list below covers the main areas but bear in mind that this is subject Most foreign visitors are always surprised with the number of locals sitting at tavernas, cafes and bars in Athens. The introduction of shop opening on seven selected Sundays and every Sunday in 10 pilot areas has been a significant development for the retail sector. The ancient citadel is located up on a hill, overlooking the city. Orthodox Good Friday variable dates, though stores are open 1 pm - 7 pm. Day of the Holy Spirit variable dates, usually early June. Monday & Wednesday: 9 am-3 pm; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9 am-2 pm and 5.30 pm-9 pm; Saturdays: 9 am-3 pm; almost all shops are closed on Sundays. Often times, we lack the energy and passion for that. Get answers to your questions about Santorini, IMPORTANT - Water shortage on Santorini - please read, Santorini for the mobility-challenged tourist, Need input for an itinerary for a full day, Best Area/Hotel for Family Stay with Toddlers, Best thing to do in Santorini in May 18 2023, Please help! Read on for a few ideas! My best suggestion is to use taxi apps such as Uber, FreeNow and Taxiplon. "@type": "Question", They also emphasise that this decision is a violation of equal competition to the detriment of small enterprises and at the same time essentially destroys local markets, transferring turnover and consumption to selected regions and selected shops. Regarding the opening hours on Sundays, shops are allowed to be open from 11:00 to 20:00, while the employment of workers is paid in accordance with the provisions of the labor law, which define additional remuneration for work on Sundays. On Saturdays, the shops close at 6pm. Generally the hours between 2.00pm and 5.30pm are dedicated to lunch and This article should help you decide what clothes to bring to Greece. If you are in Athens on a Sunday and you like street markets, you are in for a treat. As this event is very popular, I strongly suggest that you get there early to get a good viewing spot. After the end of the parade, you can follow the Evzones back to their barracks. However, you will come across various stores (mini-market, wholesale As an example, you can watch the ceremonial Changing of the Guards on Syntagma Square, or visit the extended Sunday markets around Monastiraki area. If you happen to be in Athens on a Sunday, you should definitely find some time to visit. In many countries, Sundays are special days. https://www.thisisathens.org/useful-tips/holidays-opening-hours WebA pilot scheme allowing shops to open every Sunday in 10 Greek regions, including the historical centres of Athens and Thessaloniki, was announced in 2014 by the Deputy Minister for Development and Competitiveness. Retail stores will open at 13:00 until 19:00 on Good Friday and on Holy Saturday from 07:00 until 18:00. They are both on Monastiraki square, and offer a great view of the Acropolis. Apart from the Acropolis, some of my favourite things in Athens include the Changing of the Guards, the National Archaeological Museum, the Varvakios market and walking along the pedestrianized Dionissiou Areopagitou street. In Berlin, the Senate determines eight Sunday openings, Hamburg has four at the moment. They cannot operate as a 'shop-in-a-shop'. may stay open, so do many kiosks, all Official website of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, Share your moments and memories with us #VisitGreece, All visitors are encouraged to download our app, for free before or upon arrival in Greece. the sacred afternoon siesta, especially in the hot summer. This includes the sprawling Varvakios food market. Department stores are open Monday-Friday: 10 am-9 pm Saturday: 9 am-8 pm or 10 am-9 pm, depending on the store. Overall, the National Gardens are a great place to escape the heat of the day. This is with the aim of avoiding congestion and to tie in with the introduction of staggered working The government established the measure, following a suggestion by OECD, as a means to remove market barriers and to promote growth, competitiveness and employment. One of them is a short walk from the Acropolis metro station. This website is property of Civitatis Tours SL. Every time a center or outlet announces a Sunday opening or other special opening hours, its a moment of great joy The enactment of Law 4177/13, which established the free opening for seven Sundays in a year, together with the pilot free opening in 10 areas for 52 Sundays, abolished the pre-existing legal framework, where the shops could operate freely only on the Sunday before Christmas except the tourist areas (for these shops there were local agreements). If you need a chemist on closing days or at night you can see which one is There are literally hundreds of restaurants, tavernas, bakeries and snack bars where you can eat in central Athens. Allow enough time for the fantastic museum. Let me know in the comments! ", However, entry to the Acropolis is free on the first Sunday of the off-season months (November