Ermou str, Athens

Think of it thisaway: An entire street to fulfill your shopping desires.

Think departmental stores, swanky boutiques, kitchy souvenir shops, classy cafes, the odd-looking fast food joints and swirling among these.......lots and lots of people.

Think of how you intend to spend your money. Think cashier registers ka-chinking away. Think shopping bags.

Think of the bills when you get home.

What to buy: Anything money can buy....as long as you have it!

What to pay: Anything money can buy....as long as you have it!

The Odos Ermou, or Hermes Street, is the biggest shopping street of the city. It has a long pedestrial area, to the east from Monastiraki Square, which turns into a road with traffic to the westside of the city.

In the Odos Ermou you can find anything you want. There are modern fashion store, pubs and restaurants, touristic shops selling nothing but souvenir, and especially in the area with traffic there are lots of vague shops selling antiquity.

But weither you buy thing here or not, it´s a pleasure to walk here. It´s always crowded, and there is a lot to see here all the time.

Okay that was in My last days when i returned from ElAl offices in Athens after discovering i had a problem with my ticket back home...
I left the Metro in Sytagma Sq. and went back to my hotel in the plaka through Ermou Street.
This Street is one of those streets which you have no chance to miss, its a very long one and goes from Syntagma Sq. (?) down to monastiraki area crossing the Plaka area.
You can find there Clothes shops (all brand names whether Locals or international), cosmetics, bags, shoes, books etc'.
I was somehow amazed to see the shoes shops there... so many of them and darn what a beautiful shoes... gosh i could buy at least 15 pers if only.... sigh...
I dont know why i was surprised... Maybe i had some wrong image of Athens in my mind ? Maybe...
However girls.. oh well guys too... If you like shopping when you're on a trip i think that in this case Ermou Street will be your place for that.

Ermou St is Athens' answer to Via del Corso or Via Veneto in Rome. Fashion central. Every imaginable type of clothing and apperal is covered along this long street. The street itself runs from the Monastiraki metro stop to the Syntagma Station and the Parliment building. In the middle is a a neat little church, whihc is not to be missed, called the Kapnikarea Church.

At night, many people (mostly young kids) gather here apparently for two reasons. One, to kiss each other... passionately and with determination. The other, is to make fun of tourists in between kisses.

Ermou street has not been yet like Las Ramblas in Barcelona, but sometimes this elegant street has the same charm...
You see here a woman who manages to steal the glances of the pedestrians with her interesting metamorphosis. There are also other such artists there.

There are many shops and this is the main street to go to find wonderful fashions.

The first day I arrived, the stores were closed, so their holidays are different than my holiday. but there were santas and vendors on the street. So, lots of tourist even on a closed down holiday.

Ermou Street is a shopping district with many international stores. Pictured is a Lacoste outlet with the familiar alligator logo. Juxtaposed against this modern international setting is the Kapnikarea church which has been there since about 800 A.D. (a modern building by ancient Greek standards). This is yet another example of the "old versus new" that I mention in my general tips.

What to buy: At a souvenir shop catty cornered from the Lacoste place, I picked up a t-shirt for my brother.

It is the main shopping street of Athens. Ermou street is an only-pedestrian one, which runs off Syntagma. There are numerous shops, most of them have women's clothes and, as natural, the street is full of nice girls. That makes the walk there even more pleasant...