Shopping A-Z

Antiques

Relics, 3 Yioryio Lassani (tel. 2310/226-506), offers high-quality antiques, from silver- and glassware to jewelry, ceramics, prints, Art Nouveau lamps, and Victorian-era dolls. This is a serious shop with serious prices. It's located a block east of the Mitropoleos Cathedral off Mitropoleos; closed on Sunday. You'll also find a number of antiques shops on Mitropoleos and Tositssa streets. Tip: Reputable shops will explain that you'll need an export license to take out of Greece any item more than 100 years old.

Books, Newspapers & Magazines

Molho, 10 Tsimiski (tel. 2310/277-113) is the oldest and finest bookstore in Thessaloniki. Ianos, 7 Aristotelous (tel. 2310/277-164), and Malliaris, 9 Aristotelous (tel. 2310/276-926), both have wide selections of Greek and foreign books as well as other publications.

Copper

At the family-run Adelphi Kazanzidi, 12 Klissouras off the western side of Dikasterion Square, a block north of Egnatia (tel. 2310/262-741), copper-working skills have been passed down from generation to generation. The shop sells numerous finely crafted copper-ware items such as wine carafes, skillets, water heaters, and trays, all handmade on the premises. There are also many copper shops around the Panagia Chalkeon church.

Department Stores

Lambropoulos, 18 Tsimiski (tel. 2310/269-971), is the best in the city, with five floors of everything and anything you might want, from cosmetics to basketballs. It's a block west of Aristotelous, at the corner of Komninon.

Fashion

For both men's and women's fashions, try the department stores such as Lambropoulos or the chic -- and expensive -- boutiques on pedestrian walkway Dimitriou Gounari. One centrally located men's shop (with some English-speaking staff) is the long-established Oxford Company, 4 Palaion Patron Germanou (tel. 2310/273-087). On its walls are photos of the family's old cotton mills in Volos.

Gifts & Souvenirs

At Tanagrea, on Vogatsikou (a block east of the Metropolitan Cathedral between Mitropoleos and Proxenou Koromila), you'll find a wide selection of handcrafted items by a stable of artisans employed by this well-known chain of stores, which also has outlets in Athens, Crete, and Spetsai. Offerings include ceramics, pewter, silver, leather goods, paintings, glassware, and jewelry.

Pronounced zeeta mee, ZM, 1 Proxenou Koromila, a block east of Aristotelous Square (tel. 2310/240-591), offers three floors of expensive but well-crafted Greek souvenir items such as worry beads, pottery, folk art, rugs, toys, handcrafted caiques, prints, and a few antique silver place settings and jewelry. An extremely tempting gallery-like place to browse.

Jewelry

Specializing in gold, but not exclusively, the eponymous owner of Marina, 62 Mitropoleos, a block east of the Metropolitan Cathedral (tel. 2310/238-361), offers her own designs as well as copies of the works of famous Greek jewelers such as LALAoUNIS, with whom she apprenticed. Haido Deliali, 1 Vagdamali (tel. 2310/269-375), also makes much of the jewelry in her shop.

Leather

The best of several leather-goods shops in the area is Falli, 11 Askitou (tel. 2310/229-197). On the southwest corner of the outdoor market, near Ermou and El. Venizelou, Falli makes and sells shoulder bags, backpacks, attaché cases, and sandals. Try to bargain by looking downcast and disappointed when you hear the price. If you want good-quality leather, resist the eastern European leather vendors who set up stalls on many street corners.

Music

Blow Up: The Music Stores, 8 Aristotelous, on the east side of the street a block north of Tsimiski (tel. 2310/233-255; www.blowup.gr), Patsis, 39 Tsimiski, at the corner of Aristotelous (tel. 2310/231-805), Studio 52, 46 Dimitrious Gounari (tel. 2310/271-301) and the Virgin Megastore on Tsimiski (tel. 2310/243-407) have excellent selections of Greek music well displayed in their windows and on their shelves. En Chordes, 3 Ipodromiou (tel. 2310/282-248), sells many kinds of musical instruments and CDs, including Byzantine music.

Shoes

Pak, 3 Ayias Sofias Sq., opposite the north side of the church (tel. 2310/274-863), carries a wide selection of high-quality Greek shoes -- from hiking boots to high heels -- at very acceptable prices. The foreign brands here are much more expensive.

Sweets

In a city where sweetness is next to godliness, the venerable Agapitos, 53 Tsimiski (tel. 2310/279-107), gets rave reviews. All are made with great, mouthwatering, high-caloric care. One of the branches of the excellent sweet shop, Terkenlis, is nearby at 30 Tsimiski, so you can easily compare and contrast. Both are closed on Sunday. Don't panic: Averof, 11 Vas. Georgiou (tel. 2310/814-284), Thessaloniki's famous Kosher bakery, is usually open 365 days a year.