Still, Athens Sunday shopping is absolutely possible. Hi! of October. If you happen to be in Athens on Easter Sunday, most of the above wont apply. Adjusting to the Orthodox Easter holiday, shopping hours for retail stores next week, will change as follows: Greek Palm Sunday (April 17) Their main arguments were: They put forward evidence from specific studies and surveys disputing a study from the OECD cited by the government. The Evzones are dressed in elaborate, ceremonial costumes, and there is also a band playing. After youve seen the Changing of the Guards, you can wander through theNational Gardens. All sorts of souvenirs are also available. While this is a great way of spending your Sunday in Athens, there are tons of other things to do. However, entry to the Acropolis is free on the first Sunday of the off-season months (November March). Whether you like antique-shopping or not, you will love the Monastiraki flea market which is at its biggest every Sunday in Avyssinias Square. "name": "What should I avoid in Athens? The opening hours of the stores are not the same everywhere in the country. cities. Most of the Ermou street stores are closed on Sundays, apart from the dates mentioned above. There was a similar reaction from OIYE, which noted that it is unacceptable for employers' organisations that neither represent nor express the views of the retail sector to get involved in the issue of Sunday trading. "text":"One thing you should avoid if you are in Athens in summer, is visiting the Acropolis during the afternoon. This includes the sprawling Varvakios food market. Stores in thecentre of Athens will have the option of opening every Sunday, according to a decision published in the Government Gazette. Some 1 year ago Save Ive been on Santorini for 2 weeks now and everywhere is open every day, including Sundays (except the Details are limited at this time. Smaller stores typically close around 15.00 16.00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. How are you finding restaurants closed if you arent in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The Most people would start with the Acropolis Museum, which is located very close to the Acropolis. Everything else, including museums, ancient sites, cafes, restaurants and bars, are always open. As an example, you can watch the ceremonial Changing of the Guards on Syntagma Square, or visit the extended Sunday markets around Monastiraki area. }, { Temperatures can get really high, and many people will feel uncomfortable. If you feel like splurging, you can always watch it from the rooftop of the Grande Bretagne hotel. open (there are generally a few in larger towns) in the list displayed in The market is right outside Piraeus metro station, on the green / blue line you cant miss it. If you want to feel like a local, do as the Athenians do, and go for a coffee! It has led to strong opposition from employees and small business employers in the sector, leading to the organisation of joint action, while social partners have taken legal action. The most impressive building is the temple of Hephaestus, the best preserved ancient temple in the whole of Greece. Arachova is only a short trip fromDelphi, so you could easily visit the ancient site on Easter Monday. Kids are tired from school and you really only want to unwind on the couch. It noted that the introduction of general Sunday trading violates the principles of equal competition, destroys small businesses, and reduces free time for family and a personal life. Retail stores will open at 13:00 until 19:00 on Good Friday and on Holy Saturday from 07:00 until 18:00, noted a general secretariat of Commerce and Consumer Protection of the Development and Investment Ministry in an announcement on Thursday. He asked the two organisations to withdraw their legal interventions in favour of the measure, which ESEE believes is a matter that concerns only the retail sector. list below covers the main areas but bear in mind that this is subject the window of every pharmacy. WebA pilot scheme allowing shops to open every Sunday in 10 Greek regions, including the historical centres of Athens and Thessaloniki, was announced in 2014 by the Deputy Minister for Development and Competitiveness. This detailed article will hopefully help you appreciate this unique aspect of Greek culture. And if you are unsure about what to eat in Greece, my article with 50 (!) ", The hearing has taken place and the final decision, which was originally expected during January 2015, was issued at the end of February 2015. High street stores are generally closed on Sundays, with a few exceptions throughout the year. Also, wear loose, comfortable clothes. The areas of Monastiraki and Plaka are great for shopping on a Sunday. "@type": "Answer", This in turn created friction and disagreements between the institutionally recognised sectoral (as well as national) employer organisations of ESEE and GSEVEE on the one hand, and SEV and SETE on the other. may stay open, so do many kiosks, all the Bavarian state capital, doesnt offer any Sunday openings anymore. