# Shopping in Greece - suggestions



## mpcsb (Jan 1, 2005)

Looks like I'll be going to Greece next year. Aside from all the old rocks (ancient sites) I'll be seeing, I'm wondering if there is any good shopping in Greece I should know about. I'm not into really into handicrafts or ancient reproductions. I haven't been able to find too much on the internet. Anything I should look for? Your help is appreciated.


----------



## going grey (May 22, 2006)

We go yearly to the Greek islands for the precise reason that my wife and 3 teenage daughters will find nothing except food wine and the occasional sarong to spend their dear father's money on.


----------



## upstarter (Dec 3, 2005)

Not exactly for shopping, but the the following thread is a pretty good guide to Athens:



I am Soaper on this forum.

Upstarter


----------



## mpcsb (Jan 1, 2005)

upstarter said:


> Not exactly for shopping, but the the following thread is a pretty good guide to Athens:
> 
> I am Soaper on this forum.
> 
> Upstarter


Thanks for the link, nice read. What do you know about Greek wine - _please_ tell me there is something besides Retsina that would be widely available. (I don't mean to be insulting but I really dislike retsina).


----------



## upstarter (Dec 3, 2005)

mpcsb said:


> Thanks for the link, nice read. What do you know about Greek wine - _please_ tell me there is something besides Retsina that would be widely available. (I don't mean to be insulting but I really dislike retsina).


I don't know much about Greek wine/wine in general, b/c we normally drink what my uncles make by themselves. That said, the "Napa Valley" of Greece is Nemea. Santorini is also known for its wine.

THE PROBLEM, however, is that many companies make "tourist wine" in these places so that tourists by it, so please use your judgement on what looks like a respectable manufacturer.

Yes, people drink Retsina in Greece, but it is by no means the naitonal wine or anything of that nature. In fact, i know very few people that drink it regularly. What you should know is that there are no Rothschild-type fame for any winery in Greece (atleast to my knowledge). There are just a bunch of little wineries all over the place that have very good wine. It depends on where you go in Greece. When i visit my father's village (Stemnitsa) in Arcadia, red wine is usually the choice, and it comes in jugs, aka by the kilo. Many restaurants make thier own wine throughout Greece, so it's sort of a different experience.

Please let me know if you have other questions or if you want me to elaborate.

Upstarter


----------



## mpcsb (Jan 1, 2005)

upstarter said:


> There are just a bunch of little wineries all over the place that have very good wine. It depends on where you go in Greece. When i visit my father's village (Stemnitsa) in Arcadia, red wine is usually the choice, and it comes in jugs, aka by the kilo. Many restaurants make thier own wine throughout Greece, so it's sort of a different experience.
> 
> Please let me know if you have other questions or if you want me to elaborate.
> 
> Upstarter


Thanks, that's good to know. Small, family run, can be very good. I now will look forward to trying as many wines as possible (retsina excepted).


----------



## The Wife (Feb 4, 2006)

*Except to visit a café, I would avoid the district of Athens called "Kolonaki"...*

...because it is the fashionable shopping area where ladies strut their expensive stuff to make other gals turn green with envy. And, since to spend high prices on luxury goods is a badge of honour in Greece, do not look for bargains on European clothing there. Everyone seems to know what the other has spent on an item of clothing or a pair of shoes, thus, the higher the price, the better it is in their estimation.

As has been stated already in this thread, your best bet would be to seek satisfying food and wine experiences, since as you have said, you aren't interested in handicrafts and ancient reproductions. Greece is famous for its leather goods (usually handbags of the rustic and rugged variety) and hand-painted, decorative plates, among other things, and when I was a younger lady I found these to be worthwhile acquisitions.


----------



## Clotheswatcher (Dec 2, 2005)

Hello,

Just got back from Greece (my parents are from there). I actually asked this question before i left. Here is the link:

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=55978

You won't find barigns on international labels. The worst offender of this is Polo. Their profit margins in Europe must be ridicoulous. The same pair of polo khanki pants that is $40 on sale at the local US department store is 100 EUROS (which means about $125)! 
The richest neighborhoods in athens are Kolonaki (mentioned above) which is in the city center, and Kifisia, which is a suburb. Both have all of the designers/names that are famous the world over.

In terms of food, here is a thread I contributed in another forum:

https://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/323939

I contributed as young_chower. I highly suggest going to the restaurant i mentioned, taverna tu psiri. It is probably the best meal you will have in Greece.

hope you have a good time!


----------

