Last Updated 26/02/2009 © Villa Ralfa 2009
Gay owned and run accommodation, and lodgings, bed and breakfast hotel and inn for the independent gay travel ler near Hersonissos, Crete, Greece
SHOPPING is an integral part of a holiday for many visitors whether it be clothing, food, or souvenirs of some description.
Visitors to villa Ralfa who are self catering will need to shop for food and we are within easy reach of supermarkets in Port Herosnissos, and in Old Hersonissos Village where you will find a bakery, butchers, and two greengrocers as well as the Dia supermarket which has almost everything you need! Nearby there is also a kiosk where you can buy bottled water, sweets, crisps, tobacco etc. The small local map we provide marks the relevant sites for you. Serious grocery shoppers who have a car might also like to visit some of the larger supermarkets, such Carrefour, in the city. For an interesting morning out we recommend a trip to the ‘gypsy’ open air market, which is a very good place to buy fruit and vegetables as very reasonable prices. There are markets in Heraklion on Thursday and Saturday, at Alikarnassos near the airport on Tuesday, and in Agios Nikolaos on Wednesday. These are all easily accessible by bus, although a car is useful. These markets also have clothing and other items such as Gucci and Chanel sunglasses for a remarkable €5 or €8!
Imported foods are expensive as they are in all other holiday destinations so if there is really something you cannot do without then we suggest you bring it with you, unless it is particularly heavy! For the English, of course, this will include tea bags as the local brew is very weak and English brands such as PG Tips are expensive!
There are also clothes shops in Port Hersonissos but be aware these can be expensive, although the goods are mainly ‘branded’.Iif you do need to shop for clothes for a special night out then we suggest you visit Heraklion where you will find some very different and stylish clothing at very reasonable prices.
SOUVENIRS are perhaps the main purchase as nearly everyone likes to take home a momento of their visit. These can range from something bought in the €1 shop to expensive pieces of ceramic art, jewellery, or lacework with prices up to several hundred euros.
Forty years ago it was a custom to barter for goods in Greece, we would ask you not to do so in these modern times (you don’t barter in Asda, Walmart, or Carrefour and neither can we!), as Greece is a modern economy and there is little chance that the man you are buying from produced the item himself. He would have had to pay a fixed price and he has fixed costs in terms of rent, services, staffing and social costs (these alone are set to rise by 30% this year!). Attempting to barter will in many cases cause only embarrassment, particularly if you then produce a piece of plastic to pay for the goods. (Credit and debit cards are still unusual in Greece and commissions charged by banks can very high!), Having said that if you go armed with cash when you shop there is never any harm in asking for a cash discount but don’t expect half price, just ask if there is any cash discount.
Note that nearly all the souvenirs you can buy are made in Greece and many are made on Crete, not in China!
Visitors to villa Ralfa who are self catering will need to shop for food and we are within easy reach of supermarkets in Port Herosnissos, and in Old Hersonissos Village where you will find a bakery, butchers, and two greengrocers as well as the Dia supermarket which has almost everything you need! Nearby there is also a kiosk where you can buy bottled water, sweets, crisps, tobacco etc. The small local map we provide marks the relevant sites for you. Serious grocery shoppers who have a car might also like to visit some of the larger supermarkets, such Carrefour, in the city. For an interesting morning out we recommend a trip to the ‘gypsy’ open air market, which is a very good place to buy fruit and vegetables as very reasonable prices. There are markets in Heraklion on Thursday and Saturday, at Alikarnassos near the airport on Tuesday, and in Agios Nikolaos on Wednesday. These are all easily accessible by bus, although a car is useful. These markets also have clothing and other items such as Gucci and Chanel sunglasses for a remarkable €5 or €8!
Imported foods are expensive as they are in all other holiday destinations so if there is really something you cannot do without then we suggest you bring it with you, unless it is particularly heavy! For the English, of course, this will include tea bags as the local brew is very weak and English brands such as PG Tips are expensive!
There are also clothes shops in Port Hersonissos but be aware these can be expensive, although the goods are mainly ‘branded’.Iif you do need to shop for clothes for a special night out then we suggest you visit Heraklion where you will find some very different and stylish clothing at very reasonable prices.
SOUVENIRS are perhaps the main purchase as nearly everyone likes to take home a momento of their visit. These can range from something bought in the €1 shop to expensive pieces of ceramic art, jewellery, or lacework with prices up to several hundred euros.
Forty years ago it was a custom to barter for goods in Greece, we would ask you not to do so in these modern times (you don’t barter in Asda, Walmart, or Carrefour and neither can we!), as Greece is a modern economy and there is little chance that the man you are buying from produced the item himself. He would have had to pay a fixed price and he has fixed costs in terms of rent, services, staffing and social costs (these alone are set to rise by 30% this year!). Attempting to barter will in many cases cause only embarrassment, particularly if you then produce a piece of plastic to pay for the goods. (Credit and debit cards are still unusual in Greece and commissions charged by banks can very high!), Having said that if you go armed with cash when you shop there is never any harm in asking for a cash discount but don’t expect half price, just ask if there is any cash discount.
Note that nearly all the souvenirs you can buy are made in Greece and many are made on Crete, not in China!