Athens, the cradle of Western civilization, not only offers some of the most remarkable ancient landmarks and museums in the world, but also happens to be a dream destination for shoppers. Shopping in Athens encompasses everything from Greek antiques to olive oil-infused skincare, intricate jewelry, and cutting-edge fashion.
Monastiraki Square is known for the Monastiraki Flea Market, and the place to seek out vintage finds, while Kolonaki is Athens’ celebrated designer shopping district. Look to destinations including the Acropolis Museum, the National Archaeological Museum, and the Museum of Cycladic Art to source some of the best souvenirs and reproduced art pieces, while soaking up ancient Greek history at the same time.
Here are some of the best places to go shopping in Athens.
Monastiraki Flea Market
Monastiraki Flea Market
Not only does Monastiraki Flea Market offer some of the best shopping in Athens for pre-loved items and bric-a-brac, it commands some of the best views of the gleaming Parthenon, too.
Located by the attractive Monastiraki Square, next to the domed Museum Tzisdarakis Mosque, Monastiraki Flea Market festoons Ifestou, Andrianou, Normanou, and Theklas streets with stores selling everything from vintage military wear to leather sandals.
Pick through the warren of vintage art, mirrors, records, books, decorative, and fashion items to find something unique.
Monastiraki Flea Market
One of the best things to buy in Athens is leather sandals, typically handmade, using centuries-old techniques to create pieces that place style and quality on equal footing. Monastiraki is one of the best areas to find these.
Wander down Pandrossou, connecting Mitropoleos Square to Monastiraki to browse the traditional sandal-making shops, pick up some tan footwear, and other leather goods.
Stop by Retrosexual Vintage, on Agias Irinis, just to the north of Monastiraki Square. Crammed with an assortment of mid-century modern pieces, from vintage typewriters to emerald-green Murano glass vases, this is an essential stop to pick up one-of-a-kind pieces.
Monastiraki Square
There are a dozen or so bars and restaurants surrounding Monastiraki Square to choose from once you’ve satisfied your shopping urges. The fabulous 360 Cocktail Bar is a popular spot for the spectacular views from the rooftop.
Lines 1 and 3 of the efficient Athens Metro, an easy way to get around, service Monastiraki Metro station, which is conveniently located in the square.
Kolonaki
Kolonaki
Sip on a flat white or frothy cappuccino at the leafy Cycladic Café at the Museum of Cycladic Art to plot your shopping route around the upscale designer-clad Kolonaki. Located to the south of Lycabettus Hill, Kolonaki is the go-to neighborhood for high-end international and Greek fashion and jewelry boutiques, as well as some of Athens’ best museums.
Make your first stop at the Museum of Cycladic Art’s gift shop to buy colorful clay bowls, sculptural vases, and jewelry by Athens designer Christina Soubli. To create a talking point in your home, consider purchasing a handmade candle in the shape of a bust of Apollo.
Benaki Museum of Greek Culture
Just a short walk from the Museum of Cycladic Art is the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture, which boasts a pristine, chalk-white boutique selling pieces inspired by the museum’s permanent collections.
Next, call by i-D, a contemporary concept store on Kanari Street, for opulent fine jewelry, home scents, and arty objects. Another must-visit is Stelios Koudounaris’ flagship fashion boutique on Panagiotou Anagnostopoulou for multi-colored knits, floaty tunics, and bold jumpsuits.
Komboloi
At Kombologadiko on Amerikis Street, choose one of the eye-catching komboloi, or worry beads, one of the best souvenirs to buy from Greece, in ceramic or polished olive wood. Worry beads make for a pretty vacation accessory or an ideal Greek gift for fidgety friends back home.
Lycabettus Cable Car
Once you’ve shopped on Kolonaki’s neat boulevards, you could take the Lycabettus Cable Car to Lycabettus Hill. The summit is the highest point in Athens and offers breathtaking views of the city that stretch as far as the glistening Saronic Gulf.
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Plaka
Plaka
Plaka, a central neighborhood with picturesque cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings, sprawls in the shadow of the Acropolis—one of the most famous landmarks in Greece.
