Old World Charm Alive In Santorini

The folk tradition of Santorini is kept alive at the Folklore Museum. The museum is housed in a traditional 1861 Santorini cave house that was untouched by the earthquake of 1956. The house has two bedrooms, a dining room and a kitchen, all of which contain antique furniture and family heirlooms. The traditional wine cellar has treading vats, barrels, a wine press and antique utensils. Aside from the cave house, there are workshops including shoemakers, carpenters, barrel makers and tinsmiths. Walk around the the gallery to see works of famous artists inspired by Santorini and sit in the garden filled with beautiful trees and flowers. Visitors of all ages will enjoy picturing what life was like in Santorini during the 1800’s.

Santorini’s biggest shopping district is located on the cobbled streets of Fira. Here you will find the largest concentration of shops on the island, ranging from designer clothing and handbags to exquisite jewelry. Fira has one of the largest gold markets in Greece, located on Ypapantis Street. Both Greek and foreign pieces in gold and silver are available in modern as well as ancient designs. Fira’s art galleries house original Greek art and sculptures made of glass, marble and metal. This island is also known for its local wine production. Santorini’s vines have been cultivated since ancient times and became famous worldwide under the influence of the Republic of Venice during the Middle Ages. Santo Wines, located in Pyrgos Village, offers a tour of the winery and wine tastings for 8 euros.

The Megaro Gyzi Museum is located in Megaro Gyzi, one of the few family mansions from the 17th century to survive the 1956 earthquake. The museum organizes painting and photography exhibitions, as well as concerts, recitals, theatrical performances, lectures and film showings. The museum’s permanent collections include authentic engravings, historical manuscripts, paintings and old photographs of scenic Santorini, along with a collection of Santorini’s strata.