Plaka market?

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Is the Plaka Market worth exploring?  We’ve been in Athens two days and set sail tomorrow. We can embark anytime after 1:00. We are considering leaving our bags with the hotel and walking around there until then but our tour guide today called it a flea market so now we’re not sure. 

[princeton123211]

10 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

We are considering leaving our bags with the hotel and walking around there until then but our tour guide today called it a flea market so now we’re not sure. 

It's a nice, pretty area of town-- no cars for the most part so very walkable. Most of the stores there are geared towards cheap tourist trinkets (a lot of repetitive things from store to store so don't bother going into many of them) and a lot of the restaurants are tourist focused so it's not a super authentic Athenian experience but the area itself is charming. Most likely what your guide was trying to articulate. Like a New Yorker going to Times Square-- no desire to do it but an out of towner might find it interesting. 

 

There are some decent cafes and places to eat as well. 

[zqvol]

Definitely worth a morning stroll 

[marazul]

5 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Is the Plaka Market worth exploring?  We’ve been in Athens two days and set sail tomorrow. We can embark anytime after 1:00. We are considering leaving our bags with the hotel and walking around there until then but our tour guide today called it a flea market so now we’re not sure. 

Absolutely.  Don't miss it.  It is not a flea market (that's a dumb thing to say).  Also look for the Haris Cotton stores for great linen clothing.  They have three stores on Adrianou Street. Look at the map:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/Haris+Cotton/@37.9705702,23.7284743,16.9z/data=!4m7!2m6!3m5!2sAthens,+Greece!3s0x14a1bd1f067043f1:0x2736354576668ddd!4m2!1d23.7275388!2d37.9838096?hl=en&entry=ttu

 

Walk back through the Anaphiotika neighborhood, a part of Plaka just to the left of Adrianou Street and towards the base of the Acropolis hill. You'll se where Tripodon and Prytaneiou streets come together, closer to the Acropolis. It's a great way to spend the morning. 

 

 

I hope you are having a great time.

[Hlitner]

I do think it is unfair (and inaccurate) to call the Plaka a "flea market."  While many self-respecting fleas would not even think of shopping in that neighborhood, it is a a series of real streets with real stores, restaurants, cafes, etc.  DW and I routinely stroll through the Plaka neighborhood since we simply think of it as part of the Athens experience.  If you want a true flea market, then Monstiriki should be your destination, especially on Sundays when it is a true flea market (and a lot of fun).  

 

For folks that want higher end shopping, it does exist in the Athens area.  Like most large cities, Athens has multiple neighborhoods, each with their own "thing."  One can go over to Omonia Square and find other kinds of shopping (including some large department stores).  If you want a high end suburb with higher end boutiques you can take the Green Line metro all the way out to Kifissia (an upscale area).  The reality is that cruisers generally go to tourist areas and seldom explore any of the better suburbs.  On one of our visits, DW and I stayed on the Green Line (this is the metro line that starts in Pireaus) to its other end in Kifissia.  We enjoyed walking around that decent suburban town, browsed several of the boutiques, had lunch in a classy cafe, etc.  It was all fine and we could have been in any decent suburb in the USA.  But the truth is that we missed being in the Plaka, Syntagma Square, gazing up at the Acropolis, etc.  The truth is that most of us are tourists, when we travel, and we want tourist things :).

 

Hank

[NCteacherlovescruising]

9 hours ago, marazul said:

Absolutely.  Don't miss it.  It is not a flea market (that's a dumb thing to say).  Also look for the Haris Cotton stores for great linen clothing.  They have three stores on Adrianou Street. Look at the map:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/Haris+Cotton/@37.9705702,23.7284743,16.9z/data=!4m7!2m6!3m5!2sAthens,+Greece!3s0x14a1bd1f067043f1:0x2736354576668ddd!4m2!1d23.7275388!2d37.9838096?hl=en&entry=ttu

 

Walk back through the Anaphiotika neighborhood, a part of Plaka just to the left of Adrianou Street and towards the base of the Acropolis hill. You'll se where Tripodon and Prytaneiou streets come together, closer to the Acropolis. It's a great way to spend the morning. 

 

 

I hope you are having a great time.

