AND....what to buy in Greece...

[texancruzer]

We paid in Turkish lira and not euros.

 

As I recall we paid @ $60.00 for the 3 mid priced ones for his secretary so @ $20.00 each. They were nice but definately a blend of fibers

 

For the beautiful hand embroidered one for dh's mom we paid @ $200.00

 

Note: 175 euros would have been @ $236.00 US at the time we were there so I agree that Turkey would be cheaper than Greece. We found shopping in Turkey to be cheaper for just about anything I wanted to buy.

 

As for tags, as I posted I have found that almost anywhere I have bought textiles they are tagged. I do remember that the ones we bought his secretaries were NOT made in Turkey but the one we got his mom was.

[Scorpiorose]

I agree that pashminas make great presents (don't forget to keep some for yourself) as they are easy to pack - ie they pack flat and don't take up too much room in the suitcase.

 

If your trip also takes in any part of Turkey, you will find them cheaper there than in Greece. If you shop for them at a stall or small shop, rather than a large emporium-type shop, then you can definitely bargain. I have was in this area twice last year and bought 10 - 12. I didn't pay more than 10 euros for any of them. The labels don't say where they are actually made, but they are labelled "Pashmina". Some say 55% pashmina 45% silk, others say 70% pashmina 30% silk. Pashmina is goat wool, just like cashmere. The "pashmina" goats are a special breed indigenous to the Himilayan high country in Pakistan and northern India (see the link with this info in a previous post on this thread).

 

Maybe I'm a "cheapskate", but I feel that around 10E is sufficient to pay for gifts - unless the person is VERY special. My friends have loved them. I have also kept some for myself and wear one often (especially in cooler weather) either as a wrap or as a scarf.

 

Enjoy your trip - especially the shopping !!!

 

Thanks, I'm such a shopper!!! I have two daughters and one upcoming daughter in law - I'll get 4 for sure.....not the 175 type certainly....thanks

[Scorpiorose]

You can slap a label that says anything on anything. There is no "pashmina" "appellation controlee" like in wines. If they are asking 7-15 euros, chances are that synthetics are most of the fabric. On the other hand, those are nice looking scarves that make nice, inexpensive presents. Just don't think you can get the real Himalayan wool in some Greek island for 10 euros. (Same thing if you go to South America and buy "real" alpaca wool scarves in the market for $3! And don't forget, you can get the same "pashminas" at any street corner in NYC for $7!)

 

Greece has lovely sheep and goat wool and I am sure they make beautiful, comparable scarves. However, they are not "real" pashminas and, yes, they can be high quality and very expensive.

 

 

Whenever there is so much fake stuff going around, I stay away from the pricey stuff and get the cheaper items knowing full well that they are not the real thing. I am not knowledgeable enough to tell the difference, so I pay the low price for presents I know will be enjoyed without pretensions.

 

 

So even the expensive stuff isnt real? Now I'm confused.

[marazul]

So even the expensive stuff isnt real? Now I'm confused.

 

The point is: how do you know? Pashmina is the wool of a Himalayan goat. Period. It is quite possible that Turkish or Greek textile makers import the wool from the Himalayas and make the scarves there. Or that they import the scarves ready-made. It is equally possible that they use high quality local goat wool and make beautiful scarves and put a Pashmina label on them. Which one do you want to bet on?

 

If the scarf is really high quality and you love it, buy it. It is probably worth the price. Is it a real pashmina? Unless you are a textile expert, you don't know. So buy the goods, not the label. Labels mean nothing, especially in tourist bazaars. Shopkeepers know that tourists want to buy pashminas, so that is what the labels will say on everything from rayon to the real thing.

Edited February 21, 2011 by marazul

[Scorpiorose]

The point is: how do you know? Pashmina is the wool of a Himalayan goat. Period. It is quite possible that Turkish or Greek textile makers import the wool from the Himalayas and make the scarves there. Or that they import the scarves ready-made. It is equally possible that they use high quality local goat wool and make beautiful scarves and put a Pashmina label on them. Which one do you want to bet on?

 

If the scarf is really high quality and you love it, buy it. It is probably worth the price. Is it a real pashmina? Unless you are a textile expert, you don't know. So buy the goods, not the label. Labels mean nothing, especially in tourist bazaars. Shopkeepers know that tourists want to buy pashminas, so that is what the labels will say on everything from rayon to the real thing.

 

Good advise and from the comment above, I'm going to go to Nordstrums and check out the 100% pashminas....that should help. I guess the best thing is to go to a store there not the street stalls.....always a good bet...

[marazul]

And do write down the price at Nordstroms so you can compare prices in Turkey.

 

Probably the best buy in Turkey are the oriental carpets. You can always tell when they are handmade. And a reputable store will ship them to your home. The savings can be considerable.

[Scorpiorose]

I'm not going to Turkey, Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu...

[vintagebabe]

My favorite thing to buy on vacation is silver charms for my silver charm bracelet. Of course not every port has something you want, but I have great charms from Rome, Venice, Delphi, Stockholm(and great American cities too!)

[Scorpiorose]

My favorite thing to buy on vacation is silver charms for my silver charm bracelet. Of course not every port has something you want, but I have great charms from Rome, Venice, Delphi, Stockholm(and great American cities too!)

 

Well I see that Venice has some great glass beads, charms and earrings....that sounds perfect doesn't it. Venetian glass and in a small earring set!!

 

Anyone have any of these?

