If you are traveling with checked luggage
Olive oil. The Greeks have had it in their blood since the Neolithic period. They still hold the world record in terms of consumption: 24 liters of olive oil per year and per capita! That's ten times more than the French. Although the country is only the3rd largest producer in the world (behind Spain and Tunisia), the quality/price ratio cannot be compared with the imported olive oils found in France. As for varieties, Greece is home to 80 types of olives, 25 of which are used for oil. If the most famous producing region is the Peloponnese with the immense "seas of olive trees" of Kalamata (more than 40 million trees), a third of the oil actually comes from Crete, where it forms the basis of the famous Cretan diet. Thus, of the 20 production areas with a PDO in Greece, Crete has eight (Messara, Selino, Thrapsano ...). The Peloponnese comes just after with seven PDO (Kalamata, Argolide, Laconnie ...), while three other less known are in Macedonia (Metaggitsi and Agoureléo) and on theisland of Thassos (Throuba). The red logo of these PDO is a guarantee of quality. But there are also the beautiful oils of the monasteries, those of small organic producers, or those pressed by families themselves, sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet. You will have a vast choice. Depending on how much room you have left in your luggage, you can choose between the small tourist vial and the 5 liter container. But try to add a bag of olives to eat. The best ones, without a doubt, are the kalamaton (from Kalamata). Purple and fleshy, they are irresistible.
Honey. Sometimes liquid, it is likely to be refused by airport security in carry-on luggage beyond a volume of 100 ml. In any case, make sure your jar is well closed. It would be a shame to ruin your suitcase unpacking and one of the best honeys in the world. As the third largest producer in Europe, Greece offers an often exceptional "nectar of the gods". Its quality is due to the impressive biodiversity of the country. And the risks of buying fake honey are lower than elsewhere, since Greek bees have escaped - for the time being - the hecatomb seen in our country. Some of the best honeys in Greece can be found in the small beekeepers of Evia, Thassos, Skopelos, Zakinthos and Rhodes. And Arcadia (Peloponnese) has a PDO for its fir tree honey Menalou Vanilia.
Wines and spirits. A small ouzo is pleasant, in the evening, in summer. But after a few glasses, it's a guaranteed headache in the morning. Prefer the tsipouro of Macedonia or the raki of Crete, more natural and less industrial alcohols than the famous aniseed drink of Lesbos. As for wines, always to avoid certain undesirable effects, we find more and more organic wines. The geological and climatic conditions here are ideal to do without pesticides. The three most prestigious appellations are those of Nemea (Peloponnese), Naoussa (Macedonia) and Santorini (Cyclades). The latter, with its creeping vines and mini-volumes, is the most expensive, especially in white. But a red of the xinomavro grape variety from Naoussa is still very affordable, and almost as fine and delicate as a Burgundy. You can buy almost any brand of ouzo, including the famous Barbayanni, at the supermarket, and wines directly from the estate(ktima in Greek). There are also some good wine shops, such as the French-speaking Bientôt (Thessaloniki) and Heteroclito (Athens). For raki and tsipouro, the production is more confidential, sometimes only family owned. You will have to investigate with the locals. But be careful, of course, because alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health.
If you only have one carry-on bag
Icons. For a painted icon (from 20 to 1,000 €), go first to the monasteries. To have the status of a sacred image, it must have been made by a monk and/or a pious person. In the big cities, some specialized stores offer images from Mount Athos and other prestigious monasteries. This is the case in Athens, in Pandrossou Street (Monastiraki) and in the Byzantine and Christian Museum. Be sure to pack your icon well for air travel, as the airline reserves the right to place some hand luggage in the hold just before boarding
Pistachios. Greece is the 6th largest producer in the world (11,000 tons/year). The best variety is the Fistiki Aeginis, the Aegina pistachio, protected by a PDO since 1997. The island of Aegina, with its 34 km2 of pistachio trees, is therefore the most recommended place to buy good, not too roasted seeds, recognizable by their green color. Prefer those of the agricultural cooperative(fistikiaegina.gr). It gathers half of the 300 producers of the island and has a wooden kiosk on the quays.
Jewelry, leather goods and clothing. Athens is full of small designers and craftsmen. At the Benaki museum store, we recommend the contemporary and inexpensive jewelry of Alexis Papachatzis, who also has a store in Plaka (6, Erechtheos street). Also in Plaka, beautiful leather bags that cannot be found outside of Greece are waiting for you at Marouli (150 Adrianou street). For chic clothes, head to the B38 boutique in Kolonaki (38 Voukourestiou Street) where the two most prominent designers in the country will surprise you, especially with their prices
Mountain tea. The Greeks drink very little tea, but they make a lot of infusions from local herbs. The most common one is called tsai tou vounou, literally "mountain tea". It is the Sideritis, a plant growing above 1,000 m altitude on the rocky soil of the southern Balkans. Praised by Hippocrates in the 4th century BC, it is reputed to prevent and relieve colds, flu and certain allergies. In Greece, it comes in 17 varieties with different virtues: Sideritisclandestina from Mount Taygetos, Sideritisscardica from Mount Olympus, Sideritis syriaca from Crete, etc. Dried, this "tea" can be kept for two years and the leaves, the yellow flowers and the stems are infused. It is easily available in markets, herbalist shops and some gourmet stores. Usually sold in 40-50 g batches, the package is quite large (40 cm high) and costs about 2 €.
