Shopping
Greece:
Shopping in Greece is a memorable experience. From really low prices to excellent quality, visitors are often amazed at what you can find. Here are our picks for things to buy in Greece:
Jewelry - Greek craftsmen from ancient times have made absolutely wonderful jewelry. From gold to diamonds to opal, craftsmen always seem to blend today's quality and prices with ancient designs. The best may well be Lalaounis (they are at the airport, Mykonos, Kerkyra, Heraklion, Thesaloniki), Zolotas (Athens, Mykonos, Kerkyra, Rhodes) and many others.
Fur coats - Most of the world's excellent furs comes from Kastoria, up in Western Macedonia. Although fur fashion has become less in vogue, furs are still great buys in Greece. Stores on Ermou street, off Syntagma square, specialize in fur coats.
Antiques - Many antiques stores exist in Greece. Sculptors make several copies of ancient statues in terracotta and plaster of Paris, and sell them basically anywhere. By law, a copy must have a government stamp of approval on it; otherwise it may be confiscated if taken out of the country.
Leather - There are plenty of leather sandals for sale as there are bags and jackets. Ensure you get quality products by looking at the stitching (the first part that begins to fray) and the size of thread used—the bigger the better. In Plaka, you can pick up a pair of sandals for about DRA 7500 (about $24).
Sponges - Many divers work the depths of Kos to search for sponges for your bathing pleasure. Beware however of cheaper far eastern imports; real sponges must be labeled as being made in Greece (they cost more than double the Asian counterparts, but naturally don't break apart as easily).
Department stores – Department stores are in abundance from Macro to Vasilopoulos to Minion; they offer quality products at a good price.
Turkey:
Your trip to Turkey is incomplete if you do not come home with a Turkish carpet as a keepsake. Turkish carpets are either knotted or flat woven. Originally woven as utility items, they soon became known for their beauty and durability. A Turkish carpet is a rare piece of art that will decorate your house as well as bring a slice of Anatolian tradition into your drawing room. Today they are the most popular shopping item for foreigners.
An exquisite piece of gold and silver jewelry, with or without a stone setting, is something you should look for. Surprisingly, although the prices of gold and silver are fixed internationally, jewelry items in Turkey are cheaper than in other places. This is due to the low cost of labor. A wide variety of designs are available and the craftsmanship is usually good, but you must inspect each piece to pick the best.
Turkey is also famous for its leather goods. In fact, some of the finest leather items manufactured in Turkey often find their way to shops in Italy. Premium grade leather is selected. This is then designed by fine craftsmanship into beautiful leather goods that are stylish and elegant.
Another unique souvenir is a Meerschaum pipe. Meerschaum is a type of heat resistant sea foam. When wet, this becomes soft and pliable enough to be carved into pipes. These pipes are so interesting that you will easily be enticed to buy one even if you are not a smoker.
Traditional hand painted ceramics and porcelain made in Iznik, Istanbul and Kutahya, make attractive gifts items to carry back home. Similarly, copper vessels—which were common during the Ottoman Empire—make for a good collection of antique. Of course, you cannot cook in them unless the inside is lined with tin.
