Shopping · Thessaloniki · Greece
Shopping in Thessaloniki
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User:JFKennedy, Public domain
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Quick answer
Shopping centres on Tsimiski and Ermou streets for fashion and the market lanes of Kapani for food. Food products, pastries and religious icons are the most distinctive things to take home. Best souvenirs: Olives and olive oil, Spices and mountain tea and Loukoumi and pastries.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Olives and olive oil
Where to shop
Tsimiski Street
The main high street, parallel to the seafront, with Greek and international fashion chains and department stores.
Ermou and Agias Sofias
Smaller boutiques, shoe shops and jewellers between Hagia Sophia and Aristotelous Square.
Proxenou Koromila
A quieter street one block back from the seafront with independent fashion and design shops.
Markets
Kapani market
The historic food market for olives, spices, herbs, cheese, cured fish and loukoumi.
Modiano Market
Restored 1920s covered market with food stalls and places to eat in the city centre.
What to buy
Olives and olive oil
Halkidiki green olives and local oils from the Kapani stalls, which can vacuum-pack for travel.
Spices and mountain tea
Dried oregano, sideritis (mountain tea) and spice mixes from the market herb shops.
Loukoumi and pastries
Boxed loukoumi and syrup-free pastries from long-established confectioners travel well.
Tsipouro and Macedonian wine
Bottles of tsipouro and wines from Naoussa, made from the Xinomavro grape, from wine shops in the centre.
Byzantine-style icons
Hand-painted icons from workshops near the churches, ranging from small souvenirs to serious pieces.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · City Centre (Aristotelous Square)
Kapani and Modiano markets
The Kapani (Vlali) market is a grid of lanes selling fish, olives, herbs, spices, cheese and loukoumi, and it has been the city's food market since Ottoman times.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Photo spot
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Thessaloniki koulouri, Trigona Panoramatos, Meze with tsipouro or ouzo and Peinirli. Street carts near Aristotelous Square, Egnatia and the university, and bakery chains throughout the city. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| City Centre (Aristotelous Square) | $$$ | Hébrard's grand square, Tsimiski shopping street and the markets |
| Ladadika | $$$ | Restored warehouse lanes of tavernas and meze bars beside the port |
| Kamara and Navarinou | $$ | Roman monuments, student cafés and cheap eats near the university |
| Kalamaria | $$ | Residential seaside suburb with marinas, fish tavernas and Aretsou beach |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Service is not always included. Leaving 5–10% in a taverna or rounding up at a café is appreciated but not expected; taxi drivers are usually just rounded up.
- Greet people with 'Kalimera' (good morning) or 'Kalispera' (good evening) when entering shops and tavernas.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- March: Thessaloniki Documentary Festival (usually March)
- September: Thessaloniki International Fair (usually early-to-mid September)
- October: Dimitria cultural festival (usually autumn)
- November: Thessaloniki International Film Festival (usually early-to-mid November)
- December: Christmas lights and tree on Aristotelous Square (usually from early December)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, food lovers and couples
City Centre (Aristotelous Square)
Hébrard's grand square, Tsimiski shopping street and the markets
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Thessaloniki?
Olives and olive oil, Spices and mountain tea, Loukoumi and pastries and Tsipouro and Macedonian wine.
+Where is the best shopping in Thessaloniki?
Tsimiski Street: The main high street, parallel to the seafront, with Greek and international fashion chains and department stores.
+What are the best markets in Thessaloniki?
Kapani market and Modiano Market.