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part of Greek history and specifically of Greek mythology.
You will find a lot of references to the art of making carpets in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, like the carpet that Penelope was weaving while waiting for her husband Odysseus to come back from Troy. Today, the most important centres of hand-weaving are in Lefkada, Anogeia and Metsovo.
The good rugs and carpets for which Greece is famous can be found in the district of Plaka where a large range of shops offer a great choice of hand-made, industrial carpets and flokati rugs.If you would be interested to see beautiful hand made rugs and carpets, besides the ones in the shops, take a look at the National Organisation of Greek Handicrafts, in Plaka.
 Leather
Greece is the country of quality leather. Athens has some places where you can buy some good items in a wide range of prices. The city also has a wide choice of shoes and bags. For expensive shoes and handbags, give a look to the boutiques of the Kolonaki district or on Ermou Street. The neighbourhood of Psiri is mostly dedicated to leather. And you will be able to find some nice and affordable hand made gloves, hats and handbags but only a few leather shoes (most of them are synthetic). For those famous Greek hand made sandals, go to Plaka or Monastiraki.
Traditional
handicrafts
In the Plaka district you will find the National Welfare Organisation shops, the Traditional Greek Centre, the Hellenic Artisan Trades Cooperative or the Lyceum of Greek women. Those are the places where you will be able to admire knotted carpets, embroidered cushion covers, woodwork and much more. You will be able to buy some of there amazing handicrafts. Monastiraki’s flea Market is also a place to discover great traditional handicrafts. Loose yourself in the small streets around the Meat Market and Athinas Avenue to discover some little shops full of wonders.
Music instruments
If you like the sound of the “rebetika”, the “Greek blues” music coming from the emigrants Greeks who lived in Smyrne, or even Greek music in general, you should consider buying, or at least admire, one “bouzouki”, or any other of the many Greek traditional instruments. Plaka and Monastiraki are once again the place where you will be able to do that. Some shops make only hand made traditional music instruments and can be visited. They are located mostly in Stadiou Street or in the district of Pefkakia.
Antiques
You won’t be able to find ancient Greek antiques to buy in Greece because it is illegal. The option would be to look for souvenir shops, where you can buy some imitations of ancient statues or pottery. Nevertheless, you still can discover some nice one or two century old antiques at the flea Marquet in Monastiraki, in the district of Kolonaki or at the Piraeus market.
Jewellery
A lot of visitors know that gold and silver jewellery are of the finest Greek specialities. The famous jewellery stores such as Ilias Lalaounis, Bvlgari or Kessaris are located near Syntagma. You will also be able to buy some amazing jewellery in the other shops selling high quality gold, which are concentrated next by, on Stadiou and Voukourestiou streets. You will also have the option of buying reproductions of ancient Greek jewellery and ornaments in gold and silver in Museum shops such as the National Archaeological Museum outside the Acropolis, the Benaki Museum or the Cycladic Art Museum . This type of jewellery will be a wonderful souvenir and, of course, ornament. To find some more affordable silver jewellery you should look for the shops or the street vendors in Plaka and Monastiraki.
Food
Food in Greece is a very important issue. It is well known for its high quality products and its unique taste. You should try at least once the traditional Greek coffee, which will be a great experience for coffee lovers. To buy good Greek coffee, try to find one of the odorant coffee shops around Syndagma or near Athinas Avenue . The Central Market on Athinas will fill your senses with amazing colours and odours. Here you will find a delectable range of culinary delights such as sweets, plump olives, good quality cheese, nuts, colourful spices, herbs, amber honey and bottles of the famous pure Greek olive oil.
Street vendors selling fresh or roasted nuts (pistachio, almonds and walnuts) can be encountered at every corner of every street.
Even though you should buy them in small specialized shops, you can of course find all of those products in the supermarkets. |
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