Greece: The Convenience of Kiosks

photograph by Kaymaria Daskarolis

Thank goodness for the kiosks dotting Greece’s landscape. Who doesn’t at one or another point absolutely need one of the items hawked at all Greek kiosks? After all, consumer wares like chocolate bars, packs of cigarettes, celebrity magazines, condoms, maps, phone cards, and bottles of water are among the most essential tools of daily life.
True, some of the items on sale at kiosks cost less at supermarkets and gas stations—for example, a candy bar at a kiosk goes for €.70, whereas at a supermarket you might pay €.45—but other wares, including bottles of water and phone cards, have identical pricing. No matter where you go, you will pay €1 for a 1.5 liter bottle of water and either €5 or €10 for a phone card.

So, when in Greece and in urgent need of something or other, do as the Greeks do. Go to one of your neighborhood kiosks. Most “periptera” are open from the wee hours of the morning (granted, for Greeks “early” morning business hours might begin as late as 10 a.m.) until 11 p.m. Some remain open 24 hours per day.