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. In its temporary decision, the court stated that if the measure was implemented: a) it would violate formal requirements (late issuing of a ministerial decision without consultation; 10 regions instead of the three originally specified in the Law). Tourist shops are not requested by law to keep normal shop hours so the opening Two more days, 1 May and 28 October, are regulated by law as optional but They cannot be located in outlet stores, shopping malls or discount villages. Cradle of western civilization, the history of Athens is eventful and fascinating. Twenty-Four people are listed as missing as fears mount of them not being found. On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday they are also open from around 6.00 c) it would violate the principle of equal competition, favouring powerful interests, destroying small and medium-sized enterprises and employment, and infringing workers rights, according to the documented studies and the evidence that were adduced. Its best to go early and take your time, especially if you are after specific items. Generally, the stores close by 9 pm because the staff needs time to clean and stock the If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. If you are here in summer, make sure you drink lots of water, and bring sunscreen and a hat. Collectables, embroideries, home dcor, second-hand clothes along with one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture are put on display, looking for the best bargainer. As of November 2021, shop owners with businesses in the historic center of Athens will have the option to remain open on Sundays, according to a Greek government decision. Apart from stores, you will also see random stalls and street vendors. The introduction of shop opening on seven selected Sundays and every Sunday in 10 pilot areas has been a significant development for the retail sector. You can hop off at any point of interest, and wait for the next bus. Ive included several restaurant suggestions in my article on how to spend two days in Athens. Dont worry though, you can still find somewhere to eat. ON Mykonos, Or you can always arrange a taxi through your hotel. One or two are, and have been all summer, but the vast majority are up and running and very busy. With Law 4177/2013, the government introduced the free operation of all shops in Greece, regardless of size, for seven specific Sundays of the year. WebSher Makesh fuses inspirations from the Greek islands with arts and crafts from the Moroccan coastline and uses modern materials like coloured plastics. Between Monastiraki, Syntagma and Acropolis metro stations, you will find the popular Plaka area. You will find Greek tag products as well as all the European and multinational brand-names in either clothing, shoes, art or home-dcor. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) This is Athens. I am finding that many of the restaurants are closed - completely closed, probably due to dcovid - and we are going in 15 days. Interesting? The Monastiraki flea market hours arent exactly set in stone. Every time a center or outlet announces a Sunday opening or other special opening hours, its a moment of great joy In addition, you will come across the spectacular Byzantine church of Agioi Apostoloi, which dates from the 10th century AD. b) it would violate the right to free time, to family and personal life, and to religious rights, which are considered important and must be protected against arbitrary decisions of the government. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Police are currently investigating a car crash that occurred early Sunday evening in the Town of Greece. In recent years, there have been ongoing talks about shops being open on Sundays. All shops Is the selected location wrong? more. In addition, there will always be a kiosk at walking distance from your hotel. Another popular way to explore Athens is the open-deck bus. Saturday they close at 6.00 pm and are closed on Sundays and You may be familiar with the Evzones, the Greek Presidential Guards dressed in traditional Greek costumes. Closing time is 20:00 in summer and 17:00 in winter. In terms of neighbourhoods, I like Plaka, Thisseio, Monastiraki and Psiri." Arguably the most interesting Sunday market Athens is close to Eleonas metro, on the blue line. Exact closing times during shoulder months vary, so its best to check the official website. However, the social partners in the retail sector argue that Sunday trading results in turnover being concentrated in a few large enterprises, so that the sector will gradually become controlled by a small number of companies,prices will rise and costs will be passed on to consumers. As an example, you can watch the ceremonial Changing of the Guards on Syntagma Square, or visit the extended Sunday markets around Monastiraki area." They are guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is in front of the Parliament building, right on Syntagma Square. In this context, six national strikes took place in the commerce sector during 2014 on 19 January, 13 April, 4 May, 20 July, 2 November and 14 December. A question I often get from visitors is are shops open in Athens on Sunday? The quick answer is that some of them are, but most of them arent. Ancient Athens Combined Ticket For The Archaeological Sites Of Athens, Ancient Athens for free A walking route through the historic centre, Street art in Athens Bright colours and political opinions, Tips For Staying Cool In The Summer In Athens, Top 10 Tips For Visiting Greece In Summer 2023, Our favourite beaches in Greece Popular beaches and hidden gems, Religion in Greece Churches, Greek Easter and Christian names, Greek Easter Traditions Greek Orthodox Easter Food and Customs. the lack of prior consultation, which is required by law; the arbitrary and undocumented selection of the regions for pilot implementation of the measure; the creation of conditions of unequal competition between commercial enterprises (to the detriment of SMEs); 75% of merchants were dissatisfied by the measure and by their Sunday turnover; 64% of enterprises found the cost of Sunday trading unaffordable, while 40%50% of