Books, Gadgets and Small Shops in the Heart of Thessaloniki – New Year’s 2026 gift ideas

From long-standing family-run bookstores to second-hand bookshops and stationery stores dedicated to calligraphy and book accessories, the city centre is home to small, independent spaces that value reading, reuse and craftsmanship.

Whether you are visiting the city or living here without Greek as your first language, these shops offer English- and French-language titles, bilingual editions and thoughtful book-related gifts — all while supporting local communities.

Written by Dora Psoma Photo credits Sophie Andrikou Charitidou

ANIKOULA Bookstore — a family-run landmark near the Arch of Galerius

The Anikoula Bookstore, located opposite the Arch of Galerius in central Thessaloniki, is preparing to celebrate 70 years of continuous operation. Run today by sisters Effie and Ria Anikoula, the bookstore remains a living family legacy, carefully maintained and deeply rooted in the neighbourhood.

Inside, wooden sliding shelves reveal one bookcase after another, making browsing part of the experience. Every book is placed with intention — close enough to catch your eye, easy enough to pull out for at least a quick flip-through. Time slows down here, especially during the holiday season, when people come in looking for a New Year’s gift and often leave with something more personal than they expected.

Effie and Ria seem to know almost every title in the shop, including hard-to-find ones. They assist long-time customers as naturally as they welcome younger visitors and university students looking for academic textbooks. Quite often, the latter leave carrying an extra book — usually the result of a well-aimed recommendation and the right question asked at the right moment.

Alongside new releases, novels, illustrated books and much-loved reprints, Anikoula also has a strong selection of foreign-language titles. With a gentle push, one of the sliding shelves opens up to reveal a dedicated section — a quiet reminder that this is a bookstore shaped as much by curiosity as by habit.

Recommended picks at ANIKOULA Bookstore

A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens A beautifully produced English-language edition of one of the most iconic Christmas stories. A classic choice for the holiday season, accessible to readers of all ages and ideal as a festive gift.

SALONIKI (ΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ) — a photographic album A black-and-white photo album documenting the city over the past 25 years, with images from neighbourhoods, university campuses and the historic centre. A visually driven publication that works as both a keepsake for visitors and an alternative way to explore Thessaloniki beyond guidebooks.

International fiction in translation

Anikoula maintains a carefully curated selection of translated novels by internationally known authors, available in English and other European languages. A good option for readers looking for contemporary literature while travelling.

Practical information

ANIKOULA Bookstore Egnatia Street 148, 54621, Thessaloniki Near the Arch of Galerius (Kamara) Website: https://anikoula.gr/ Landline: +30 2310 235 297, +30 2310 265 126 E-mail: info@anikoula.gr

Goliard Used Books — second-hand books with a life of their own

The Goliard Used Books has been operating since 2021 as a second-hand bookshop in the heart of Thessaloniki. Most books are priced between €2 and €20, with an average price of around €5, while a small number of rare titles reach significantly higher values. There are no strict categories or polished displays here — browsing, searching and accidental discovery are part of the experience.

The name Goliard is not accidental. According to Merriam-Webster, goliards were wandering clerical students in medieval Europe who turned to satirical poetry after failing to secure a place within the official structures of the Church. The reference fits a space that operates slightly outside the mainstream, where books circulate freely and resist standardisation.

While speaking with the shop’s owner, Asterios Angelakis, about second-hand books and whether people in Thessaloniki feel comfortable giving used books as gifts, a customer standing nearby joined the conversation. “Normalize second-hand gifts” she said casually. The comment summed up both the philosophy of the shop and its atmosphere — informal, open and welcoming.

Goliard also carries a strong selection of foreign-language titles, attracting visitors and collectors from abroad. For travellers, expats and readers interested in sustainable gift-giving, it is a place where books are not treated as disposable products, but as objects meant to be read, passed on and rediscovered.

Goliard Used Books Alexandrou Svolou 19, 54622, Thessaloniki Email: goliardusedbooks@gmail.com

Shakespearikon — poetry, translation and a living literary community

Σαιξπηρικόν/ Shakespearikon Editions & Bookstore marked 20 years of continuous presence this past year. Founded and run by poet, translator and publisher Giorgos Alisanoglou, Shakespearikon is a bookstore and small publishing house dedicated primarily to poetry, theatre and literary translation. For two decades, Alisanoglou has been quietly weaving the thread that connects a community of writers, translators and readers. Shakespearikon functions not only as a place to buy books, but as a meeting point — a space where literature is discussed, read aloud and shared. A central focus of Shakespearikon’s catalogue is translation, with a strong emphasis on bilingual and multilingual editions. Through these publications, the bookstore opens pathways to literary traditions beyond the English- and French-speaking worlds, including Nordic countries, the Balkans, the Arab world and Latin America. This approach makes Shakespearikon particularly accessible to international readers interested in poetry across languages.

While we were visiting, translator and writer Vasilis Papageorgiou stopped by, and the conversation turned to an upcoming symposium dedicated to John Ashbery — a small but telling moment that captured the role of Shakespearikon as a living cultural space rather than a typical bookstore.

