Call Pete & Joanne
+1 (862) 222-0442 (EDT)
Shopping for Jewelry in Greece
A guide for our customers and friends buying gold and silver jewelry on vacation.
Updated June 2026
You are in Santorini, Mykonos, the Plaka, or some other breathtakingly beautiful place. You are happy, maybe in love, and you want something of beauty and permanence to remember your time. Our advice; "do it!". Buy something that lets you take a piece of that warm sun and blue Greek sky with you for the rest of your life.
What is the best way to buy jewelry in Greece? Just make the most of it by taking this advice on your journey...
What is the best way to buy jewelry in Greece? Just make the most of it by taking this advice on your journey...
Quick answers — the short version of everything below, if you're in a hurry.
When is the best time to shop for jewelry in Greece? Shopping before lunch is best. It means better service with fewer crowds, and a clearer head for judging value before vacation drinks set in.
What should I ask a jewelry store in Greece before buying? Ask who made the piece, whether it's solid silver or gold or has plating (like rhodium), and whether the piece can be resized without disrupting the design.
Do I get the full 24% VAT back when buying jewelry in Greece? No. After provider fees, the realistic refund is roughly 12–15% of the purchase price, not the full 24% VAT rate.
Is there a self-service VAT kiosk in Athens like Paris's PABLO system? Not yet. Unlike France's self-service PABLO kiosks, Athens still requires a staffed Customs office to stamp your tax-free form.
Where is the Customs office at Athens International Airport? It's located across from Check-in Counter 61 in the public access area, and travelers must visit before checking in or dropping off luggage.
What if I'm connecting through another EU country on my way home from Greece? You must get your customs stamp at your last EU departure point, not in Athens, if you're flying home via another EU country.
1. Shop And Buy Before Lunch
Better Service: Shopping before lunch usually gives you a little more elbow-room to peruse the offerings (fewer crowds and more attention from a salesman if you need it)
Drinking and Shopping: Every salesman in the tourist-trade (anywhere in the world) knows that the "balance of power" starts to change after a few lunch-time drinks. Nobody is being evil; people just handle life differently. Our advice is to enjoy lunch! Have a good time … you're on vacation! Just save the big spending 'til the following morning!
A Better Eye: If you shop before lunch you will get better value. As the hours pass during the day and the sun's heat starts melting away your ability to reason you'll start getting pulled into the vibe that is Greece. You'll start buying jewelry that goes better with all the windmills and temples than with your environment back home.
The morning will bring a clear head, and with it the likelihood of buying something that goes with "your look", something you can wear back home every day but that still pulls you back to the beautiful place where you found it!
A store displaying 18k fine jewelry in Athens Plaka district
The back of a cross made by Gerochristo, marked with 925 (sterling silver), 750 (solid 18k gold parts), workshop code Ωτ15, and GR (made in Greece)
2. Ask These Questions
Who Made This? If you want to check the knowledge level of a salesperson ... simply ask who made the piece. If you happen to know (from our site) that it is Kouzoupis or Gerochristo ... then they should know that too. If they can't say, or if they simply go with the generic "we made it here", it typically means they don't know as much as they should and that they also may be mistaken about the stones or service levels available.
Can I get this resized? Most rings can be sized at least a little, and most jewelry shops either have the ability to do it in house or somewhere nearby. First look at the band and see if it has any design-work that will be interrupted by the cut they make. Ask questions about this if you do see it because their "resize" may simply involve a stretching of the band rather than a cut. AND; if they want to stretch the band we advise only doing so if it has no gemstones. Rings that have full granulation and/or detail all around the ring (an example is our Maramenos & Pateras Collection) are nearly impossible to resize without seeing disruption in the design.
Is this Rhodium or Gold plated? Always ask if it's solid silver or gold AND ask if there is any plating on the piece. Silver often gets a rhodium plating to keep it from oxidizing … and it looks great on the shelf but after a year or two it will wear off in a blotchy sort of way (which coincidentally may be when you first discover your allergy to silver)! Some jewelry shops "back home" can re-apply a rhodium plating to a piece so it won't be a total loss, but it will cost time and money (and inconvenience) so be sure to ask about it before buying.
What's the tiny number stamped on the jewelry? Find it - that's the purity hallmark, and it's the fastest way to know exactly what you're buying:
750 = 18k gold (75% pure gold) — common on higher-end Greek pieces
585 = 14k gold (58.5% pure gold)
375 = 9k gold (less common, lower-end)
925 = sterling silver (92.5% pure silver)
GF/GP = gold-filled or gold-plated (NOT solid gold)
Look for it inside a ring band, on a necklace or bracelet clasp, or on the back/post of earrings — it's small and sometimes worn down, so a loupe or your phone's camera zoomed in helps. No stamp doesn't automatically mean it's fake (older pieces made before the Greek law), but it's a fair question to ask the seller directly, especially on anything you're spending real money on. If there's no marking, think twice.
For what it's worth: by Greek law, every piece now made must be stamped or etched with a workshop code and metal type — and for the jewelry we sell, we include a card with each piece confirming the same, plus any gemstones. You won't have to go hunting for it with a loupe.