shops could not afford to open; 95% of shops do not plan to hire a single person, even a worker paid by the hour, in the immediate future. This massive stadium, dating from the 4thcentury BC, was completely restored in the 19thcentury. Make sure you have good walking shoes on, as our cobbled streets can hurt your feet. This Athens street market is the best place in central Athens to get your fix on antiques, traditional cutlery and crockery and random bric-a-brac. This possibility is provided for each region and municipality in the country, by an annual decision of the regional vice-governor, following consultation with the social partners in each region. Super markets will open at 09:00 and will close at 19:00 on Good Friday and on Holy Saturday they will be open from 07:00 until 19:00, ANA reports. Saturday 8.00 till 2.00 pm. Useful? "@type": "Question", This is where my parents used to take me when I was a child, and you can still see many families around. }] Popular areas to sit for a coffee are Plaka, Psiri, Areopagitou Street and the rooftop bars around the centre. Information and Communication Technologies, Economic and social inequalities in Europe in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, The rise in telework: Impact on working conditions and regulations, Living, working and COVID-19 in the European Union and 10 EU neighbouring countries, About Eurofounds random probability surveys, European Working Conditions Surveys (EWCS), European Monitoring Centre on Change - EMCC, European Observatory on Quality of Life - EurLIFE, European Observatory of Working Life - EurWORK, Database of wages, working time and collective disputes, Greece: Changes to shop opening hours and working time, study from the OECD cited by the government. You can wander around the impressive monument and visit the small, informative museum. Go early, be prepared to bargain, and make sure your valuables are safe. Like the Acropolis, it has free entrance on the first Sunday of the off-season months. }, { A very special day to go to the Panathenaic Stadium is the day of the Athens Classic Marathon Race, which always falls on the second Sunday in November. This is already happening in touristy areas throughout the country, including Plaka and Monastiraki in Athens. Most stores, landmarks and museums have wide opening hours and the merchants have quite a lot of flexibility to open and close when they wish. You are visiting TheLabelFinder in Thessaloniki. Regarding the opening hours on Sundays, shops are allowed to be open from 11:00 to 20:00, while the employment of workers is paid in accordance with the provisions of the labor law, which define additional remuneration for work on Sundays. In addition, Sundays are great days to visit some of the flea markets in the city and the outskirts. That said, I have occasionally seen some of them being open on a few other Sundays as well. They are closed on Saturdays. } Still, one mans trash is another mans treasure, so you never know. You will then be very close to thePanathenaic Stadium. ", Every time a center or outlet announces a Sunday opening or other special opening hours, its a moment of great joy for a lot of us. "acceptedAnswer": { Temperatures can get really high, and many people will feel uncomfortable. Department stores are open Monday-Friday: 10 am-9 pm Saturday: 9 am-8 pm or 10 am-9 pm, depending on the store. is closed on Sundays. Other post-offices will generally be open from "name": "What is there to do in Athens on a Sunday? Sunday is the best day to visit if you are after antiques, but most other stores are open every day. Shopping, eating out or just strolling around with the whole family - Sundays are the best days for that. Start with Koukos Spyros, whose shop is in the covered arcade that connects Stadiou with Perikleous Street. Orthodox Good Friday variable dates, though stores are open 1 pm - 7 pm. These are located towards the back side of the National Gardens. Drive to an outlet center on a busy Saturday? Shops will be open from 10:00 until 21:00 starting from Monday. There are literally hundreds of restaurants, tavernas, bakeries and snack bars where you can eat in central Athens. Apart from Monastiraki and Plaka, there are some more Sunday markets in Athens, some distance from the centre. Many people, locals and visitors, come to watch this short ceremony. Dont miss the area just below the museum, where you can see the remains of several ancient houses. Travel & Tour Operator License: 026160000560101, Shopping in Athens: A Shopaholic's Guide (Updated for 2023), A Guide to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre . Generally the hours between 2.00pm and 5.30pm are dedicated to lunch and The employees federation (OIYE) announced a series of rolling strikes of shop workers against both the seven Sundays in the Law and the Sundays of the pilot all-the-year round opening. "acceptedAnswer": { Also, bear in mind that the military guards will be cordoning people off at certain times. "text": "Generally speaking, the only establishments that you might notice being closed in Athens are high street stores. "name": "What locals do in Athens? Car rental and transportation in Santorini. Super markets will open at 09:00 and will close at How many hours to spend in Oia and Fira + itinerary check? The Monastiraki flea market is full-on! They also emphasise that this decision is a violation of equal competition to the detriment of small enterprises and at the same time essentially destroys local markets, transferring turnover and consumption to selected regions and selected shops. 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