Hidden Treasures in the Mazes of Mykonos
Some of the most intricate and beautiful art finds in the central town of the island.
A selection of hand-painted art hanging in the streets of Mykonos.
It was no surprise at all to find endless rows of souvenir shops and little Greek restaurants along the mazes of roads in Mykonos.
The delicious cuisine and sparkling blue waters is what everyone expects from the island, but what I was delightfully enlightened to find was not just one or two, but an entire of individual art shops.
One of the many art galleries amongst the shopping in Mykonos, which most reminded me of my favorite art shop local to the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs, Florida.
There was definitely a lot more than I was expecting, especially coming from Tarpon Springs, Florida, a small Greek town in the Tampa Bay area.
At home there, I have one favorite art shop with the most beautiful nautical-themed paintings, but it’s one of the only ones. It seemed that in Mykonos, almost every corner featured a new art gallery, no bigger than the size of my bedroom, each with their own authentic twist.
While there are very many to be seen, I think I’ve managed to factor out a couple favorites.
It was a bit overwhelming at first to feel like I wouldn’t even be able to distinguish one from the other, or be able to find my way back, but I noticed that I ended up continuously stopping at the same handful without even realizing I was showing clear favoritism.
Pelagos, an art shop in the heart of Mykonos featuring both souvenir-like gifts and hand painted artwork.
One of my favorite galleries was a place called “Pelagos.”
All of the artwork featured here seemed to follow a similar trend, which kept drawing me in. As some of the friends I was with would pull over to stop and look at jewelry or t-shirts, I kept finding my way back to this place.
While I didn’t actually buy anything from Pelagos (mostly because I don’t have that much room in my suitcase), I would’ve liked to have purchased the whole shop.
The colorful and intricate replication of Greek-influenced architecture made me want to redecorate my apartment with this theme solely.
A local art gallery, Eliza's Gallery, where Eliza herself explained to me some of her most loved pieces.
Another favorite that managed to stumble its way into my artwork-obsessed heart was called “Eliza’s Gallery.”
Not only was the artwork exquisite, but the owner, Eliza, was kind enough to actually take the time to explain some of the art to me, which makes me want it all twice as much.
Her style included a similar range of Grecian architecture, like door frames or balconies with bright colors an florals, but she also featured a collection of wire-like sculptures which I found rather interesting. If you happen to be visiting the island of Mykonos, I highly recommend stopping in her gallery.
She said that her favorite part of owning the shop was getting to meet new people and share her passion.
A closer look inside Eliza's Gallery, featuring some of the most exquisite hand paintings and also sculptures in the background.
Even if you’re not sure if art is your thing, these places just might be the thing that changes your mind.
-C.M.