The best fashion and gift stores Ionian Islands

Timetable

Shops are generally open Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 8pm, with a closing period at lunchtime. However, opening hours are adapted to tourist numbers: it's not uncommon for a store to close at 10pm, or even later, during the high season. Out of season, the opposite is generally true, with many tourist stores on the islands simply closed.

Budget & Tips

You'll find cheaper items in the markets or cooperatives where the locals go. Credit cards are generally accepted in all stores. Finally, without being smokers, we feel obliged to point out that the price of a pack of cigarettes in Greece varies from only €4 to €5, sometimes more than half the price in France..

Sales

The periods (increasingly frequent) and habits are the same as elsewhere in Europe, including Black Friday! Nevertheless, the main sales periods are in January and February, then again in July, but the islands don't necessarily follow these calendars, especially in high season when it's a question of earning enough to last the rest of the year. As a result, you'll find the best bargains in the major cities, which don't depend solely on the tourist season.

What's very local

Bargaining isn't exactly de rigueur in Greece. But a discount is sometimes offered if you pay in cash... On a day-to-day basis, you can buy all kinds of local produce in the islands' grocery stores, bakeries and mini-markets. Outside the towns, a few farmers sometimes sell surplus produce from the back of their vans. As for fishing on the coast, it often goes directly to tavernas and restaurants. But some fishermen will sell you what's left. Just ask nicely.

In Corfu, be sure to try the kumquat and all its by-products. This small orange citrus fruit, originally from China and first introduced to Corfu by an English agronomist, is now one of the island's gastronomic symbols. Available in liqueurs, creams, fruit conflicts, sweets, jams and even soap, this citrus fruit has clearly dethroned lemons and oranges!

Tourist traps

Many items sold in tourist resorts are not made in Greece. Beware of fake local souvenirs: anti-evil bracelets, sponges, pumice stones, reproductions of icons or antique statuettes are rarely Greek-made. Always opt for an artisan rather than the made-in-China souvenir stores that flood the streets. And, wherever you go, beware of counterfeits: customs on arrival will be merciless if you get caught!