Shopping for Wines and Herbs?:
There's no shortage of pre-packaged herb shops, but this one offers unusual items, good prices, and a generally fresher stock.
Honey - Another Golden Greek:
Many shops carry only one brand of honey, but this offers a variety to choose from. My personal favorite is Orino, but almost all of them are good. Avoid pine or "forest" honeys - the best-flavored are the Thymian.
Find Your Essentials:
Essential oils are moderately hard to find in Greece. This is one of the few shops to offer an oil of dittany, the supreme herb of Crete.
Don't Whine There's No Wine!:
The back shelves of this shop are filled with various Greek wines. While they don't offer tastings, the staff will be happy to make a recommendation. Most bottles are priced between 6 and 12 Euro.
Pre-packaged Herbs:
I like their hand-blended "Herbs Good for Colds" which can do the trick even after you feel the cold has you in its grip. They also offer several sizes of packages of dittany of Crete. Look for green leaves and pinkish-toned flowers. It's sensitive to light, so the package on the bottom of the pile may be your best bet.
This shop is part of the Small Market in Heraklion, a couple of streets which end at the old Turkish baths building. You can find it by walking south from the Four Lions Fountain and taking the street just left to the El Greco Hotel. A produce seller's stand will catch your attention. Stathakis' shop is on the right hand side two or three stores down.
In the market itself, you can find everything from fine jewelry to the "1 Euro or Less" shop, broken up by traditional ouzeris (shops selling ouzo and the small snacks that accompany the drink), fruit and vegetable dealers, a decent if slightly pricy taverna called the Pantheon, shoe shops, and a number of standard souvenir stands. It's a nice mix of tourist traps and shops where the Greeks actually conduct business.
Kostas E. Stathakis
Traditional Local Products
1866 Street 12 (the address is #12; the street name is "1866 Street" after the rebellion of that year)
Iraklion, Crete
Telephone: (on Crete) 281-343
