We have resently purchased an apartment in Polycrono and we want to buy a washing machine on our next visit in april can anyone advise me of web sites/stores to get the best deal.

John Kirton

Hi John

We have just purchased a place in afitos, that is why i am over end or march beginning of April, I am sort of in the same situation so when i get any good tips etc. i will pass them on. Most of the furniture we hope to purchase from Ikea which you may have seen as you travel from thessolonika airport, i negotiated washing machine and dish washer in the apartment i have got but i will ask my builder where is the best place to purchase from.

Good luck,

regards

Phil

When we lived there before we bought our washing machine from Kassandrea town from a shop called Samaras. It was more expensive than Thessaloniki but delivery was free. Also he always gave us a discount on whatever price was displayed and it was not too bad at all. In fact we bought a TV, Video recorder, coffee table and fan off him and got good prices.

Thessaloniki has a Makro, not been yet but apparently good prices, not sure of delivery charges though. There is also Kotsopoulos in Thessaloniki which sells electrical goods.

Ikea wasnt open when we last lived over there, but we will go there for bits and bobs when we start our three years stint later this year. Thankfully our apartment has air con, washing machine, dishwasher etc, so we dont need to do that this time. We are renting for three years on the other side, Mola Kaliva.

Cheers

There is ,on ring road of Thessaloniki, the Praktiker , a german chain of discount- no food- with very good prices. Dear Jane it is impossible, I believe, go to the Makro for the reason , as Metro in Italy, that is reserved to commerce operetors.Kotsopoulos, near Ikea, is very expensive.Ciao! to everyone.

Beppe, sorry forgot we have friends who own a cafe and therefore have a Makro card. Kotsopoulos we bought a few small items from and they were reasonable. I still say negotiate locally with Samaras or similar and you might get a good deal. They are obviously wanting to get local business and were extremely friendly and flexible with us.

Ciao

Dear Jane, really try Praktirer ,it's fantastic! I bought a lot of items . You can find everything- no food I repeat. I forgot to reply to you about when we start for porto carras. I'll go in the end of April with a friend of mine who is purchasing a big sailboat but we 'll stay only 8 days. With the two dogs and wife ( first dogs! please) we have reserved- a lot of money!- Superfast 16 of June , with return 27 of July, if there will be no problems with the fantastics labrador. And after I'll return in Greece in sept/ oct, to winterise the boat. As you can see is a big problem for the reason that it is dangerous travel by Serbia and the ferry is very expensive and at my age I cannot travel in deck.
I understood that, like us, you don't go in Greece for touristic reason but for love for this country, his history, his culture, his people. And this is the best motivation. Ciao!!! Beppe

Thanks Beppe, we will try Praktirer, really we will. We go end March for 3 weeks to get set and ready for our three year stint. We had already booked for USA in June for a month and paid, so unfortunately ! (not really, we will enjoy it) we have to go on this holiday first. However we then go August til December, and we are going superfast ferry and taking our dog too, a labrador too ! We have booked all our hotels on the way as it is peak season and no problems at all with dog.

Enjoy your trip. Keep posting on this site and you never know we might meet up with you and your wife. It would be nice. I assume you are Italian. We have good Italian friends here in Derby, UK too. We like Italy, but as you say Greece is for the love of the country, history, culture and people.

We too are too old to travel in deck (not that old, 50 and 53) but we like comfort nowadays. Just so pleased we could take our dog in cabin. We have previously used Minoan which was good, but we had no dog and I used to visit the dogs in the kennels on the TOP deck and wonder how the owners could sleep easily with their dogs up there. I dont know about your dog, but my dog would jump into a watering can never mind the sea ! So good to keep her with me.

Ciao again, good trip and keep posting.

John and Phil, I have a place in Athitos and got all my furniture from Ikea - who deliver (they'll wait until they have van full for Halkidiki before they'll deliver - it took 10 days for our stuff to arrive, so maybe factor that in, if you have to go back to the UK). As others have explained, Ikea is right by the airport. On the same shopping park, there's a shop that is a large Curry's/Comet - forget what it's called, but it's around by the McDonalds. You can get all your white goods, elctricals etc. there and they'll deliver - they were delivered in just a couple of days. Prices are all comparable to the UK, if not a little cheaper. There's another one on the opposite side of the road to Ikea, don't know what it's called. For small things like Kettles etc., Masoutis and the other supermarkets on Kassandra sell those sorts of things. There's also small independent shops for all sorts of household goods in Kassandria.

Thanks Matthew, Wheres your place in afitos i have a place there, This is good inforamtion as i was going in March and was going to rent a transit type van or get ikea to deliver but 10 days might cause a problem. The Transportation company: tel. number is +30 2310 490522 if anyone is interested. Any ideas where i can rent a transit van?

Phil, I didn't search that hard, but I couldn't find van hire - it's all geared up for the tourist car hire, so relied on deliveries. You'd get one in Thessaloniki, but I don't know where. The only thing I can think of, apart from asking a local, and It is probably a long shot, as it's not their usual line of work, but someone on the staff of the British Embassy might know. They probably live local and might even be kind enough to look it up for you. They were happy to give me names of lawyers so, you never know. tel = 0030 2310 278006

With Ikea, you may just hit it lucky that they'll have a van full and deliver the next day, or like us, you may just have missed one and have to wait a while. It's all a bit hit and miss and a bit nerve-wracking when you've got to get a flight the next day and your stuff still ain't turned up!!

Our place in Athitos is an apartment in a new block built more or less next to the Stratos Hotel. It's on a road going out of the village when you turn left by the bar where all the old boys sit, opposite Christos restaurant.

Where's your place?

think i know the place does Maria keep an eye on it for you, i did look at one in the same place as yours, i think i met your parents when i visited in October i was going to buy a place in the field they may remember me, but it fell through so i went for a place which overlooks the sea on the outskirts of town i think it is next to the hotel Zeus?.

Looks like i am having to have a bit of a panic as far as the furniture goes.

regards

Phil

Phil, yes, Maria keeps an eye on it for us. It was probably my in-laws you met, as I remember them saying they spoke to someone who was looking to buy. I've got a rough idea where you are - the other side of the village. Nice views over there. We'll be over for the whole of June, so if you're there then, get Maria to point us out on the beach and we'll compare notes on furniture deliveries!

I am over at end of march for 10 days then again over end of july for 3 weeks.

Phil

Hi I have had an apartment in Nea Kalikratia for Nearly 20 years. I have found CAREFOUR quite good for electrical and food whilst ou are their.
Does anybody know a good plumber as I am looking at a new bathroom to be tiled and shower unit
to be fitted.

Hi can you tell me were the nearest CAREFOUR is to polychrono and is it the same type of shop as they have in france.

Hi John the nearest CAREFOUR is actually on the bypass going into Thessaloniki so it is a fair way from Polychrono. Yes they are the same group as they have in France.