The most complete information guide about Athens, Greece
The
Central Market of Athens
You
can buy just about anything in Athens and even
on a purely visual level the city's markets
and bazaar areas are worth some hours wandering.
Among these markets, don't miss the Athens central
market. You will find it when you go up on Athinas
from Monastiraki to Omonia, on your right just
past Evripidou.
The
Athens central market (Varvakios Agora) is a great place
to save money on food. You’ll find halls of meat, fish,
vegetables and fruits from all over Greece. The market is
open Monday through Saturday from about 08:00 to 18:00pm.
This is a great place to buy meat, fish, vegetables, Greek
spices and herbs, cheeses and sweets and to see how Athens
is fed. Wear shoes as the floor may be a bit slippery, especially
in the fish market.
Assuming
that a restaurant within the Athens Central Market will have
the freshest products available, just about anywhere, we recommend
dining in one of the four working class (one is kind of a secret
underground restaurant in the vegetable market close to the
olive shops), no frills ouzeries and sit down restaurants in
the market. Doesn’t matter which one either as you may
have to wait in
line for a place to sit in these cramped but delicious establishments.
Try
the patsas soup. It is made of bull or lamb
stomach wall and lamb feet but it is a great
hangover killer and good for your blood. Patsas
is the working class food and it can be eaten
any time of the day. You will find restaurants
serving patsas in almost every Greek town. If
you like “life as it is”-photos,
don’t forget your camera. You’ll
need it.
In
addition to the central market, many Athenian
neighborhoods have a laeki agora or street market
on a set day of the week. Usually running from
07:00 to 14:00, these are inexpensive and enjoyable,
selling household items and dry goods, as well
as fresh fruit and vegetables, dried herbs and
nuts.
The
most centrally located ones are: Hansen street
in Patission on Monday; Lesvou in Kypseli and
Laskou in Pangrati, both on Tuesday; Xenokratous
in Kolonaki, Dragoumi in Ilisia, Tsami Karatassou
in Koukaki and Arhimidhous in Mets, all on Friday
and Plakendias in Ambelokipi (one of the largest)
and Kallidhromiou in Exarhia, both on Saturday.
Finally, if you're after Greek plants or herbs
, there's a Sunday morning gathering of stalls
on Vikela in Patission and plants and flowers
on sale daily at the Platia Ayias Irinis near
Ermou Street.