March). Shops open around 9.00 am and close around 1.30 or 2.00 pm Monday to Saturday. On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday they are also open from around 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm. Always closed on Sundays and holidays. Most offices keep the same times as shops but they are often closed on Saturday. This possibility is provided for each region and municipality in the country, by an annual decision of the regional vice-governor, following consultation with the social partners in each region. and are they open on Sundays? There was a similar reaction from OIYE, which noted that it is unacceptable for employers' organisations that neither represent nor express the views of the retail sector to get involved in the issue of Sunday trading. As of November 2021, shop owners with businesses in the historic center of Athens will have the option to remain open on Sundays, according to a Greek government decision. The employees federation (OIYE) announced a series of rolling strikes of shop workers against both the seven Sundays in the Law and the Sundays of the pilot all-the-year round opening. All rights reserved. "@type": "Question", "acceptedAnswer": { Generally open throughout the day until evening Monday to Saturday. The law also This is where people came to discuss, socialize and buy certain goods. the supermarkets, main post-offices and telephone offices. Apart from Monastiraki and Plaka, there are some more Sunday markets in Athens, some distance from the centre. And if you want to avoid entrance fees, there are some free museums and galleries in Athensthat you could visit on a Sunday or any other day. Apart from kiosks, sweet shops, florists and many tourist shops everything "name": "What is there to do in Athens on a Sunday? Opening hours of shops in Plaka Athens are quite long, with many stores remaining open well after dark. In Bavaria, Sunday openings are somewhat of a hot topic - the state with a largely Catholic population takes "holy Sunday" quite serious and so per year, it only allows for up to four Sunday openings maximum that all have to be in connection to specific events (christmas markets, fun fairs, city festivals). Eurofound, Wyattville Road, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin, D18 KP65, Ireland The restaurant will be open On Milos and Syros the shops will be open on Sundays from April 1 to October 31. Most museums in Athens have different opening hours depending on the season and day of the week. Currently these businesses in the neighbourhoods of Plaka, Acropolis and Monastiraki, can open on a voluntary basis on Sundays from May to October, with the exception of the second Sunday in August. Ermou street is the pedestrianized street running from Syntagma metro station to Monastiraki square and beyond. "@type": "Answer", One or two are, and have been all summer, but the vast majority are up and running and very busy. Clean Monday (Ash Monday) variable dates; 40 days before Easter, marking the start of Lent. You can wander around the impressive monument and visit the small, informative museum. The issuing of the ministerial decision and the more general attempt to introduce Sunday trading caused a series of reactions from the relevant sectoral organisations of small and medium enterprise (SME) employers theNational Confederation of Hellenic Commerce(ESEE) and the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants(GSEVEE) and employees the Federation of Private Sector Employees (OIYE). Unless you are planning to take a guided tour, its a good idea to read a little about Ancient Athens before you visit the archaeological sites. Or you can always arrange a taxi through your hotel. While this is a great way of spending your Sunday in Athens, there are tons of other things to do. GSEE accused the government of ignoring the common position of the overwhelming majority of those involved in the retail sector as represented byESEE, GSEVEE andOIYE which have appealed to the Council of State against the ministerial decision that essentially abolished Sunday closing, while lodging a memorandum with the Council of State. The pilot program was to be implemented for one year in the regions of "@context": "https://schema.org", "acceptedAnswer": { In recent years, there have been ongoing talks about shops being open on Sundays. Arguably the most interesting Sunday market Athens is close to Eleonas metro, on the blue line. times vary widely. August 15 - Assumption of the Virgin Mary, October 28 Oxi Day (National Holiday), December 25 & 26 - Christmas & Boxing Day. As an example, you can watch the ceremonial Changing of the Guards on Syntagma Square, or visit the extended Sunday markets around Monastiraki area." WebRe: Are the shops on Santorini open on Sundays? WebIn addition, there are six obligatory, official public holidays: New Year's Day, 25 March, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, 15 August and 25 December. are closed so you may have to drive a bit before you find an open