3. Be Aware of the 24% VAT — and a More Realistic Airport Process
We're not customs lawyers, and these rules shift year to year — but based on 20+ years sourcing directly from Greek workshops and helping customers navigate this exact process, here's the current picture: Greece's VAT is 24%, and it's already baked into the price on the tag (no surprise line-item at checkout). If you qualify for a refund (you live outside the EU, and your purchase meets the store's minimum spend — commonly around €50), the merchant can issue you a tax-free form right then. You'll need your passport on you while shopping, which remains the most annoying part of the whole program.
Don't expect Paris-style speed. A lot of our customers have shopped in Paris, where French customs uses self-service "PABLO" kiosks — you scan a barcode on your phone or paper form before security, and most travelers are approved electronically in a couple of minutes with no officer involved. Athens hasn't gotten there yet. The customs stamp at Athens International Airport still requires a staffed Customs office (located across from Check-in Counter 61), and — important — you have to do this before you check your bags, so keep your jewelry in your carry-on, not your suitcase.
Rules and procedures can change — for the most current customs and refund info, check Athens International Airport's official guidance.
The actual steps:
1.
Buy your jewelry and get your tax-free form (passport required) from the merchant.
2.
At the airport, go to the Customs office before check-in/bag drop — not after security. Bring your passport, the form, your receipt, and the jewelry itself.
3.
After you clear security, look for a Global Blue or Planet refund counter (these are today's operators — Premier Tax-Free is now Planet, and Global Refund is now Global Blue, so don't go looking for those old names on the signage). Take cash on the spot (minus a handling fee) or have it credited to your card (usually a few weeks).
Build in extra time.
New EU passport-control rules (the Entry/Exit System) took full effect in March 2026, and Athens airport is now recommending arrival 2.5–3 hours before your flight just for that — plus the VAT stamp step. Don't cut it close.
One more thing: if you're connecting home through another EU country, get your customs stamp at your last EU departure point, not in Athens.
Net-net: budget on getting back roughly 12–15% of what you paid, not the full 24%. Still well worth it on a nice gold piece — just don't expect a tap-and-go like you might be used to elsewhere.
The Flip Side of the VAT Story: Declaring Jewelry at US Customs
Getting the VAT refund sorted in Athens is only half the trip home. US Customs requires you to declare everything you acquired abroad — including jewelry — when you land back in the States.
Returning US residents get an $800 personal exemption per person, duty-free. Go over that, and duty applies only to the amount above $800. Most fine jewelry falls under low or 0% duty rates, but the declaration itself is required either way, exemption or not.
The myth that trips people up: wearing the jewelry instead of packing it does not get you out of declaring it. CBP officers are trained to account for it either way — on your wrist or in your suitcase, it's the same declaration.
Keep your receipt. Write a specific description on the declaration form ("18kt gold necklace, 20 grams") rather than just "jewelry" — it makes the process faster and gives you something to point to if anyone has a question. Honesty here costs you nothing if you're under the exemption, and saves you a real headache if you're not.
A small, slightly self-serving aside: none of the above applies if you shop with us — no VAT, no Customs detour, no airport math, and we eat the import fees too, so the price on the page is the price you pay. Same Athens and island workshops — Gerochristo, Maramenos & Pateras, Kouzoupis, Yianni, and others — just go to Greece for the souvlaki and sunsets, and order the jewelry from us. 😉
4. "Text a Friend" (we're here to help)
Are you getting a good deal? Are you getting good info? Feel free to text us at: +1 (862) 222-0442, use the chat here on this website, or email athena@athenagaia.com
Send us a photo of the piece you are looking at, it's gold weight and the store name and location as well. Or just ask us your question! Read a bit about us here.
Transparency: We reserve the right to be competitive if we think the store's price is ridiculous, or if they don't know who made the piece (see part 2 above), or if they can't get you the size and options you want. In those cases we will at least tell you what options you have with us. But we really do want you to fly out of Greece with great memories and a beautiful piece of Greek jewelry to go with them!
So if you get a little stuck don't hesitate to contact us.
And if you have already been to Greece and are looking for a special piece try browsing our Greek Jewelry by mood! Any of those pages might bring you back to Greece — at least for a few moments :-)
Send us a photo of the piece you are looking at, it's gold weight and the store name and location as well. Or just ask us your question! Read a bit about us here.
Transparency: We reserve the right to be competitive if we think the store's price is ridiculous, or if they don't know who made the piece (see part 2 above), or if they can't get you the size and options you want. In those cases we will at least tell you what options you have with us. But we really do want you to fly out of Greece with great memories and a beautiful piece of Greek jewelry to go with them!
So if you get a little stuck don't hesitate to contact us.
And if you have already been to Greece and are looking for a special piece try browsing our Greek Jewelry by mood! Any of those pages might bring you back to Greece — at least for a few moments :-)
Once you have shopped and wandered the streets of the Plaka (the old part of Athens), it's fun to get above the busy walkways and tourists, and enjoy lunch or early dinner in the cool shadow of the Acropolis. Here we are (Joanne and Pete) at a favorite taverna stop: Psaras Tavern.