We’re putting that shop on our gps. Thanks so much for all the details. Greatly appreciated and now we’re looking forward to it!

 

7 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I do think it is unfair (and inaccurate) to call the Plaka a "flea market."  While many self-respecting fleas would not even think of shopping in that neighborhood, it is a a series of real streets with real stores, restaurants, cafes, etc.  DW and I routinely stroll through the Plaka neighborhood since we simply think of it as part of the Athens experience.  If you want a true flea market, then Monstiriki should be your destination, especially on Sundays when it is a true flea market (and a lot of fun).  

 

For folks that want higher end shopping, it does exist in the Athens area.  Like most large cities, Athens has multiple neighborhoods, each with their own "thing."  One can go over to Omonia Square and find other kinds of shopping (including some large department stores).  If you want a high end suburb with higher end boutiques you can take the Green Line metro all the way out to Kifissia (an upscale area).  The reality is that cruisers generally go to tourist areas and seldom explore any of the better suburbs.  On one of our visits, DW and I stayed on the Green Line (this is the metro line that starts in Pireaus) to its other end in Kifissia.  We enjoyed walking around that decent suburban town, browsed several of the boutiques, had lunch in a classy cafe, etc.  It was all fine and we could have been in any decent suburb in the USA.  But the truth is that we missed being in the Plaka, Syntagma Square, gazing up at the Acropolis, etc.  The truth is that most of us are tourists, when we travel, and we want tourist things :).

 

Hank

Great!  Thanks so much!  We are heading to Planka. 

[AlaskaGoer]

We enjoyed it. Was nice to go through and check out the small stores and what was available to eat.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

On 7/2/2024 at 11:57 PM, marazul said:

Absolutely.  Don't miss it.  It is not a flea market (that's a dumb thing to say).  Also look for the Haris Cotton stores for great linen clothing.  They have three stores on Adrianou Street. 

I hope you are having a great time.

Thanks for the advice!  All three of us bought something at Harris Cotton. I got a cute bright pink dress.  We also found things in what I think was Planka market. Personally I bought a dress and necklace. My friends bought some pretty things too. You’ve been so helpful in all my planning. I hope you know how much I appreciate it!  

[marazul]

2 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Thanks for the advice!  All three of us bought something at Harris Cotton. I got a cute bright pink dress.  We also found things in what I think was Planka market. Personally I bought a dress and necklace. My friends bought some pretty things too. You’ve been so helpful in all my planning. I hope you know how much I appreciate it!  

😊

I am very happy to help another Tarheel. 

 

PS- you may run into more Haris stores in the islands.  They all seem to have different stock.

Happy cruising ... and shopping!

[NCteacherlovescruising]

4 minutes ago, marazul said:

😊

I am very happy to help another Tarheel. 

 

PS- you may run into more Haris stores in the islands.  They all seem to have different stock.

Happy cruising ... and shopping!

I haven’t done anymore shopping yet. Yesterday we had a 6 hour tour in Mykonos and we were hot, tired and ready to get back on the ship when it was over. Absolutely incredible views there!  ❤️ And today we went to the beach in Mykonos then straight back to the ship. Giving my husband a break from my spending spree. lol Tomorrow we have a boat tour so don’t know if we will have a chance to shop there either. 

[marazul]

3 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

I haven’t done anymore shopping yet. Yesterday we had a 6 hour tour in Mykonos and we were hot, tired and ready to get back on the ship when it was over. Absolutely incredible views there!  ❤️ And today we went to the beach in Mykonos then straight back to the ship. Giving my husband a break from my spending spree. lol Tomorrow we have a boat tour so don’t know if we will have a chance to shop there either. 

Enjoy the beach. It is 110 "feels like" heat index in NC today.

[zqvol]

1 hour ago, marazul said:

Enjoy the beach. It is 110 "feels like" heat index in NC today.

Miserable in GSO today

[NCteacherlovescruising]

17 hours ago, marazul said:

Enjoy the beach. It is 110 "feels like" heat index in NC today.

Yuck!  The beach was perfect!!  It was only 78 and we had a nice breeze. Today we have a private boat tour with our friends in Zakynthos.