The Plaka, Athens

[broccoli]

It looks like the stores in the Plaka in Athens close at 5PM which seems early for a touristy area-does anyone know if any of them stay open later than 5? Also, does anyone have any suggestions for special items to purchase there?

[cberge]

It looks like the stores in the Plaka in Athens close at 5PM which seems early for a touristy area-does anyone know if any of them stay open later than 5? Also, does anyone have any suggestions for special items to purchase there?

 

 

Some may close,but when we spent time there we wlaked around several times after dinner and stores were open,and this would have been around 8/9PM.I found the smaller shops had some really neat items that I did not see other places,and one of the shop owners made me an "Good eye" necklace that I have never seen anywhere else and even in Turkey people commented onit.No silver or gold..just eyes and black leather strands.The "Eye" is Greek BTW,but you will see them in Turkey a lot.Just an FYI.

[pcur]

I agree: we were there in the evening, also. Most stay open until 8 - 9 PM for the dinner crowd.

 

I looooved the Plaka. They had the most amazing gold jewelry, decorative items, and painted crockery. I bought some similar items in Corfu and the owner was delighted when I compared his shop to the ones in the Plaka shopping area. Nice people there, too.

[NAS-KARR]

I noticed alot of soaps and olive oil !

[Misswissa]

What were the prices of the jewelry in the Plaka?

[cberge]

What were the prices of the jewelry in the Plaka?

 

I am sure they have changed since I was there a few years ago and the € does not help,but I thought they were reasonable( I bought silver no gold) and I did hear from quite a few women they were a lot better than on Mykonos.I though Mykonos prices were very high when I was there.I did see jewelry stores outside the Plaka area and I did not notice any price difference in what I was looking at..just an FYI.

[pcur]

I was there about 8 years ago, and I bought a pair of Greek Key gold earrings for $150 (US equivalent). They are about 1.5 inches long, with a long oval dangle where the Greek key design is done. Very nice earrings.

[photographia]

The olive oil is unbelievable. They say that the best stuff is from the Island of Lesbos, and having brought a couple of bottles from different regions of Greece home with me, I have to say that they're right. Right behind Lesbos is the oil from Crete. If you buy some, and fly back to the US, keep in mind that you'll have to put it in your checked baggage.

 

There are also a number of different brands of olive-oil soap, which are sold all over the Plaka. But don't buy an armload of the first bars you see, because you might walk one block and find the same thing for half the price! It's fabulous and much cheaper than any you can find back home.