaurants on the street where you can take a break from shopping and sit at a cozy table in a coffee shop with a glass of cold coffee drink - frappe.
Kolonaki shopping area
One of the great fashion districts in Athens, where you can go shopping in shops with goods from the best brands from Greek designers, located at the foot of Lycabettus Hill. Some local products can only be bought in Greece. True connoisseurs of good things will definitely find something for themselves.
The shopping area also has shops forbrandaholics with well-known collections of English and American designers. In addition, antique and jewelry stores are located in Kolonaki. And on a hot day you can rest in small taverns.
Shopping malls in Athens
Where is the best place to go shopping in Athens in summer? This question arises among tourists who come for shopping. The summer months are very hot in Greece and therefore walking the streets from shop to shop during the day is tiring. Therefore, it is a pleasure to visit large shopping centers with air conditioners. These huge supermarkets occupy very large areas where goods of different categories are placed. It sells clothes and shoes of popular Greek and foreign designers. More often such centers are located on the outskirts of Athens.
The best shopping malls in Athens are:
- The Golden Hall is a large shopping center located on the central square of the capital - Syntagma. This three-story building has an area of 41,000 square meters, which houses products from more than 130 global brands, including clothing, shoes and accessories.
- Attica is a huge department store. It's close to The Golden Hall shopping center so you can visit both at once. It occupies an area of 25 thousand square meters. The department store includes more than 360 boutiques. In this store, you can not only skimp, but also relax with your family in the entertainment center.
- The Mall Athens is a shopping center in Athens. It includes more than 200 stores. Histhe area is quite often used for exhibitions and cultural events. You can get to the shopping center by metro on the green line to the station "Neratsiotissa".
In the shopping centers in Athens, according to reviews, tourists are always satisfied with shopping. Firstly, a large assortment of goods, and secondly, there are no fakes, as is found in shopping centers in Eastern countries, and, finally, the prices do not frighten.
Streets of Monastiraki
Wandering through the narrow and small streets, you can get to the Monastiraki area, where there are many cheap shops and a year-round flea market. How rich are these stores? They have everything, that's what makes shopping in Athens great! You can buy handmade shoes, clothes in national colors, jewelry, traditional musical instruments. And the flea market has a plethora of merchandise to choose from, including popular pottery, woven rugs, replicas of artifacts from Athens museums, and other small items that you might find a souvenir from Greece.
Galleries, shops, boutiques…
The city has many shopping galleries of all kinds, shops and boutiques with various designer goods, which are located in the center of Athens. Shopping in "Attica" and "Gallery "Notos" will be successful in such categories as cosmetics, household items, clothes, shoes, all kinds of leather goods: bags, wallets, purses, suitcases.
Greek company Haris Cotton creates clothesfor all women and men, regardless of their body type. These are comfortable and fashionable models, characterized by simplicity and comfort when worn. Haris Cotton has stores in Athens.
Walking through the boutiques located in the central part of the city, you can buy inexpensive clothes and accessories from fashion designers from Athens. It will be unusual and not "hackneyed" clothes, which you can show off when you return from the tour. The Psiri district will seem like a retro oasis of a large number of leather bags and shoes, and here you will find good purchases in the Lak youth clothing store in Glyfada.
Shopping for baby products
When in Athens, do not miss the opportunity to shop for children's goods, especially if you have children or grandchildren. Children's clothing, footwear and seasonal items for babies, as well as a large selection of toys, are presented in stores located on Titans Street in the Argyroupoli area. Popular and high-quality children's clothes of the Orchestra, Aluet, Gant, Krokodilino brands can be purchased at these outlets.
Shops for discount lovers
For lovers of discounts in Athens there are a number of stock stores. There is a large Athen Designer Outlet in the very center of the capital. The other two are located in the suburbs: in the airport area and in Piraeus. What are the benefits of shopping in outlets in Athens? These are year-round sales of stale and non-seasonal goods, and last year's collections. Outlets sell branded goods, as well as local Greek designersfashion. Having been shopping in these outlets, you will not leave without fashionable clothes from Versace, Lacoste, Nike, Columbia and other world famous brands of clothing, shoes, sportswear and accessories.
McArthurGlen Outlet
Only 30 km from the capital is one of the out-of-town outlets McArthurGlen, which has become one of the most popular for shoppers in Greece. This is a whole city with picturesque streets, fountains, cafes, restaurants and, of course, shops that offer collections of clothes and shoes from famous brands with discounts of up to 70 percent. But these are not all the discounts that you can get in the outlets. Coming to Athens for shopping in January, the season of even bigger discounts on already discounted prices, you can well update your wardrobe with your favorite designer brands.
The outlet is not crowded in the morning. This shopping center opens at 10:00 and is open until 20:00. The service for customers is very well organized here: there is a shopping consultant, a playground and a beauty salon, restaurants and coffee houses. While at McArthurGlen Discount Village, you can combine your shopping with relaxing moments in restaurants and cafes. Near the outlet is the Attic Zoo, where you can go with children. It is interesting for all ages, especially the water show with dolphins.
You can get to the outlet from the center of Athens by a special shuttle in half an hour, and if you travel from the airport, the journey will take 15 minutes.
Reviews of tourists about shopping
Thosetourists who have visited Athens on a shopping tour say that you will not leave Greece empty-handed. It is hardly possible to resist not to buy something unusual, some kind of Greek rarity acquired at a flea market. The pleasure of shopping is almost the same as from a well-conducted tour of the sights of Athens. Clay plates, amphoras, key rings, badges are brought from Greece as souvenirs.
A lot of reviews have been written about shopping in Athens, and they are mostly positive. This inspires other tourists to experience the beauty of the famous expression about Greece. From the country as a result of shopping, you can bring furs, good quality shoes and clothes from brands of Greek fashion designers at an affordable price for tourists. Athenian outlets are liked by their fullness and discounts. Shopaholics and shopping centers are satisfied, where you can purchase the necessary goods with the least waste of time. All tourist reviews are a good help for those who are going shopping in Athens.
