AND....what to buy in Greece...

Corfu, Katakolon, Mykonos, Santorini.....

What is a good keep sake to buy in each port $5 - $100???

why not wait until you get there and buy an item that has meaning or significance to you?

This won't make a good souvenir to take home, but I highly recommend a huge, sticky piece of baklava, dripping nuts and honey. It will give you a great memory of the day, anyway!

Well, since I am a shopper I will add my list...... :D

I always try to pick up a book on the place I am visiting. They usually run around $8.00 - $10.00 and I have a "stacks" of them on the bottom shelf of my coffee table. Every once in a while I pick one up and flip thru the pages.....

or...... how about a cd of music from ____________. This too will instantly take you back to _____________. :)

or...... most places will have an artist or two selling water colors or prints of the most well known places - I have a whole collection framed that go up my stairwell.....

Scarves or pareos are another favorite of mine. Sometimes I drape them across the table whenever I serve a Caribbean dinner (have some from Costa Rica, Mexico, Barbados etc) or Spanish dinner (gets one from Barcelona)........

On Santorini I splurged and bought a decorative coin pendant..... I also collect those....but more than $100. I'm afraid :(

Then there are the usual items..... on Mykonos they have wonderful leather goods like sandals/purses. Or evil eye items (they ward off bad spirits). Perhaps some small bottles of ouzo (liquor) or olive oil. On Corfu I bought some wonderful soaps.... they are known for their olive oil soaps but have many wonderful kinds.

You will find lots of stuff to buy - I know I did.

Buy calendars with photos of the islands-5x7 inches. On Santorini they had calendars of only Santorini and then those of mixed islands. I bought 8 of them, but I had to keep

2 for myself- they were too beautiful to give away. The honey on Santorini is delicious.

They also had keychains with special blye eye and other good luck amulets. For yourself, the jewelry on Sanotrini is gorgeous and unique, byzantine and reporductions of ancient style but very expensive due to price of gold.In Mykonos beautiful also but more moduren style. If you see olive oil soap anywhere, that's a good present too, but buy some for yourself. In Corfu, I hear they make kumquat liquor.

I'm making a list......all sound wonderful!

why not wait until you get there and buy an item that has meaning or significance to you?

if I know what is available I might bypass that immediate impulse buy and wait, looking for these special items.....

I may save for a piece of special jewelry, I see some offered on line, I like that idea. Ouzo (ah I know it well), olive oil soap(s),honey, and I WILL most definately be eating my way through as much baklava - my favorite!

Art work, I always get something to hang on a wall. In Athens bought a religious icon. I am Not a very religious person, but it reminds me of all the churches we saw, and they sold them in every other shop. May have been more then $100, but it is a life long piece for your home. Better then a cheap t- shirt.

Has to also be olive oil.

The first time I was there (2004) I bought a pair of gold/silver hoop earrings. I still wear them 24/7. I only take them out once or twice a year. I went to a very nice jewelry store and I aslo got a nice discount. I also purchased a couple small vases/urns. Small enough to put in my luggage.

This past year I purchased pashminas for myself and as gifts. The prices range from about 10 Euros to several hundred. Most of the other ladies in our group purchased a nice piece of jewelry.

I also purchased Ouzo candy balls. They are very good.

In Mykonos and other places, the handbag stores also sell small macrame (or crochet?) handbags, really nice for summer parties, etc. They are small and flat and make nice presents.

I Santorini, there are very nice jewelry stores, especially in Oia.

Due to the price of gold, I switched to silver. I fell in love with the Blue Lapis stone in Greece and bought many pieces. Two bracelets, two rings, and a pendant. Then for my birthday my friend bought me another pendant. And none of the pieces were over $50. I want to say in the $15 - $35 range. They all have the Greek symbology as well as the Blue Lapis stone. So anytime I wear them, I immediately think of Greece.

