ART AT THE WINERY

Art Space gallery, located in the village of Exo Gonia, southeast of Fira, is housed in a wonderful winery built in 1861. Its rock-hewn chambers will be hosting a group exhibition that brings together 24 artists from the Greek and international scenes, who will be participating with a wide range of media such as ceramics, sculpture, painting and photography. – Xenia Georgiadou

Documenting tradition

The Tomato Industrial Museum will be screening the documentary Across Her Body by Zacharias Mavroeidis. Every year, on July 31, the few women who still strictly observe the tradition of fasting prior to the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary return to the cells of the abandoned Monastery of the Dormition on the southern tip of Therasia. For two weeks, they pray for the eternal rest of the deceased and the good health of the living, while preparing the monastery for the feast day on August 15. The film documents the decline in the tradition of the fast, with a focus on matters relating to faith and identity. In Greek, with English subtitles. – Xenia Georgiadou

In classical style

The 41st International Music Festival of Santorini will open with works by Mendelssohn, Mahler, Bach and Skalkottas, performed by the event’s founder and artistic director, pianist Athena Capodistria, accompanied by Apollon Grammatikopoulos on violin and the festival’s own string orchestra. Other eagerly awaited performances include a recital by internationally acclaimed Greek pianist Vassilis Varvaresos; an evening of opera with coloratura soprano Vassiliki Karayanni and baritone Tasis Christogiannopoulos; and jazz improvisations on works of Bach by George Kontrafouris on piano and three other outstanding musicians in support. – Xenia Georgiadou

A Musical Education

Back in 2011, Yannis Pantazis, a musician and master craftsman of traditional musical instruments, together with Argy Kakissis, a curator, undertook the restoration of the interior of a 13th-century Venetian tower in the Kasteli neighborhood of the village of Akrotiri in Santorini. Here, they set up a permanent exhibition showcasing the traditional tsambounes (from the Italian zampogna, a type of bagpipe); began to offer practical courses in the making of musical instruments; and organized musical soirées and theatrical events. The La Ponta cultural center was born. Through music, locals and foreign visitors alike explored the island’s history, while the center’s permanent collections awakened in the public a renewed interest in art across the whole of the Aegean.

In 2018, the founders of the La Ponta center felt the need to seek a new site. In the town of Megalochori, which was undergoing a cultural revival, a winery dating back to the start of the 20th century provided them with the incentive to extend their thematic range and the spectrum of their activities. Nine holes in the wall outside the main entrance of the building brought to mind the Nine Muses of mythology, and therefore, in the events of the cultural center, now renamed Symposion by La Ponta, a new emphasis was given to the element of mythology. Visitors can tour the old winery and learn its history, explore the collection of old instruments, and attend theatrical events that draw their subjects from mythology, ancient Greek history and the epics of Homer. Also on offer are practical workshops on making traditional musical instruments, and wine tastings featuring different local wines. – Xenia Georgiadou

DISCOVER Lost Atlantis

Megalochori is home to the world’s first museum dedicated to the myth of the famous vanished city of the ancient world. Atlantis is one of the world’s most renowned mythological cities and, while many places in the world lay claim to it, the volcanic explosion that laid waste to Santorini is the most plausible explanation of the myth.

Perfect for adventure seekers and techno-geeks alike, the Lost Atlantis Experience Museum is operated by eight friends who share a passion for the lost city. The idea was the brainchild of two of them: George Koukoulas, author of “Atlantis Never Lost: The Story of Santorini,” and Nikos Kontis, owner of LEAP, the innovative Greek tech company responsible for the installations in the museum.

Visitors will feel they are truly exploring Atlantis, thanks to interactive videos, animated holograms and augmented reality tools. The highlight of the visit is the 9D experience which plays on all one’s senses to simulate what people experienced during the earthquake and volcanic eruption that struck Santorini in 1600 BC.

The pioneering technology used to explain the Minoan history of Santorini and the myth of Atlantis is amazing. Wearing VR glasses, visitors “enter” the world of Atlantis, with moving seats offering a full roller-coaster effect. They experience 360° immersion, temperature changes, tremors, sounds, smells, wind, lightning and much more. Are you ready to journey through time and space to discover a lost world? – Alexandra Kostopoulou

Eat, drink and be pampered

The new home of the Evia-based winery Avantis is a multi-purpose space focusing on the art of wine. Here, one can spend hours touring the area housing the afoures (large wine barrels) or taking part in a wine-tasting session. Lenga Grigoriadou, the wife of the proprietor Apostolos Moundrichas, has created her own range of cosmetic products based on vinotherapy, which you can purchase at the on-site shop, or even try out directly at the spa space, indulging in a facial treatment. Complete the experience with a meal drawing on Greek traditional cuisine at the restaurant that operates on the site. – Nena Dimitriou