During one of my late-night bike rides in the southern part of Athens, the sign of a shop caught my eye. The shop was named Filon Dorima (Φίλων Δώρημα), which translates as “Gift for a friend” or “A friend’s gift” but written as a wordplay with the Greek word “tip”. I really liked the concept, so I decided to stop by another day and time when it would be open. 

When I finally did visit, I met the two wonderful owners, Stella and Eirini, who welcome you with coffee or liqueur, depending on what time it is. I spent quite some time exploring the inside of this shop, which has thousands of presents, each handpicked by them. You can find literally anything — from little objects, jewelry, antiques to children’s toys. It is needless to say that I have re-visited the shop many times since then and I can honestly say that it takes a lot of time for me to choose a present.

What is also extraordinary is that the packaging, imagined and created on the spot, is worth just as much as the present. Based on the occasion and the person that the gift is meant for, the girls prepare the packaging to match the circumstance, so each one is unique!

Although it is not common for someone visiting Athens to go to Moschato, this shop deserves to be the reason to do so.