Gate-side duty free run in Terminal 2
Hellenic Duty Free Shops in Terminal 2 sits airside after security, so you hit it on the way to most A and B gates. It’s the main stop at SKG for tax-free liquor, cigarettes, and last‑minute Greek food gifts before boarding. Layout is standard walkthrough: you pass through the store path right after passport control for non‑Schengen flights in T2.
Hours usually track the Terminal 2 flight bank, opening early morning around the first departures and staying open into the late-night Ryanair and Aegean waves. You’ll find major spirits brands plus Greek labels like ouzo and tsipouro, along with 1‑liter travel bottles you don’t see landside. Prices are typically below downtown Thessaloniki supermarket shelf tags for cigarettes and branded whisky.
For food items, look for boxed Kourabiedes and Melomakarona in the Greek sweets section, plus small tins of PDO olive oil and vacuum‑packed olives that fit easily in a carry‑on. Cosmetics and fragrance run the usual airport mix with regular promo bundles (think 2‑for‑X euro on mid‑range brands). Electronics are limited to basics like adapters and charging cables, useful if your EU plug dies before a flight from T2.
Lines spike 30–40 minutes before heavy departures in Terminal 2, especially on weekend evenings, so do your browsing right after clearing security instead of waiting for final call. One practical move: check liquor and cosmetics prices on the first pass, then circle back only if the discount versus downtown Thessaloniki or your home airport actually makes sense.