Santorini is a gorgeous island in Greece, around 200 km away from central Greece and easily accessible by ferry or plane. Ranked as the world's top island from many magazines and travel sites, Santorini boasts over 2 million tourists annually. Santorini is on everyone's lists of must-visit destinations because of its beautiful and signature blue and white domed buildings, surrounding shimmering waters, and endless streets of food and shopping. Santorini is a beautiful place for shopping, which is typically accompanied by relaxing evening strolls and sightseeing.
Known for its small boutiques on the cliff, the first thing you will notice when visiting Fira (the main town) is the diversity of shopping venues. From left to right, you will notice tons of small shops filled with trinkets, souvenirs, clothing, food and anything you can dream of! Upon visiting Fira, ensure you visit Ipapantis, the main, central area with a never-ending row of shops that wind all around the cliffs. It can take all day to walk through all the boutiques! This street is also nicknamed the "Gold Street" and specializes in traditional Greek jewelry. Jewelry in Santorini is unique and known for its craft, meaning visitors can get quality jewelry that is also unique and cool.
One design that is prevalent on Greek islands is the blue eye, also known as the evil eye. It is meant to be a curse or legend that glares when people are unaware. Legends believe that looking at the eye is unfortunate, and will end up with misfortune or injury.
Don't be deceived, just because there are no big designed stores does not mean there is no luxury shopping in Santorini! In the two biggest villages (Fira and Oia), there are plenty of luxury shopping ideas for those who want to splurge and spend a shopping weekend in Santorini! Most shops sell items such as clothes, shoes, jewelry, books, accessories and souvenirs. You can also spot designed labels such as Versace and Armani. Watch out for knock-offs, however, as it is easy to find many items that "appear" to be designer but are just fakes. Also, many of the stores are open late (10 or 11pm), so it's a good idea to go for an evening stroll to digest after a hearty Greek dinner!
*Be weary that items in Santorini tend to be a bit pricier than other islands because of the large influx of tourists who visit during the summer months.*
Some luxury stores and boutiques to look out for include:
Bazaar
This store is located on the main street of Fira and includes items from Miss Sixty, Georgina Skalidi and Veloudakis.
Ilias Lalaounis
Ilias Lalaounis is a unique Greek jewelry brand that emphasizes on Greek history. All of their pieces are influenced by Byzantine, Neolithic and Mycenaean art.
Drakkar
Drakkar is a store that hosts both international and local Greek brands. There are two locations for this store, one near the cathedral and one on the main street of the city.
Ercu
Ercu used to be a captains house but has now turned into a boutique. It offers both men's and women's clothing, accessories and shoes. When inside, don't forget to pay attention to the finishings and the architecture of a traditional Santorini house.
Silk Shop
The Silk Shop is, you guessed it, a store that sells all kinds of silks and other fabrics! You can find simple fabrics in the form of scarves, accessories, clothing and more in this former bakery.
The White Santorini
Considered a luxury fashion brand, The White Santorini sells hand sewn Greek items that are designed by Sophia Hatzigeorgiou.
Ammos
Ammos is a large retail chain in Santorini that has two locations, one on the most popular beach of Kamari in Fira and the other on the main pedestrian street in Oia. There are many options from Greek designs and brands such as Mes Demoiselles, Moncler, Ash and American Vintage.
Milo
Milo is a boutique that features items from brands such as Celyn b, March Jacobs and Patrizia Pepe.
Soho-Soho
This is the most well known, multi-brand luxury boutique that has clothing piled high with designed brands such as Givenchy, Thom Brown, and Comme des Garcons.
Fabrika
Inside the Fabrika in Fira, there are plenty of well-known and favorited brands such as Adidas, Bazzar, MIlo, Superdry and Nike.
Excelsior Boutique
Excelsior Boutique is the one stop place for all luxury brand shopping Santorini. Situated in the center of Santorini's shopping center in Fira, Excelsior gives timeless treasures with luxury brands like Chrome Hearts sunglasses.
Shopaholics beware! The numerous amount of luxury shopping on this island will make your wallet cry, but will keep your heart content.