The heart of Athens’ shopping beats in Kolonaki, thronged with local fashion houses, international designer label outlets, chic boutiques and shops selling all the accessories you need for the fabulous outfits on offer. Here you can find Emporio Armani (Milioni 5) and lunch at the ultra-chic Caffe Armani or the Gucci flagship store (Tsakalof 27) and Donna Karan (Solonos 8). The same labels and many more are on sale in exclusive boutiques like Ice Cube (Tsakalof 28), Carouzos (Kanari 12) or Luisa (Skoufa 15) among others. For original clothes by Greek designers like Deux Hommes or Haris & Angelos try Afternoon made in Greece (Deinokratous 1) which is only open in the afternoon. Complete your outfit with shoes and bags from Kalogirou (Patriarchou Ioakeim 4) or Rollini (Tsakalof 11). The Kolonaki area is also a good place to look for art, antiques and jewellery, though the best jewelers congregate in the area around Syntagma Square, such as Voukourestiou, Panepistimiou, Stadiou and Kriezotou. For a less rarefied shopping experience go to Ermou Street below Syntagma, where you can find chain stores like Zara, Artisti Italiani or Marks & Spencers and boutiques catering to the middle and lower end of the market, as well as pricier outlets like Lucifair or Anna Riska. The shops in the side streets off Ermou are also worth exploring and can turn up some real bargains, while prices tend to drop as you go down toward Monastiraki and Athinas.

At the end of Ermou you can either turn left into Plaka and Monastiraki for the fl ea market and tourist shops, as well as a fair selection of fur shops near Mitropoleos, or right into Athinas and the ‘poor man’s’ market. Here you can find discount household goods and foodstuffs, particularly herbs and spices. Also good for exotic foods and other items is the area below Athinas, which has been taken over by the various immigrant communities in the city. Worth a visit just off Omonia Square is the department store Notos Galleries Lamb-ropoulos (Lykourgou 7) where you can find almost anything from brand-name clothes to office accessories, or Notos Galleries Home (Kratinou 5, Kotzia Square), which sells everything you need for your home.