Santorini is a shopper's paradise with plenty of shops for groceries and everyday needs as well as locally made souvenirs. The island also has a few fine art galleries. Cruise ships on the Mediterranean stop at Santorini and not all tourists on board go to mainland Greece. This makes Santorini an ideal shopping hub. One can choose from a variety of jewellery, handicrafts, art and local food items. If you have a keen eye you can spot some unique items. Whatever your budget you will surely find something interesting to buy in Santorini.
The entire island of Santorini offers you a wonderful shopping experience. Every town has its share of excellent shops, restaurants, jewellery stores, gift shops and places that specialise in traditional ware and wine.
This Santorini Shopping Guide gives a rundown of the local shopping scene on Santorini. General information about souvenirs or goods that you may wish to pick up whilst shopping in Greece can be found by visiting our Greece Shopping Guide. And don't forget to treat your tastebuds with a delicious local meal at one of the traditional Santorini restaurants.
Shopping in Santorini
Phira or Fira, the capital of Santorini, has a large number of shops selling a variety of merchandise, attracting droves of tourists. If you are artistically inclined, Phira is the best place to shop - there are numerous souvenir and jewellery shops that line the narrow streets of the town. The world renowned art galleries have large, wide-ranging collections and exhibit original works of contemporary artists, local talent as well as reproductions of masterpieces from museum collections.
You can enjoy shopping in Santorini within reasonable budgets in many places in Santorini. The most popular place to shop for a variety of things is the main street. You can choose from simple, pretty souvenirs and special items made locally. Replica is an all-time favourite store which sells replicas of actual museum pieces, beautifully crafted local statues and artful pottery.
Local Shopping
Shopping in Santorini is a delight. Several small shops on either side of cobbled streets make an attractive picture. You will find art galleries, leather shops, jewellery shops, handicraft stalls and souvenir shops. You can pick up nice gifts at unbelievably cheap or exorbitantly high prices.
Phira is Santorini's capital and therefore the shopping centre of the island. The town of Oia in the north has several famous art galleries, gold shops and shops for hand-crafted wooden curios. Kamari beach, on the south-east coast, attracts tourists and shoppers to its promenade, boutiques and ethnic craft shops. Don't miss them if you want some nice buys. Oia is relatively quiet and provides an ethnic flavour. If you want to buy Greek or local Santorini souvenirs, all the towns have many shops that you can visit.
People continue shopping well into the night in summer! Most of the tourists shop during the day, rush back to their Santorini hotel in the evening and then go out to the clubs to party the night away. Others finish their shopping during the day and relax with the locals in the evening, drinking Greek coffee and listening to interesting local stories.
Jewellery
Santorini is also famous for jewellery. You can take your pick from items which are reasonably priced, or buy rare, exquisite jewellery. Just a few shops away from Replica is another favourite, Nakis, a jewellery store that specializes in amber jewellery. You can also visit Fabrica and Kostas Antonious to shop for jewellery. A word of caution for those who go shopping for jewellery in Santorini - take care that the original is not switched, ensure that the shop assistant puts your item into the bag/box, try to avoid cash payment as far as possible and ask for the receipt as well as the certificate of quality and manufacturing.
Even though Greece has been famous for gold around 9000 years, its participation in the European Economic Community has led to a practice of mixing gold from Asian countries with gold produced within the nation. It is therefore wise to exercise discretion when shopping for gold in Santorini. Not every item of jewellery that looks Greek is really made in Greece. Santorini has not had a Jewellery Association in the last ten years and local quality control assurances are not always the best guarantee. Buy only gold jewellery that is certified and only through legal means.