Shakespearikon also offers carefully priced editions, making poetry accessible to students, young readers and anyone curious to explore literary voices through translation — an ideal stop for visitors seeking books at travel across languages.

Selected bilingual editions at Shakespearikon (international-friendly)

One of Shakespearikon’s defining features is its commitment to bilingual and multilingual editions, where the original text appears alongside the Greek translation. This makes the bookstore especially appealing to visitors, expats and readers interested in poetry across languages and also those who have recently started learning Greek. • AN AMERICAN PRAYER (ΜΙΑ ΑΜΕΡΙΚΑΝΙΚΗ ΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΗ) — bilingual edition (English–Greek), translated by Giorgos Alisanoglou

A symbolic and visceral body of poems exploring life, death, desire and rebellion. Morrison’s language speaks directly to younger readers and first-time poetry readers, while the bilingual format allows close reading across languages.

• TIME ENTERS IN (Ο ΧΡΟΝΟΣ ΜΠΑΙΝΕΙ ΜΕΣΑ) — bilingual edition (Greek–Norwegian) A carefully translated selection of poems by the Norwegian poet Knut Ødegård, offering insight into Nordic poetry through parallel texts. A strong example of Shakespearikon ’s focus on less-accessible literary traditions. Translated in Greek by Sotiris Souliotis • STILL (ΑΚΟΜΗ) — Translators of Shakespearikon choose foreign poets One of Saixpirikon’s most representative publications is the anniversary anthology ΑΚΟΜΗ. In this volume, nearly all translators who have collaborated with Shakespearikon over the years select significant poems from the 19th and 20th centuries and translate them into Greek. Each poem is presented alongside its original text, making the anthology bilingual by design.

The anthology features poems by major international figures, including the following

John Ashbery, Luis Cernuda, Halldór Laxness, Nanni Balestrini, Audre Lorde, Estela Díaz Varín, Samuel Beckett, Jorge Luis Borges, Ivan Negrišorac, Jacques Derrida, Arthur Rimbaud, Edith Södergran, Michael Strunge, Tomas Tranströmer, Paul Celan and Ted Hughes.

STILL (ΑΚΟΜΗ) encapsulates Shakespearikon’s approach to literature: translation as dialogue, poetry as shared ground, and the book as a meeting place between languages, eras and readers.

These editions highlight Shakespearikon’s approach to poetry as a shared linguistic space, where reading becomes an act of comparison, listening and cultural exchange — particularly meaningful for readers who move between languages.

Finally, we are reminded that Poetry is not the only way Shakespearikon approaches language and meaning. Visual storytelling plays a similar role. The photographic album THESSALONIKI (ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ) by Ippokratis Tavlariοs complements the bookstore’s bilingual poetry editions by offering a non-verbal way of engaging with the city — through images that document everyday life over the past 25 years.

THESSALONIKI (ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ) — photo album by Ippokratis Tavlarios A black-and-white photographic album documenting Thessaloniki over the past 25 years. Most images are taken in the Saranta Ekklisies neighbourhood, around the university campus and across the historic city centre. A strong visual portrait of everyday life in the city — ideal for visitors and readers who connect through images rather than language.

Shakespearikon Bookstore & Editions Patriarchou Ioakeim 8, 54622, Thessaloniki Tel: +30 2310 220545 Email: saixpirikon@hotmail.com

3 essential book gadgets for book lovers

PELAGIE — stationery, book accessories, calligraphy & sewing

Tucked away on a small street next to the Rotunda, right in the very heart of Thessaloniki, Pelagie is a shop for those who love writing, paper, calligraphy pens, stickers and everything related to books. Here you’ll find objects that bring you closer to vintage aesthetic — small, everyday things chosen with care and attention to detail. As the motto suggests: “it’s the little things”.

For books you plan to give as gifts, Pelagie suggests pairing them with one — or more — of the following book gadgets:

1. Wooden ex libris stamps, to mark your books and give each one a personal identity

2. Bookmarks, for readers who return often to their pages

3. Book bags, for everyday use and safe transport of books

At Pelagie, it’s not only about what you give, but how you give it. In the calligraphy classes hosted here, writing is treated as an action: you hold the pen, you try, you make mistakes, you find your rhythm. And when it comes to gift-giving, wrapping is a whole process in itself. Because here, the wrapping matters — literally and metaphorically. Paper, ribbons, ex libris stamps, bookmarks and book bags are carefully brought together, with time and attention. The result is not simply “wrapped”; it’s a small ornament, ready to sit under a Christmas tree and steal the spotlight.

PELAGIE — it’s the little things Website: https://pelagie.gr/ Address: Arrianou 6, 54635, Thessaloniki Tel: +30 2310 248 626

Our takeaways

As the year comes to a close and the festive season sets the pace, gift-giving becomes a chance to make more thoughtful choices. In the very centre of Thessaloniki, small and independent bookshops continue to operate within an environment increasingly shaped by chains and standardised consumption. This season, choose to walk, browse and shop locally. Pick a book, a second-hand edition or a small book-related gift from independent spaces in the city centre, and support the people who sustain everyday culture, conversation, and a living relationship with books. A simple choice, perhaps — but one that carries its weight as the year turns.

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