Then a special treat in Sirince (Kusadasi port stop) we found a great jewlery store where my friend found a moonstone pendant and I found a jade & Marquisite pendant. The store took US dollars and I only had $40, so even though he wanted $50, he discounted it to the $40. I was happy. I now wear that pendant almost everyday on a silver chain I bought on the ship at the "per inch" kiosk.

If you can't tell, I love jewelry and usually buy some wherever we travel. It doesn't take much room in the luggage and you always have something to remember a place by.

The olive oil soaps and lotion are great for gifts. I smell Crete every time I wash my face,

Due to the price of gold, I switched to silver. I fell in love with the Blue Lapis stone in Greece and bought many pieces. Two bracelets, two rings, and a pendant. Then for my birthday my friend bought me another pendant. And none of the pieces were over $50. I want to say in the $15 - $35 range. They all have the Greek symbology as well as the Blue Lapis stone. So anytime I wear them, I immediately think of Greece.

 

Then a special treat in Sirince (Kusadasi port stop) we found a great jewlery store where my friend found a moonstone pendant and I found a jade & Marquisite pendant. The store took US dollars and I only had $40, so even though he wanted $50, he discounted it to the $40. I was happy. I now wear that pendant almost everyday on a silver chain I bought on the ship at the "per inch" kiosk.

 

If you can't tell, I love jewelry and usually buy some wherever we travel. It doesn't take much room in the luggage and you always have something to remember a place by.

This all sounds good, I love earrings and love the signature pieces that represent a place......silver is my favorite......thanks for the tips

The first time I was there (2004) I bought a pair of gold/silver hoop earrings. I still wear them 24/7. I only take them out once or twice a year. I went to a very nice jewelry store and I aslo got a nice discount. I also purchased a couple small vases/urns. Small enough to put in my luggage.

 

This past year I purchased pashminas for myself and as gifts. The prices range from about 10 Euros to several hundred. Most of the other ladies in our group purchased a nice piece of jewelry.

 

I also purchased Ouzo candy balls. They are very good.

What are pashminas? I take it you can negotiate prices even in the stores?

What are pashminas? I take it you can negotiate prices even in the stores?

Beautiful scarves http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashmina.

I bought one of mine in a store and they would not budge on the price. I guess it depends on the store. It doesn't hurt to ask.

How much.....can't wait to get a bunch for xmas gifts...they are soft I take it....

How much.....can't wait to get a bunch for xmas gifts...they are soft I take it....

Just so long as you realize that pashminas do not come from Greece. In all likelihood they are selling knock offs made in China, just like the $7 ones you can buy in NY Chinatown. Yes, they are soft and make great presents, but buyer beware. A real pashmina, will cost you a lot more $.

Just so long as you realize that pashminas do not come from Greece. In all likelihood they are selling knock offs made in China, just like the $7 ones you can buy in NY Chinatown. Yes, they are soft and make great presents, but buyer beware. A real pashmina, will cost you a lot more $.

how can you tell the difference?

Yep, alot of them come from China or elsewhere.

While in Istanbul at the Grand Bazaar we stopped at a pashmina stall...... they had all sizes, shapes, colors and of course........ some cheap and some not so cheap. Check the tags - all the ones I have looked at all over the Mediterranean have had tags. Cashmere is something that can be felt..... you can't mistake the feel of real cashmere ! Many in the tourist stalls are made from synthetics or blends. You can tell by the feel and the look. Shiny is not good !

We purchased 3 for dh's secretaries (mid price - a blend) and one absolutely drop dead gorgeous one for his mother......it was made in Turkey (had a tag!) and even with bargaining it was $$big bucks$$. But all handmade (you can tell !) and embroidered etc.... She loved it.

Like any other fine souvenier - research what you are planning on buying.... how to tell a good one, the price and just be prepared to bargain for the good ones !

Yep, alot of them come from China or elsewhere.

