Justine

We are traveling from Minneapolis, MN to Greece over the New Year and are wondering what are the best things to bring back with us? I've read that leather and needlework are abundant. I've had requests to bring back icons or statues. Do they sell those? What did you bring back? Thanks for any ideas! <BR> <BR>Justine

Thyra

Hi Justine, we were just in Greece in October, let me preface this by saying we are not big "shoppers" but also, that I bought more things in Greece then other places I have been. Well you heard right about the needle work, I got 12 lovely embroidered napkins and matching placemats that are exquisit all for about $65.00 USD. My mother in law got even more lovely napkins and hankies...very colorful, If I was to go back I would buy more of this stuff... table runners and tabel clothes. Yes you can get icons EVERYWHERE! All of the islands and in the Plaka (old shopping district of Athens) I really wanted to buy my husband and Bousouki.(spelling) a Greek stinged instrument... but we didn't want to have to lug it around with us. We also always buy 1 super cheesy.... gotta be the most tacky thing, cheapest thing that's everywhere, in Greece we spent like a buck fifty on these silly clay coasters with ancient Greek figures in erotic poses... yep don't tell me it's silly... and stupid, but those suckers are everywhere and they can't help but remind you of Greece... also though I didn't buy one, I saw more masks in Greece then any place I've visited outside of Venice Italy.... I was very tempted to buy a mask.

Rob McPhail

Justine <BR> <BR>The best purchase I ever made in Greece was a Briki (a very small pot for brewing Greek coffee), some demi tasses cups and coffee ground for me at a market in the Monastiriki district of Athens. <BR> <BR>Rob

Andrea

They also have great pottery, and wonderful packets of spices that make great gifts. It is such a picturesque city, too, that it's a shame to leave without getting a nice coffee table book. You will find tons of fun, wonderful things to buy there. Just promise me, please, that you will NOT buy the calendar "Kittycats of Greece" which has pictures for each month with a cat perched on one of Athens' monuments. Friends don't let friends buy that calendar.

Susan

Justine, we were there in September and came back with some really nice mementos. There are many carpet shops in Greece (we looked at carpets, but since we were going to Turkey, we decided to wait) - we bought a couple of wonderful decorative pillow cases from a carpet shop. Easy to pack and carry in your luggage. As Thyra said, linens were also nice, although we didn't buy anything. We also got a small piece of pottery - it's a replica, of course, but very nice. (Our house is filled with mementos from our travels, so it fits right in.) <BR> <BR>For personal items, we bought a jar of walnuts in honey - they taste wonderful, and will be good on waffles on Christmas day. There's olive oil, etc. as well - lots of those items can be picked up at the duty free shop at the airport. <BR> <BR>More expensive items - I bought a pair of earrings. I don't wear a lot of jewellery, but they seemed to be a good price and I'm wearing them a lot. My husband also bought a ring - again he doesn't wear a lot of jewellery, but this is very unique, hand made. <BR> <BR>Shoes are a good buy in Greece - lots of nice styles. For a shoe fanatic like me, it was difficult not to buy. Luckily, by the time I got to Athens, I was more or less 'shopped out'. <BR> <BR>Finally, I have to say that I did buy a kitties in Greece calendar. Yes, I know it's cheesy, but I love cats, Greece was overrun with cats and I like it! (Our kitties aren't posed on national monuments, so I guess it could be worse.)

Diane

I always buy a piece of jewelry with the Greek key design. You will not believe the number of jewelry shops you will see. For gifts I bought bars of olive oil soap and miniature bottles of ouzo. And, yes, I too bought a kitty calendar, along with some linens.

Gia

My husband and I went to Greece in June and I also found, as the others have mentioned, beautiful tablecloths, rugs, and tapestries. What really caught my eye however, where the many religious icons you seem to find everywhere. They are made in the old byzantine style and are made with quality that I have never seen before. My husband and I took a tour and where taken to one of the icon factories. We were shown how these icons were made to look old and how the gold leaf was applied. The prices are also really reasonable. I ended up buying a small icon of the Virgin Mary.

Justine

Thank you for all of your responses. We leave this Friday for Athens. The icons sound wonderful. I happen to be crazy for beautiful hand-embroidered linens, so I will definitey plan to look for some great pieces. I didn't think of looking in a carpet shop, so we will try that. <BR> <BR>I happen to be a dog-person, so I won't be getting a kitty-calandar. But thanks for the warning. <BR> <BR>Thank you for the advice. I am not a big shopper, but I'd like to take something home with me that is a wonderful reminder of our time in Greece. <BR> <BR>Thanks again! <BR> <BR>

April

There are other calendars that are quite nice such as architecture & ruins of Athens and scenes of Santorini. For my Dad who runs, I had to get a marathon sweatshirt.

SharonM

OK, Andrea. <BR>I'm dying to know why one shouldn't buy the "kittys on monuments" calendar?! <BR>(are Greek kittys ugly or something?) <BR> <BR>Now I really want one!

Susan

Greek kitties aren't ugly (on the contrary), but they are everywhere. In fact, at the vet's office where I take my Toronto cats, the assistant has a box to collect donations for a Greek cat charity. We saw the most cats in Rhodes City, where the local version of the humane society was collecting donations for cats.

SharonM

I wonder if any of the proceeds from these calendars go to the care of these kittys? That would be nice. <BR> <BR>In reality, perhaps what you were seeing weren't kittys at all, but Greek martens...? Well, maybe not... <BR> <BR>(Isn't there a place in Turkey that is a "city of cats"? I have a wonderful card at home, but don't remember the details)

toby

I never laughed so hard as I did reading the discussion about kitty calenders in Greece!! Perhaps the national animal in Greece should be a kitty!

RobynFrance

I am very interested in the high quality icons mentioned and wondered what the lower end of the price range might be for a hand painted one--I know there are all kinds and more expensive ones, but I don't want one which is just a print on wood, no matter how well done. Your thoughts? Thanks. We will be in Athens, Crete, the Peleponnese and Skopelos.

chatham

I don't think anyone has mentioned worry beads. You can find some really nice ones.

AKNIC

Justine:

My advice is buy Greek honey. It is delicious and much better than honey that you will find in the U.S. We only bought one jar and now have to travel to specialty stores to purchase it for a lot more money. We are totally hooked on it. The Greek yogurt is also wonderful, but you need to find a source in your city. We also bought a runner, placemats, and napkins in Hydra that are beautiful.
AKNIC

jules4je7

I like those cobalt blue glass &quot;Evil Eye&quot; things...sorry for the lack of a better term. I bought a few in different sizes on the walk up the hill towards the funicular for Lycobettus in Athens. One is 4 inches in diameter, and you can find it on a variety of different items, including jewelry too.

If I'm not mistaken, they're a mostly Greek and Turkish superstition -- that they repel the &quot;Evil Eye&quot;, and if they break, that proves that they worked. In Turkey you see them pinned on babies' clothing and such now and then.

I put one on a Pier 1 candle hook outside on my enclosed front porch. I get a lot of compliments on it. I have another in my kitchen. That way it'll repel the Evil Eye if it comes in my house, either through the back door or front.

I also liked them because they are an easy thing to pack -- not really breakable (unless you dropped it on cement unwrapped) and they don't take up much space. They also make decent small gifts for people who like that kind of funky cultural stuff. Like my housesitter while I'm gone.

Jules

Nikki

Jules, our tour guide told us that those evil eyes were the eye of Athena.