The Laiki

If you hang around Athens long enough you’ll eventually hear the word laiki.

-I couldn’t find any cauliflower at the laiki today.
-Don’t buy those green peppers. The laiki is tomorrow.
-Aren’t these curtains cute? I got them at the laiki!
-I buy all of my fish at the laiki.
-Toilet paper is cheaper at the laiki.

So, what’s the laiki? (Pronounced lie-KEY)

It’s a farmer’s market with a just a touch of a discount store.

While seasonal fruits and vegetables are the main items you’ll also find fish, napkins, toilet paper, inexpensive kitchen utensils, mops, sponges, and even traditional incense and charcoal if you want your home to smell like the inside of an Orthodox church.

Every neighborhood in Athens has its own laiki day when all cars are banned and the street teems with housewives and their small, wheeled shopping carts overflowing with fresh produce.

Visitors staying in Athens for several days should ask around and see if they can find a laiki nearby their hotel. It’s a truly local experience.