Shopping hours

Extended shopping hours in the runup to the Easter holiday will go into effect on Thursday, with retailers also having the option to stay open for business this Sunday.

Opening hours at museums and archaeological sites around the country will be extended as of Friday.

The new hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Culture Ministry made the announcement on Thursday, having completed hiring procedures for seasonal staff ahead of the summer period.

The Federation of Bank Employee Unions (OTOE) on Wednesday announced the completion of the new collective labor contract, which among other things provides for reduced opening hours for bank branches.
Therefore, as of May 2, branches will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

The annual Vinyl Market at the Technopolis cultural complex celebrates all things music for three days, with great discounts on albums, CDs and posters, DJ sets and parallel events. Opening hours are 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free of charge.

Technopolis, 100 Pireos, Gazi, tel 213.010.9325

The Hellenic American Union presents "Images of Everyday Life," a new group show featuring photographs by 60 members of the Photography Circle which capture seemingly insignificant scenes but on a closer look manage to describe day-to-day life more eloquently than words. Opening hours are Mondays to Fridays from noon to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

Shops in Athens and Thessaloniki can voluntarily stay open on Sunday as part of the mid-season sales period.

In Athens, any shop that decides to open can do so between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., while in Thessaloniki, the opening hours will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The merchants' associations decided to make the Sunday opening voluntary rather than mandatory.

Archaeological sites and museums will not open to the public on Easter Sunday, a nationwide holiday, the Culture Minister announced on Thursday.

In a press release announcing the start of extended opening hours at Greece's sites and museums for the summer season, the ministry also informed visitors of opening hours for the upcoming Easter holidays.

The association of supermarket chains and retailers at department stores and shopping centers (SELPE) announced its members will be open for business on Sunday, April 1, as is usual on the last Sunday before Greek Easter.

From Monday to Thursday next week (April 2-5) stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Good Friday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The fifth annual Vinyl Is Back festival, celebrating all things related to the old-school music medium, will take place at the Hellenic Motor Museum and in addition to the obligatory sale of vinyl records includes DJ sets and live music. Opening hours are Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free of charge.

The multi-bill to be tabled in Parliament on Tuesday includes news regulations on the operation of pharmacies in Greece.