Home to quaint tavernas, historic churches, and an array of independent shops, Plaka is enveloped by some of Athens’ most thrilling ancient sights. The Theatre of Dionysus, the Roman Forum of Athens, and the Gate of Athena Archegetis are all within walking distance.
Plaka
Wander Plaka’s ancient streets—focusing on Adrianou and the rows that lead off it—to discover some of the best shopping in Athens, including delicate gold and silver replicas of traditional Byzantine jewelry, ceramics, and gourmet food shops.
Forget Me Not is a two-story gift emporium selling myriad homeware, books, and accessories. The delicious Aeolis Skin Care line is one of the best Greek brands to look out for.
Let your nose guide you to Malotira, a gorgeous deli just around the corner, where you can pick up a selection of handmade, traditional, and organic products from around Greece. Stock up on olive oil, homemade jams, and Greek wines.
Plaka
You’ll also find an array of kitsch souvenirs, clothing, leather goods, antiques, ceramics, and jewelry on Apollonos and Adrianou streets.
Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square (meaning Constitution Square) is Athens’ largest open plaza, lined with periptera, the famous kiosks that Greece is known for.
Syntagma Square is a buzzy, central spot for shopping and the home of Greece’s parliament, located at the Old Royal Palace. The neighborhood of Syntagma extends beyond the square, to the chic Parisian-style shopping arcades and streets filled with international brands.
A cluster of designer boutiques, including Hermes, Gucci, Longchamp, and Omega are located on the north side of Syntagma Square, while high-street brands, such as Zara, Nike, and H&M can be found to the west, on Ermou Street.
Ermou
The pedestrianized Ermou is Athens’ largest shopping street, connecting Syntagma Square to Monastiraki. Pay a visit to Greek skincare brand Korres, which uses natural extracts from plants such as black pine, wild rose, and golden crocus to create heavenly-scented products for the face, body, and hair.
Stop by the block-wide Attica department store on Panepistimiou for some of the best designer shopping in Athens, all under one roof.
Truman Clothiers
Truman Clothiers is a hidden gem on Valaoritou, where stylish locals buy made-to-measure suits, off-the-rail shirts, and tapered chinos. Truman Clothiers also sells swimwear and accessories, such as eyewear, bags, and watches.
For high-grade leather footwear just a stone’s throw from Syntagma Square, peruse the offering at Ancient Greek Sandals, where items are handmade, designed by the brand’s co-founders Christina Martini and Nikolas Minoglou. Ancient Greek Sandals is located on Kolokotroni, opposite the National Historical Museum.
Central Market
Central Market
If you’re shopping in Athens for gourmet Greek goodies, the Central Market, or Varvakios Agora, is the place to go. Located between Athinas, Sofokleous, Euripidou and Aiolou streets, Athens’ Central Market is overflowing with fresh produce, including piles of rosy apples, barrels of plump olives, and baskets of fragrant lavender, dried herbs, and nuts.
Start by ordering a freddo iced coffee and from Mokka, by the main entrance, before exploring the market. For outstanding cured meats, visit Arkas Batanian.
Pick out homemade preserves, sea salt, and wines at Limnia Gi, while I Folia tou Meliou is the place to go for outstanding honey, honeycomb, and beeswax from beehives of Attica, Evia and Pelion.
Central Market
Once you’ve inspected the crates of silvery sardines, anchovies, and mackerel at the Fish Market, enjoy a tasty lunch of ouzo and meze at Karayiannis or Aris.
Athens Metro Mall
Athens Metro Mall Photo by Tilemahos Efthimiadis on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
The allure of a modern shopping mall is unfaltering. One of Athens’ best shopping destinations, the Metro Mall is home to five floors containing over 90 brands. There’s also a movie theater, supermarket, and a kids’ play zone, with a central seating area adorned with towering palm trees.
Discover a range of international brands, including Italian label United Colors of Benetton, Spanish retailer Stradivarius, and the Greek line Toi&moi, for a selection of fashion-forward pieces. A highlight of Athens Metro Mall is Farai Chocolates for delightful handmade sweet treats, including Kalamata fig chocolates.