one. Have you been to Athens on a Sunday? They come every Sunday from 6am, searching through piles of things for hours. Though the Gardens are not massive, there is a huge variety of trees and plants. These days, you will see many Athenians sitting out and enjoying a coffee or meal. Two of my favourite places to sit for a coffee are A for Athens and 360 rooftop bar / hotel. One thing you should note if you are in Athens on a Sunday, is that most of these places will be busier than on weekdays, as Athenians come out to eat as well. Athens is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, and one hour ahead of Central European Time. You may be familiar with the Evzones, the Greek Presidential Guards dressed in traditional Greek costumes. Shopping hours are a somewhat complicated matter in The Acropolis hours on Sundays are the same with all other days. Dont miss the area just below the museum, where you can see the remains of several ancient houses. Lets see a few things you can do if you are in Athens on a Sunday. Start with Koukos Spyros, whose shop is in the covered arcade that connects Stadiou with Perikleous Street. You will then be very close to thePanathenaic Stadium. You are visiting TheLabelFinder in Thessaloniki. Get in touch with our travel specialists and design the trip of your dreams! 307) issued on 15 September 2014, it placed a temporary ban on the pilot operation of shops on 52 Sundays of the year in the 10 chosen regions of the country until the final hearing of the case by the plenary session of the Court on 7 November 2014. As an example, attractions like the Acropolis or the Acropolis museum remain open as normal. Supermarkets in Athens are also closed on Sunday. That said, I have occasionally seen some of them being open on a few other Sundays as well. Apart from the Acropolis and the Ancient Agora, there are a few more archaeological sites you can visit in Athens. This massive, open-air market is marked as onGoogle Maps. Also, bear in mind that the military guards will be cordoning people off at certain times. For most people coming to Athens, the number one activity is a visit to the Acropolis. As in many similar markets, you will find that the products on sale might not be legitimate and quality is often questionable. With Law 4177/2013, the government introduced the free operation of all shops in Greece, regardless of size, for seven specific Sundays of the year. Super markets will open at 09:00 and will close at Also, have a look at this article about shopping in Athens. The hearing has taken place and the final decision, which was originally expected during January 2015, was issued at the end of February 2015. High street stores are generally closed on Sundays, with a few exceptions throughout the year. } Greek cats Beautiful, independent, happy, unique! You can spend ten minutes or several hours around the Monastiraki Athens flea market. Its one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Athens, and one of the most colourful. How are you finding restaurants closed if you arent in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Exact closing times during shoulder months vary, so its best to check the official website. The Monastiraki flea market is full-on! Note: Most shops in the centre stay open throughout the day on Monday and Wednesday, and do not close for the 2.5 hour break on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Another archaeological site you should visit in Athens is the Ancient Agora. This Athens street market is the best place in central Athens to get your fix on antiques, traditional cutlery and crockery and random bric-a-brac. The implementation of the measure during the summer period is judged as successful by the government, which predicts it will create more growth and employment, and stimulate spending. Also, follow these other tips to make sure that you dont get a heatstroke. ", There, the Sunday openings always have mottos or themes and are accompanied by special events throughout the city. Information and Communication Technologies, Economic and social inequalities in Europe in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, The rise in telework: Impact on working conditions and regulations, Living, working and COVID-19 in the European Union and 10 EU neighbouring countries, About Eurofounds random probability surveys, European Working Conditions Surveys (EWCS), European Monitoring Centre on Change - EMCC, European Observatory on Quality of Life - EurLIFE, European Observatory of Working Life - EurWORK, Database of wages, working time and collective disputes, Greece: Changes to shop opening hours and working time, study from the OECD cited by the government. , though stores are open 1 pm - 7 pm dates ; 40 before! Some time to visit Presidential Guards dressed in traditional Greek costumes day until evening Monday to Saturday 6am searching... The ancient citadel is located up on a Sunday, you will find that the military will. 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