[paracelsus]

They have glass everything available in Venice. Beads are everywhere and all kinds of glass jewelry. You can take the boat to Murano for glass-making and Burano for lace. Be aware that a lot of that stuff is made in China too. I have several pieces of glass, lace, tapestries, and capodimonte. I am on a tight budget, so none of these things were really expensive. Note that maps of Venice are useless and you just need to dive in. If you find something you like, buy it, you will probably not be able to find that store again. There are signs leading you to the main areas of Venice, so don’t worry about getting lost. The vaporetti (water busses) run all the time between the islands. We also found that unlike most places, the cheapest stuff was by the dock, not further away. Most items are tagged and you can spend a euro for a bead or thousands of euros for a chandelier or artwork.

[Scorpiorose]

Wow, well that is good to know, closer to the ships....interesting. I think I'll be buying inexpensive items to take home. Small glass items because it's a loooonnng way home!:p

[Last Mango]

Interesting thread. I'll keep some of these ideas in mind this May. Thanks!:)

[m steve]

as it's quite reasonable in the Med. Not the fake yellow coloring but actual threads. Also when we were in St. Martin last Feb there was a new jeweler there from Santorini and he told us the prices he charges on Santorini were much higher than he was offering in STM.

Edited March 3, 2011 by m steve

[pcur]

Corfu, Katakolon, Mykonos, Santorini.....

 

What is a good keep sake to buy in each port $5 - $100???

 

My absolute favorite keepsake from my trip to Greece was a pair of gold "greek key" earrings. I love them and think about that trip when I put them on.

 

In Corfu we went into a shop and bought some small vases/olive oil pitchers. They were really decorative and nice. I think I paid about $15 euros for one. They stand about 10 inches high.

Edited March 4, 2011 by pcur

[TLCOhio]

In Athens, we super loved the Plaka. So many great and interesting shops, places to eat, music, people-watching, etc., etc. We found a small shop, as shown below, where they have a wonderful variety of art and design reproductions. We got several of these items and have them at home as wonderful memories for our visit to Athens and the Greek Isles. The Greeks have a distinguished design history (who did the Italians steal their ideas from?) and it was nice to take some of "it" home. Then, there is Istanbul, another great shopping adventure.

 

You can check out my earlier post on “Athens Tips, Suggestions, Examples to Enjoy!” for many details, ideas and interesting visuals on this great city. Lots of ideas here from me and others experienced with Athens. Don’t be shy. Post any questions or updates on this thread.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 34,000 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Nearby to our hotel in the Plaka is this cute shop with a wide variety of statutes and other reproductions reflecting the great Greek artistic traditions. My wife is pictured with the shop ownders. They were very helpful and had a wide selection of options.:

 

 

 

Outdoor dining in the Plaka in the heart of Athen’s historic area. Lots of music and fun, shopping, music, plus good food:

 

 

 

Inside Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar that attracts three million people, here is one of the merchants/artists making us a custom item for our daughter-in-law from pink stones:

 

 

 

Inexpensive gift items bought at Istanbul airport before flying out:

 

Edited March 5, 2011 by TLCOhio

[m steve]

we will not buy any more chotskas, magnets, t shirts and definately anything that can't fit in the suitcase, ie no rugs.

[margord]

I am also keeping track of all of this. I take it there are lots of jewelry shops and I try to find a small gold charm for my bracelet from places we have been.

[2calgarycruisers]

In Athens, we super loved the Plaka. So many great and interesting shops, places to eat, music, people-watching, etc., etc. We found a small shop, as shown below, where they have a wonderful variety of art and design reproductions. We got several of these items and have them at home as wonderful memories for our visit to Athens and the Greek Isles. The Greeks have a distinguished design history (who did the Italians steal their ideas from?) and it was nice to take some of "it" home. Then, there is Istanbul, another great shopping adventure.

 

You can check out my earlier post on “Athens Tips, Suggestions, Examples to Enjoy!” for many details, ideas and interesting visuals on this great city. Lots of ideas here from me and others experienced with Athens. Don’t be shy. Post any questions or updates on this thread.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 34,000 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Nearby to our hotel in the Plaka is this cute shop with a wide variety of statutes and other reproductions reflecting the great Greek artistic traditions. My wife is pictured with the shop ownders. They were very helpful and had a wide selection of options.:

 

 

 

Outdoor dining in the Plaka in the heart of Athen’s historic area. Lots of music and fun, shopping, music, plus good food:

 

 

 

Inside Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar that attracts three million people, here is one of the merchants/artists making us a custom item for our daughter-in-law from pink stones:

 

 

 

Inexpensive gift items bought at Istanbul airport before flying out:

 

 

never thought of souvenirs from Istanbul airport.... we are flying though there, not from there - this way we don't have to haul them everywhere - were the shops inside or outside of customs?

[Anapli]

if you like cooking, buy "Crocus Kozanis" (Greek saffron) :)

Edited August 3, 2016 by Anapli

[Bobal]

if you like cooking, buy "Crocus Kozanis" (Greek saffron) :)

 

The OP asked the question 5 years ago :eek:

[Anapli]

The OP asked the question 5 years ago :eek:

 

my answer is for everyone who plan visit Greece...

[dj2017]

lol, ...5 years ago.

 

I was reading the thread with interest and hadn't noticed the op was 5 years ago, but found the info very useful and relevant for our Fall 2016 Greece & Turkey HAL cruise (minus Istanbul dt port dropped, Kusadasi ..we'll see)

[duck addict]

Greek 'worry beads' are inexpensive, and do not take up much space.

[Got2Cruise]

Olive oil