Last updated: 15 Jan 2026

Touched with island magic, this curated list of keepsakes, body care, and edible souvenirs uncover special ateliers and smart finds. Uniquely Greek, stylish, and of the moment, they make winning gifts for loved ones back home. Not enough time to shop? Many are available at Athens airport.

Perhaps the secret to Aphrodite’s beauty is not as elusive as one might think. But little known are Greece’s homegrown skincare brands drawing from its rich bounty of herbs and botanicals.  Newcomer The Naxos Apothecary is one, created by the founders of Korres (a pioneering local pharmacy staple – hand cream set pictured here). Combining homeopathy and phytotherapy in formulations packaged in modern-elegant luxe, it’s Greece’s answer to Aesop or Diptique. Both brands are available at the Athens airport.

There’s always an archaeological site to explore somewhere nearby in Greece. The Benaki Museum Shop in Athens allows you to take home memories of special encounters with objects of old. Carrying a selection of faithful museum replicas reproduced by craftsmen using ancient techniques, we love the elegant simplicity of their Cycladic collection (Cyladic bowl and tablet pictured here).

Here are toys that grown ups get just as excited about. Playmobil’s 12 Gods of Olympus take imaginations to the mythological worlds of ancient Greece. Another collection features characters from Aesop’s fables classics. Available in store from Forget Me Not, check out other fabulous memorabilia from this treasure of a gift shop in Plaka – the ancient heart of Athens. We’ve also seen the range in island toy shops and some mini marts.

In a variety of Greek motifs from Cycladic architecture to Evzones soldiers, Thalassa’s ties and scarves (available in shops in downtown Kolonaki and Kifissia) continue to diffuse vacation vibes to its beholder post-holiday. Sea You Soon’s Pareos are the perfect multi-tasking beach and travel accessory, doubling up as a shawl for planes and chilly evenings, or a pram cover.

Vefa’s Kitchen is a compendium of recipes providing enough guidance to open a Greek restaurant. Also bearing a striking cover, it works as a coffee table book if ever one’s culinary enthusiasm runs dry. Or step right into a Greek home kitchen with Alexandra Stratou. Cooking with Loula uncovers the soul and spirit of Greek cooking. Busy moms will appreciate the section on simple and healthy weekday dishes. Lastly, our favourite go-to chef on YouTube released an English cookbook (Akis Petrezekis – Greek Comfort Food) in 2019. With easy to execute and reliable recipes, it’s the next best thing if you can’t bring Akis home with you. A selection of Greek cookbooks is usually available at the airport in Athens.

Greek sweets don’t get a lot of attention, and are often misunderstood. Until you try something from yiayia’s (term for a Greek Grandmother) oven, or select confectioneries that don’t overdo the servings of sugar. One such confectionery is Thessalonki-born Terkenlis, available at Athens airport. Eye-catching tiffany blue boxes of chocolate-coated tsoureki (a sweet bread a little like challah) aside, they also have the classic baklava, and our favourite Christmas-time cookie – melomakarona. And then there are “spoon sweets” (fruit preserved in syrup – quince is our favourite type pictured here). Heap them over a good Greek yoghurt for a most luscious quite-healthy sweet treat. Its a revelation.

Greece is an Eden of aromatic herbs. Mountain tea or sideritis is mild, floral, rich in antioxidants and beautifully paired with honey. Brew, sweeten, and shake with ice until frothy for cool summer drink that will refresh any a hot day. Or drink hot as is. Elegantly packaged and tinned, Anassa (available from most supermarkets) knows the importance of packaging design for gift-giving.

Wine producers since the Neolithic era 6,500 years ago, the Greece’s wine scene is, just now, up-and-coming. Indigenous varieties like volcanic soil grown Assyrtiko (Santorini’s Sigalas Assyrtiko will not disappoint) and Moschofilero (try Semeli Mantinia) are exclusively grown in Greece, and great wines to try and gift. Its white wines generally have a better reputation that its reds.