The Art Houses of Santorini

You discover a Santorini beyond its postcard views by immersing in its contemporary creative life. Maria takes you on a journey through three galleries and three different stories that weave together the artistic identity of Santorini, its architecture, local craftsmanship, iconic views and, of course, the island's wine. The first stop is in Imerovigli, in a gallery overlooking the caldera, where the dramatic scenery frames the contemporary artwork on display. The exploration then continues to Oia and a restored historic Captain's House, where art, heritage, wine and architecture come together. During the experience, you chat with the artists about the art scene on the island while sipping local wines. Finally, you go inland to Messaria, to a gallery inside a canava, the stone winery Santorinians built to press and store their wine. It belongs to a Cypriot sculptor who spent years as a diver and has been making fish in bronze and glass since 1993 — about what people do to the sea.

Santorini's contemporary art scene sits a few streets back from the caldera. The galleries are small, the people who run them are usually present during the season, and while art is not what you may have made your trip to the island for, artists have been coming here for the light. Painters call it the Theraean light: dark volcanic rock against whitewashed walls, and air clear enough to keep the contrast sharp. Each of the stops is in a building with its own history, and all three have been given a second life as places to show art. The wines you'll taste belong to Santorini: grown on ungrafted vines, trained low into woven baskets against the wind. Maria keeps the pace unhurried, choosing a small number of stops rather than a long list, so there is room to sit with an artist, have a conversation, and sip a glass of wine together. What she brings into this experience is the relationships — artists and gallery owners she has known for years.

Maria Petrenko is a Santorini-based experience designer whose work looks beyond the island's famous views to the quieter layers that shape daily life here. Over the years, she has worked across Santorini's tourism world, building relationships with farmers, artists, drivers, and residents whose knowledge comes from living and working on the island. Her approach favors calm pacing, fewer stops, and more context, with space to ask questions, sit, and notice details that most itineraries pass too quickly. She works with small local producers rather than at the volume the island's tourism usually runs at.

Nothing in particular — the drives and the walking are both short. There's wine across the experience, so it's worth having eaten something before you start.