How to Find a Pharmacy on Duty in Athens at Night or on Sunday
Every night and every Sunday some Athens pharmacies stay open on a rota. Here is how to find the nearest one and what rules apply to prescriptions from abroad.
Athens pharmacies stay open at night, on Sundays and on holidays by a rota called efimerevonta farmakeia (pharmacies on duty), set by the Pharmaceutical Association of Attica. To find today’s open pharmacy, call 1434 for a recorded Greek-language list, check the association’s site or app, or look at the notice on any closed pharmacy’s door.
Duty means a pharmacy covers hours when the others are shut. Some are on duty through the night, others only until late evening, so check the hours on the list before you go. The details below are as of November 2026.
Where do you find the official duty list?
The duty schedule comes from the Pharmaceutical Association of Attica (Farmakeftikos Syllogos Attikis, FSA). It publishes each day’s list by area, and the same data feeds its mobile app and the big directory sites.
| Channel | What you get |
|---|---|
| Phone 1434 | Recorded list of pharmacies on duty, in Greek |
| fsa.gr and the FSA duty app | Duty pharmacies by area with address, phone and hours |
| Directory sites (vrisko.gr, xo.gr) | Same rota on a map, with filters by neighborhood |
| Door of any closed pharmacy | A printed notice with the nearest pharmacies on duty that day |
If you do not speak Greek, the online lists are easier than 1434. Search by your area name (Koukaki, Pangrati, Kypseli, Kolonaki) rather than “Athens”, because the city list is long and the duty pharmacy nearest to you may be in the next district.
How do pharmacy hours work on a normal day?
Most neighborhood pharmacies follow shop-style split hours on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (morning, then reopening in the late afternoon) and close at lunchtime on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. A growing number of pharmacies in central Athens and along big avenues keep extended hours, including some open late every day. A pharmacy with extended hours is not the same as one on the official duty list, so on Sundays use the rota.
- Check the duty list for your area for the right day and time slot.
- Call the pharmacy before a long trip at night, especially for a specific medicine.
- At night, some duty pharmacies serve through a small window or bell. Ring and wait.
- Take your AMKA, ID and e-prescription code if you have one.
What can a pharmacist give you without a prescription?
Greek pharmacists can sell non-prescription medicines (MIFE), such as standard painkillers, antihistamines, cough and cold remedies and rehydration salts. They can also advise on minor problems and tell you when to see a doctor.
Antibiotics, most strong painkillers, sleeping pills and many other drugs need a prescription. Pharmacists in Greece are not supposed to dispense antibiotics without one, and the rules have been enforced more strictly in recent years. If you need something prescription-only at night, the duty pharmacist can tell you which hospital is receiving emergencies that day.
What do medicines cost?
Prescription medicines in Greece have maximum prices set by the state through an official price bulletin, as of November 2026. The same box costs the same in every pharmacy. Non-prescription products have freer pricing and can differ between shops.
With an EOPYY e-prescription, you pay only the co-payment, usually 25% of the reference price, and less for some chronic conditions. If you pick a brand that costs more than the reference price, you pay the difference. Our guide to how public healthcare works in Greece explains who is covered.
Can foreign residents use their prescriptions?
It depends on where the prescription comes from and whether you are insured in Greece.
| Your situation | What usually happens (as of November 2026) |
|---|---|
| Insured in Greece with an AMKA | Doctor issues an e-prescription; you pay the EOPYY co-payment |
| EU resident with an EHIC, visiting | A Greek doctor in the public system can issue a prescription you pay the co-payment on |
| Paper prescription from another EU country | Pharmacists can accept EU cross-border prescriptions, but it is their call if details are missing |
| Prescription from outside the EU | Not valid on its own for prescription-only drugs; see a Greek doctor for a local prescription |
| Not insured in Greece, private patient | A private doctor’s prescription; you pay the full price |
If you take a regular medicine, bring the packaging or a letter with the active ingredient (generic name), not just the brand. Brand names differ between countries, and pharmacists match by ingredient. If you do not have an AMKA yet, our guide to getting an AMKA in Greece explains the steps.
What if it is an emergency?
A pharmacy is not an emergency service. For chest pain, breathing trouble, severe bleeding or a suspected poisoning, call 166 or 112 rather than looking for a pharmacy. The full list is in our guide to emergency numbers in Greece. For a poisoning question, the Poison Information Centre in Athens answers on 210 779 3777.
Bottom line
Bookmark the FSA list or install its app the day you move in, and note the two or three duty pharmacies that come up most often near your flat. For a regular prescription, refill on a weekday so you are not hunting for a specific medicine on a Sunday night.
FAQ
Is 1434 in English?
The 1434 line plays a recorded list in Greek. Non-Greek speakers usually find the online duty lists easier to use.
Are pharmacies open on Sundays in Athens?
Only the ones on the duty rota, plus a few with extended private hours. Check the list for your area before you go.
Can I buy antibiotics without a prescription in Greece?
No. Antibiotics are prescription-only, and pharmacies should not dispense them without one.
Do night pharmacies charge more?
Prescription medicines have state-set maximum prices whatever the hour. Ask the pharmacist about any service charge before you pay.
