The Prophet Elias monastery crowns Santorini’s highest peak at 565 metres above the village of Pyrgos, a fortress-like 18th-century monastery with breathtaking views over the whole island, a museum of treasures and a long monastic tradition. This guide covers the monastery, its history, the views and how to visit. The monastery is a spiritual and … Read more
Pyrgos Santorini is one of the island’s most beautiful traditional villages, a former capital built around a Venetian castle at one of the highest points, with panoramic views, dozens of churches, fine dining and a peaceful atmosphere away from the crowds. This guide covers the village, the castle, what to do and how to visit. … Read more
The Santorini villages beyond Oia and Fira reveal a quieter, more traditional island: hilltop Pyrgos with its Venetian castle, the living medieval fortress of Emporio, wine-country Megalochori and clifftop Imerovigli, the balcony of the Aegean. This guide covers the best villages and what each offers. The inland and clifftop villages are the authentic heart of … Read more
The Museum of Marble Crafts in Pyrgos explains the quarrying, tools and techniques behind the island’s renowned marble sculpture. Run by the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation, it traces the craft from the quarry face to the finished fanlight and statue, framed against the marble villages of northern Tinos. This guide covers the Marble Museum, … Read more
Yannoulis Chalepas, born in the marble village of Pyrgos on Tinos, is widely regarded as the greatest modern Greek sculptor. Celebrated for his expressive marble figures, above all his Sleeping Female Figure, his troubled life and late recognition made him a legend of Greek art. His home in Pyrgos survives as a museum. This guide … Read more
Pyrgos Tinos is the largest village in the north of the island and the heart of its marble-sculpting tradition. Home to the School of Fine Arts, the Museum of Marble Crafts and the house of the great sculptor Yannoulis Chalepas, its marble-paved square and carved cemetery make the whole village an open-air gallery. This guide … Read more
Tinos marble is the white and grey stone that built the island’s churches, fountains, dovecotes and the famous pilgrimage basilica, and the centuries-old craft of carving it survives in the village of Pyrgos. UNESCO lists the marble craftsmanship of Tinos as intangible cultural heritage, recognising a living tradition of master sculptors. This guide explains the … Read more
The villages of Tinos number more than 40, scattered across green mountains and decorated with marble fanlights, ornate dovecotes and whitewashed lanes. Pyrgos centres the island’s marble tradition, Volax sits among giant granite boulders, and Kardiani and Isternia hang over the Aegean with the finest sunsets. This guide maps the Tinos villages worth visiting and … Read more