8 Best Places to Shop in Thessaloniki and Central Macedonia, Greece

With eight outlets in Thessaloniki, Agapitos Patisserie, which aptly translates as "loved one," is indeed one of the best-loved confectionary shops in the city. Best known for chocolate-covered tsourekia (a sweet bread traditionally served at Easter) and the syrupy pastries from Asia Minor.

Averof is the only patisserie in Thessaloniki that creates kosher pastries.

Women in Thessaloniki are known for dressing well and this fashion outlet is one of their go-to shops. Beautiful Greek handmade bags are what put this place on the map, but equally luxurious are the rest of the designer items on offer here.

Ianos draws travelers because of its stock of foreign-language books.

Mastihashop carries products containing mastic—a tree resin produced on the Aegean island of Chios that's known for its various health benefits. The broad range of cosmetics, preserves, sweets, and other items come in extremely attractive packaging. Don't miss out on the mastiha liqueur, which is to be kept in the freezer and sipped as a digestif.

Terkenlis serves an unforgettable tsoureki (sweet bread flavored with mahlepi, a spice made from the ground-up pits of a Persian cherry) and then filled and dipped in chocolate. This delicacy is so delicious that it disappears within hours from this extremely popular patisserie's shelves.

It's tricky finding souvenirs to to take back to friends and family after a trip and it usually involves last-minute panic purchases at the airport. Well, Tilt! souvenir shop, in Ano Polis, goes a long way to solving that problem. The eccentric Mr. Tilt imagines quirky things and puts them on almost anything, really, most commonly bags, clothing, magnets, and postcards.

On Wednesday the narrow streets surrounding the Rotunda are taken over by a bazaar with knickknacks and the occasional interesting heirloom, antique, or folk art piece for sale.