Made In Thessaloniki Shopping Tour
Thessaloniki, Greece
From EUR 99.00
Office phone number: +30 698 067 9166
Made In Thessaloniki Shopping Tour
Thessaloniki, Greece
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
When in Rome, you do as the Romans do… so when in Greece, shop like the Greeks! If you want to bring a piece of Thessaloniki home with you, then we have you covered with our Made In Thessaloniki tour. We won’t show you where to buy magnets, coffee mugs or other kitsch items — instead, you will spend your morning shopping like a local. Be prepared to browse, smell, taste and shop the best the city has to offer!
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Highlights
- Discover the varieties of Greek coffee and taste one at the flagship store of one of the oldest companies in Greece
- Learn how to play with worry beads at an artisan’s studio
- Buy unique local delicacies from a good old-fashioned grocery store
- Learn about the medical use of rare Greek herbs collected from Mount Olympus
- Taste the best tsoureki (a Greek sweet) at one of the first patisseries in the city, and take one home with you
- Stroll around the neighbourhood that’s home to Thessaloniki’s last remaining craft artisans
- Shop for unique clothes and perfumes, all made in Greece by local designers
- End your day sipping famous wines from the region while nibbling local delicacies
Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour:
- Visit the workshop of one of the last remaining kombolói artisans in Greece, and support local artists making traditional worry beads.
- Support local farmers by buying and trying speciality Greek foods at a completely organic shop that sells food from small local producers.
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Schedule details
- Duration: 4 hours
- Meeting point:
Kinissi Palace Hotel, outside the hotel's café. 41 Egnatia Street and 17 Siggrou Street.
View on Google Maps.
- Find the exact meeting point with what3words:
- Starting time: 10.00 AM
- Ending point:
Tsimiski Street, which is the commercial hub of the city.
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, Greek coffee, traditional local sweet, 2 glasses of local wine (red/white), a meze platter (local appetisers).
Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs or personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide and driver.
We will start our day just as the local Greeks do, sipping a freshly brewed Greek coffee. You’ll learn all about this coffee culture from one of the oldest traders; in 1919 the brothers of the Loumidis family — Antonios, Nikos and Iason — opened their own general store in Piraeus. It was a grocery store that was the first selling point of Loumidis Coffee. Since then, their business has expanded not only throughout Greece but worldwide.
If you look around at the other customers in the coffee shop, you will probably notice that most of the men are playing with kombolói, or “worry beads.” Kombolói is a string of beads that are passed through the fingers as a way to fidget away the time and are a part of traditional Greek and Cypriot culture. They’re also a great souvenir to take home and are sold in just about every tourist shop in Greece — but we won’t take you to just any tourist shop. Instead, we’ll lead you to the workshop of one of the last remaining kombolói artisans.
Next up, we’ll visit a gastronomic shop that boasts shelves carrying the "heritage" of the Greek land, all honouring small producers. We’re talking about olives, olive oil, honey, and other organic products — and these are just some of the hundreds of items that you can find in this store that first opened its doors in 1920!
We’ll then head to a herbal paradise. Greece is famous for its unique herbs and spices, which are not only used for cooking but also as a medicine. We’ll visit one of the most famous herb shops in Greece and learn all about their use as a raw material in medicine, perfumery, fabric painting and, of course, the kitchen.
Before strolling further through the artisans’ quarters of the city, we will have a bite of Thessaloniki’s most popular sweet: a tsoureki. (And maybe you’ll want to bring one home with you…) With the sweet taste left in our mouths, we’ll wander through the neighbourhood of the last remaining handcrafted traders and artisans. Here, you will have the opportunity to buy locally made souvenirs such as t-shirts, mugs, bags and a wide selection of perfumes made only with Greek ingredients.
With our hands full of shopping bags we’ll end our tour sipping local wines (two different varieties) and nibbling on a platter of local goodies. Here your friendly guide will bid you farewell, but not before giving you suggestions on where to go for discount shopping and bargains.
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, Greek coffee, traditional local sweet, 2 glasses of local wine (red/white), a meze platter (local appetisers).
Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs or personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide and driver.
Dress standard: Please wear comfortable shoes for walking.
Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.
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Dietary Notes
This tour can accommodate dietary restrictions. Please notify us in advance of your dietary needs. You can do so in the Additional request’ box at checkout, or by emailing us at info@thessalonikiurbanadventures.com.
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Local contact
Office phone number: +30 698 067 9166
Email address: info@thessalonikiurbanadventures.com
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