 

While in Istanbul at the Grand Bazaar we stopped at a pashmina stall...... they had all sizes, shapes, colors and of course........ some cheap and some not so cheap. Check the tags - all the ones I have looked at all over the Mediterranean have had tags. Cashmere is something that can be felt..... you can't mistake the feel of real cashmere ! Many in the tourist stalls are made from synthetics or blends. You can tell by the feel and the look. Shiny is not good !

 

Hum....ok, I suppose thinner too?

We purchased 3 for dh's secretaries (mid price - a blend) and one absolutely drop dead gorgeous one for his mother......it was made in Turkey (had a tag!) and even with bargaining it was $$big bucks$$. But all handmade (you can tell !) and embroidered etc.... She loved it.

 

what does big bucks mean?

A tag saying what? Just stating where is was made so you know not china?

 

Like any other fine souvenier - research what you are planning on buying.... how to tell a good one, the price and just be prepared to bargain for the good ones !

Perfect, this is all helpful....and sounds like somethign I'd like to get, still need to knwo what big bucks is?

Perfect, this is all helpful....and sounds like somethign I'd like to get, still need to knwo what big bucks is?

The one that I saw that WAS made in Greece was about 175 Euros. The workmanship was beautiful. The ones that I bought were for occasional use and the style and design were more important than the fact that they were not made in Greece.

The one that I saw that WAS made in Greece was about 175 Euros. The workmanship was beautiful. The ones that I bought were for occasional use and the style and design were more important than the fact that they were not made in Greece.

Ouch......that is a big price.....I would only get one then......thanks

I agree that pashminas make great presents (don't forget to keep some for yourself) as they are easy to pack - ie they pack flat and don't take up too much room in the suitcase.

If your trip also takes in any part of Turkey, you will find them cheaper there than in Greece. If you shop for them at a stall or small shop, rather than a large emporium-type shop, then you can definitely bargain. I have was in this area twice last year and bought 10 - 12. I didn't pay more than 10 euros for any of them. The labels don't say where they are actually made, but they are labelled "Pashmina". Some say 55% pashmina 45% silk, others say 70% pashmina 30% silk. Pashmina is goat wool, just like cashmere. The "pashmina" goats are a special breed indigenous to the Himilayan high country in Pakistan and northern India (see the link with this info in a previous post on this thread).

Maybe I'm a "cheapskate", but I feel that around 10E is sufficient to pay for gifts - unless the person is VERY special. My friends have loved them. I have also kept some for myself and wear one often (especially in cooler weather) either as a wrap or as a scarf.

Enjoy your trip - especially the shopping !!!

You can slap a label that says anything on anything. There is no "pashmina" "appellation controlee" like in wines. If they are asking 7-15 euros, chances are that synthetics are most of the fabric. On the other hand, those are nice looking scarves that make nice, inexpensive presents. Just don't think you can get the real Himalayan wool in some Greek island for 10 euros. (Same thing if you go to South America and buy "real" alpaca wool scarves in the market for $3! And don't forget, you can get the same "pashminas" at any street corner in NYC for $7!)

Greece has lovely sheep and goat wool and I am sure they make beautiful, comparable scarves. However, they are not "real" pashminas and, yes, they can be high quality and very expensive.

Whenever there is so much fake stuff going around, I stay away from the pricey stuff and get the cheaper items knowing full well that they are not the real thing. I am not knowledgeable enough to tell the difference, so I pay the low price for presents I know will be enjoyed without pretensions.

Actually, someone asked how to tell a real pashmina from a fake. There is only one answer and winter is the perfect time to find out. You must see them side by side. Here is how. Go to you street corner vendor and buy a $10 pashmina in a light color, camel is best. Put it around your neck and go to the most expensive store in town. Say, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf's. Nothing much lower than Saks. Look at their 100% pashminas, not at silk blends. Put the "pashmina" around your neck next to the store pashminas. You'll know and you'll be spoiled for life.

The questions are: do I care? will the people I buy presents for care? will I be able to tell all fakes? will I know so I'm not cheated?