Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
BAZAARS AND MARKETS
Even on a purely visual level, the
central bazaar
and nearby flower market (p.83) are well
worth a visit, while the surrounding streets, especially Evripídhou, are full of wonderfully
aromatic little shops selling herbs and nuts, and others concentrating on supplies for a peasant
way of life that seems entirely at odds with modern Athens - rope, corks, bottles and
preserving jars. On Sunday mornings from around 6am until 2pm, between Monastiráki and
Thissío metro stations, you will find a
flea-market
of authentic Greek junk (used phone cards
and the like) spread out on the pavements, especially along the metro lines towards the
Thissío end of Adhrianoú.
Among the best and most central
street markets
are: Mondays, Hánsen in Patissíon (Metro
Áyios Eleftheríos); Tuesdays, Lésvou in Kypséli (Metro Viktorías) and Láskou in Pangráti (trolley
#2 or #11); Fridays Xenokrátous in Kolonáki, Dhragoúmi in Ilísia (Metro Evangelismós/Mégaro
Mousikís), Tsámi Karatássou in Koukáki (Metro Akrópoli) and Arhimídhous in Mets, behind the
Panathenaic Stadium; and on Saturdays Plakendías in Ambelókipi (Metro Ambelókipi) and
Kallidhromíou in Exárhia. Usually running from 7am to 2pm, these are inexpensive and
enjoyable, selling household items and dry goods, as well as fresh fruit and vegetables, dried
herbs and nuts.
something a little more alternative, wander over into
adjoining Exárhia.
Athena's Sandals
Normánou 7, Monastiráki; map p.66.
Stavros Melissinos, the “poet sandal-maker”, was an Athens
institution, numbering The Beatles, Anthony Quinn and
Sophia Loren among his celebrity clients. Now retired, his
daughter carries on his tradition, with interesting leather-
work of all kinds (belts, bags, slippers) alongside the sandals
- while a son has a rival store nearby.
Mon, Wed, Sat & Sun
10am-4pm, Tues, Thurs & Fri 10am-8pm.
Attica
Panepistimíou 9, Sýndagma; map p.66.
Athens'
prime fashion department store, with the finest window
displays in the city and a huge branch of upmarket café
Zonar's
on the ground floor. Convenient if you want to do
everything under one roof, especially in the summer when
it's hot, though the designer labels include little you
wouldn't find at home.
Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat
10am-7pm.
Crop Circle
Themistokléous 52 & 66, Exárhia; map
p.66.
Reasonably priced vintage clothing and ethnic
jewellery. The branch higher up the hill sells new stock, the
lower one vintage.
Mon & Wed 10am-2pm, Tues, Thurs
& Fri 10am-2pm & 5-8pm, Sat 10am-3pm.
Elena Votsi
Xanthoú 7, Kolonáki; map p.60.
An amazing
little shop (not easy to find) that's home to Elena's innovative
jewellery designs, which incorporate precious and
semiprecious stones as well as materials such as shells. Among
other things she designed the medals for the 2004 Olympics,
and has worked with the likes of Gucci and Ralph Lauren.
Tues, Thurs & Fri 10am-8pm, Wed & Sat 10am-3pm.
Shop
Ermoú 112A, Psyrrí; map p.66.
Largest of a number
of fashionable postmodern stores at the Psyrrí end of
Ermoú. Deals in a wide range of designers and fashion
labels, from Vivienne Westwood to Miss Sixty, as well as
gifts, books, toys and music.
Tues, Thurs & Fri 10am-9pm,
Wed, Sat & Sun 10am-5pm.
Thallo
Ploútarhou 25, Kolonáki; map p.60.
Small
jewellery shop that's well worth a visit. Greek plants and
flowers are coated in silver and gold to gorgeous effect and
the prices are among the least intimidating in Kolonáki.
Tues, Thurs & Fri 10am-8pm, Wed, Sat & Sun
10am-4pm.
FOOD AND DRINK
Aristokratikon
Servías 9, Sýndagma; map p.66.
An old
Athenian favourite for traditional Greek chocolates; try the
chocolate-covered prunes. Also much-coveted pistachios,
sugared almonds and sour cherry jam. A token from here is
always welcome when visiting someone's home.
Mon-Fri
8am-9pm, Sat 8am-4pm.
Ariston
Voúlis 10, cnr Karayeóryi Servías, Sýndagma;
map p.66.
Part of a small chain of local
zaharoplastía
(cake
shops), with excellent-value sweet and savoury pies,
biscuits, cakes and old-fashioned fruit jelly sweets.
Mon-
Sat 7am-10pm.
Elixirion
Evripídhou 41, central bazaar; map p.66.
Old-
fashioned store with magnificent original fittings. Herbs,
dried fruit and garlic hanging from the ceiling; teas, spices,
grinders, dried fruits and honey to buy.
Mon-Wed & Sat
7.30am-5pm, Thurs & Fri 7.30am-3.30pm.
Ikologi Elladas
Panepistimíou 57, Omónia; map p.60.
A big health-food supermarket with alternative medicine
practitioners in-store, plus a café serving freshly squeezed
juices and vegetarian and organic foods to eat in or take
away.
Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm.
Oino Typo
Hariláou Trikoúpi 98, Neápoli; map p.60.
Excellent wine merchant with over 50 varieties of Greece's
famous barrelled wines (you can fill your own container),
as well as 1200 international bottled wines.
Mon-Sat
10am-10pm.
To Thymari tou Strefi
Kallidhromíou 51A, Neápoli;
map p.60.
A lovely retro
pantopolío
(corner store, literally a