To reach the Metro Mall take the city’s subway to Agios Dimitrios in south Athens. Agios Dimitrios is located opposite the mall. The short journey from central Athens takes roughly 10 minutes.
Exarcheia
Exarcheia Photo by Stolbovsky on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Exarcheia has a history as Athens’ counterculture, anti-establishment neighborhood. It’s little surprise then, that Exarcheia offers some of the best shopping in Athens for alternative purchases.
National Archaeological Museum
You’ll find an array of independent book shops, musical instrument and thrift stores, with dozens of hip cafes and bars that boast an artsy vibe. It’s also the location of the city’s National Archaeological Museum, the Epigraphic Museum, and a handful of independent theaters.
If you’re in the market for a pre-loved item, Yesterday’s Bread Second Hand is a treasure trove of vintage pieces on Loustinianou. Discover Stournari Street’s hub of individual stores, too, including Reset Thrift Shop and Zampara bookstore.
Kallidromiou Farmers’ Market
The lively Kallidromiou Farmers’ Market takes place every Saturday in Exarcheia. Located on Kallidromiou, a charming mulberry tree-lined street next to the western foot of Strefi Hill, you’ll find a range of local Greek treats, from earthy mushrooms to juicy watermelon.
Enjoy a break from shopping in Exarcheia’s Navarinou Park, a green oasis cared for by the community with sprawling displays of vibrant street art. For some of the best food in Athens, the park is surrounded by charming neighborhood cafés, restaurants, and cocktail bars, including Café Mylos, La Cantina street food, and Off The Chain bar.
Ampelokipoi
Ampelokipoi
Lying directly northeast of the Acropolis, Ampelokipoi is a neighborhood of Athens that offers a wonderful opportunity for shopping on the fringes of the city center. Another of Athens’ hopping farmers’ markets, and one of the largest in the city, takes place every Saturday on Louizis Riankour Street.
Ampelokipoi
Pick up a mixture of seafood, olives, and nuts—just a selection of the fresh produce available. A range of local fashion retailers are located on Larisis, off Leof. Kifisias, Ampelokipoi’s main thoroughfare.
Kypseli
Kypseli Photo by Grzegorz Wysocki on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 3.0
In up-and-coming Kypseli, on the northern edge of the city, you’ll find old-style cafés with an intimate neighborhood feel and some of the best shopping in Athens for its open-air markets and pop-up shops.
Kypseli Municipal Market on Fokionos Negri Street is a big hit for its pop-up, bazaar-style markets that see local makers selling everything from organic produce to arty handicrafts.
First opened in 1935, Kypseli Municipal Market reopened in 2018 following reinvestment and a refresh. The space is also used for regular community-based events, such as yoga classes and art exhibitions.
Pangrati
Pangrati Photo by Badseed on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Pangrati boasts a central location, to the east of the National Garden, with an elegant, under-the-radar feel. You’ll find the cosmopolitan streets of Pangrati harboring chic cafés and cocktail bars, with a sprinkling of upmarket boutiques waiting to be discovered.
Pangrati’s Grapes & Salt is one of Athens’ best-kept secrets for epicurean Greek delights. A boutique deli on Pafsaniou Street featuring a contemporary coral and mosaic interior, Grapes & Salt offers an exquisite collection of olive oil, wine, dried herbs, honey, sea salt, and roasted pistachio nuts.
Across the street, browse the wares at Rakor, where you could pick up stunning pottery, rugs, and other soft furnishings in warm, earthy tones. On the northern edge of Pangrati, on King George B Avenue, Dukas is a must-visit for Dukas Chatzidukas’ glamorous collection of designer shoes.
Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation of Art, Pangrati Photo by C messier on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Step inside the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation of Art on Pangrati’s southern boundary. One of the most unique places to visit in Greece, the museum’s private collection showcases an extraordinary collection of modern masterpieces by the likes of Picasso, Cézanne, and Gauguin. On the ground floor of the museum, shop for art-inspired souvenirs at the gift shop.
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Plaka
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