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Greece Travel : Shopping And Money
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by: DamonGallagher
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Word Count: 335
In this installment of our guide to holidays in Greece we look at what you can expect there in terms of shopping...
The country isn't famous for its shopping, but travelers to Greece can buy distinctive and high quality local products. Local handicrafts and wines and spirits can be unique purchases. Greece also offers good jewelry, metalwork, pottery, rugs, lace, knitwear and leather goods.
Almost all Greek cities have large shopping malls with internationally recognized major retailers and brands. However, prices in these shopping centers are similar to those in other Europe countries, you unless they are holding sales you won't get any real bargains.
Haggling is only tolerated in tourist souvenir stores and in some family-owned arts and crafts shops. But in all other cases it achieves nothing and is considered rude. In places where haggling is accepted, you can get at least 10-20% off the price, and being able to speak a little Greek is likely to help you get the lowest possible price.
Value Added Tax (VAT) is charged on most goods. This is normally included in price tags, but be alert for the rare exceptions. In some shops, non-EU residents can make tax-free purchases by asking for a VAT voucher when buying a product. If such vouchers and the relevant items are shown to a customs officer when the traveler is leaving the EU, a VAT refund can be provided.
Greece's official currency is the Euro, and other currencies won't be accepted at all. You can easily exchange currency can easily in larger cities and in any touristed area though. Banks tend to offer the best exchange rates, followed by specialist shops, and then automated currency exchange machines. When changing money, it's a good idea to get mostly smaller notes, and nothing larger than a 50, as many businesses will be reluctant to accept them.
ATM machines are ubiquitous. Visa, Mastercard and Eurocard are widely accepted in hotels, retail outlets and travel agencies, but some restaurants and local souvenir shops will not accept them.
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