Page 484 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

482  IT AL Y AND GREECE

Shopping & Entertainment Most theaters and music clubs
in the capital sell tickets
The choice of places to shop in Greece ranges from colorful, at the door on the day of the
bustling street markets, found in almost every large town, performance. A useful booking
through traditional arts and crafts shops, to the designer website is ticketservices.gr with
fashion boutiques of Athens. Entertainment is as varied; a convenient ticket pick-up
office in the stoa of Panepistimiou
visitors can try an open-air concert in the atmospheric setting 39. Tickets for the summer
of an ancient theater, watch a film at an open-air cinema, or Hellenic Festival and for
enjoy some late-night dining in a local taverna before concerts at the Mégaron
heading for a bar. With its dry, sunny climate and clear, warm Mousikís – Athens Concert Hall
seas, Greece offers countless opportunities for outdoor should be bought in advance.
activities, from snorkeling to windsurfing, sailing, and hiking. Elsewhere, your nearest
tourist office should be able
to provide information on
what is happening locally.
What to Buy For jewelry, Athens is the best
Traditional handicrafts, though place to shop. Exclusive names Entertainment Venues
often expensive, are the most include Antónis Vourákis and
genuinely Greek souvenirs. In Anagnostópoulos, on The main entertainment venues
Athens, Monastiráki and Pláka Voukourestíou. The Ilías in Athens host a wide variety
are the best places to purchase Lalaoúnis Jewelry Museum of events. As well as excellent
such items. There are also some has over 3,000 designs, productions of 19th-century
unusual antiquarian shops, inspired by Classical and other Greek and European plays, the
particularly near Plateía archaeological sources. National Theater puts on opera,
Avyssinías on Normánou, which ballet, and contemporary dance.
has dealers in old engravings The Mégaron Mousikís or
and nostalgic commercial logos. Markets Athens Concert Hall is a first-
Fans of Greek music should try Most large towns in Greece class classical and jazz concert
Zacharias, which has a large have a weekly street market venue, while the Olympia
stock of second-hand CDs and (laïkí agorá), where fresh Theater is home to the Lyrikí
vinyl, or for new stock the CD produce is sold alongside shoes, Skiní (National Opera). At the
shop at the Museum of Greek fabrics, and sundry household Dóra Strátou Dance Theater,
Popular Musical Instruments, items. In Athens, the ones on there is traditional regional
while at the fascinating Center Xenokrátous in centrally located Greek dancing nightly between
of Hellenic Tradition you can Kolonáki and on Tsámi Karatása May and September.
buy paintings, embroidery, folk in Makrygiánni take place every
art, and finely crafted ceramics. Friday. The busy Central Market Open-Air Cinemas
Some of the country’s best is excellent for food, while the
ceramics can be found in the famous weekend-morning flea and Theaters
markets and shops of Athens’ market in Monastiráki should Found in towns and cities all
northern suburb Maroúsi, and not be missed. over Greece, the outdoor
on the island of Crete. cinema is extremely popular
Brightly colored koureloúdes Food and Drink with Greeks and an experience
(rag rugs) and wall-hangings are not to be missed by anyone
produced in many Greek villages. Culinary delights to look for in visiting the country in summer.
Colorful flokáti rugs, which are Greece include honey, olives, Most movies are in English with
handwoven from sheep or goat’s olive oil, pistachios, and cheeses, Greek subtitles.
wool, are made mainly in the such as the salty feta. Also Open-air performances of
Píndos mountains, but can also worth trying are ouzo (an anise- Classical and modern drama,
be found in other parts of the flavored liquor), retsina (wine held at famous ancient
mainland and on the islands. flavored with pine resin), and archaeological sites, are an
Sold throughout Greece, the firewater tsípouro. equally popular form of
leather goods are particularly entertainment. The Herodes
noted on Crete, where the Atticus Theater hosts plays,
town of Chaniá hosts a huge Entertainment Listings as well as opera, ballet, and
and Tickets
leather market. classical music concerts,
Well-crafted copies of For detailed information on during the annual Hellenic
ancient and Byzantine Greek entertainment in Athens, try Festival (mid-June to early
art can be found in museum the weekly Athinorama, (in September). The theater at
shops in many of the major Greek only and also at Epidaurus in the Peloponnese
cities. In Pláka in Athens, athinorama.gr) or the website is the venue for the ancient
Orpheus offers good quality www.culturenow.gr (also in drama portion of the Hellenic
reproduction Byzantine icons. Greek only). Festival in July and August.

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