Irakleio’s Icon Museum in the church of Ayia Aikaterini is a small but impressive collection from the world’s best icon painters.
Irakleio’s Icon Museum
Cretan icon painters were considered the best in the world, and here in Irakleio‘s Icon Museum you can see some of the finest works by one of the great masters of the art, Michael Damaskinos, as well as other beautiful religious items.
The museum is contained in the small church of Ayía Aikateríni, rather dwarfed by the nearby large cathedral of Áyios Mínas, but step inside its doors and you find this excellent collection of icons, not to mention religious vestments, Bibles, illuminated manuscripts, coins and frescoes. Its official name is the Museum of St Catherine.
Church of Ayia Aikaterini
The collection features some of the best items on the island, rescued from or donated by churches and monasteries all over Crete. The church that houses them was built in 1555, but the seating has been removed to expose the marble floors and provide space for the display cabinets in the aisles and around the sides. Icons grace the walls.
Irakleio’s Icon Museum
Michael Damaskinos
The ticket desk is just inside the door, and on the wall opposite are six hugely impressive 16th century icons, the work of Michael Damaskinos. Damaskinos was the only Cretan painter of his era to rival the talents of El Greco himself. Like the Master, Damaskinos went to Venice, but afterwards he returned to his native island and the six icons hanging here are considered to be among his finest works.
The icons depict various Biblical events such as The Adoration of the Magi, The Last Supper and The Burning Bush. They were all painted in the period 1582-91 for the Moní Vrontísiou (Vrontisiou Monastery) northwest of Záros. In 1800 they were brought to Irakleio to save them from destruction by the Turks. They have a liveliness, a depth of image and of colour that makes them appear as if they were done yesterday.
Irakleio’s Icon Museum
Other Exhibits in Irakleio’s Icon Museum
In the central aisle are two cases containing Byzantine coins and holy manuscripts. On the left aisle is a series of large icons saved from mountain chapels and monasteries, mostly from the 15th and 16th centuries, and anonymous. Note the nearby case of lovely illuminated manuscripts dating from the 16th century and from the Monastery of Epanosiphi and, opposite these, the ornately carved wooden Bishop’s Throne from the Monastery of Kera.
Last Judgement
There are more icons as you approach the high altar, including a very vivid 17th century Last Judgement, where naked souls are cast down into hell where they are being eagerly greeted by evil devils throwing them into the fiery furnace.
Following round to the left of the altar the collection broadens out to include some brightly-coloured frescoes and a large stone iconostasis. Two cases contain some chalices, Bible covers and a holy cross.
Leaving Irakleio’s Icon Museum
On leaving the church, walk across the Platia to see the small church of Áyios Mínas, if open, and the large 19th century cathedral of the same name, with its elaborate metal chandeliers, beautiful painted ceilings, and vast stone pulpit.
Church of Ayios Minas (left) and Cathedral (right)
Top Tips
The opening hours do change so check the website
With no air-conditioning the building can get very hot and stuffy, so visit early in the day if possible.
Hidden Gem
In what would be the south chapel of the church, look for the exceptional icon of Lady of the Kardiotissa from the Monastery of Kera. The Virgin, dressed in red, has sorrowful eyes that seem to stare right into your soul.
Irakleio’s Historical Museum is officially called the Historical Museum of Crete and contains the only work by El Greco that is still on his native island.
Historical Museum of Crete
Where is Irakleio’s Historical Museum?
If you walk west along the waterfront from the Venetian Port you will reach Irakleio’s Historical Museum in about five minutes. It’s on the left in a handsome neoclassical building dating from 1903.
Map )c) Google Maps
Highlights of Irakleio’s Historical Museum
For an overview of the history of both Crete and Irákleio, a visit to this small but informative museum is a must. Highlights include the study of Nikos Kazantzakis and the only work by El Greco still on his native island.
At the ticket desk be sure to pick up one of the leaflets, available in Greek, English or German, which gives a map of the museum and a brief note of what is in each room. Most of the displays also have information displays in both Greek and English, although on some the details given are fairly basic.
First Room
In the first room, to your right as you enter, the information panels are anything but basic. They cover in some detail four of the major periods in Crete’s history, and correspond to four shelves of objects from those periods: the First Byzantine (330-827/8), the Arab Occupation (827/8-961), the Second Byzantine (961-1204) and Venetian Rule (1204-1669.
The major display in this room is a wonderful 1:500 scale model of Irakleio in 1645, when it was known as Chandax. This is the name given to the city when the Arabs made it the island capital in the early 9th century, possibly from the Arabic words Rabdh el-Khandaq, the Fortress of the Moat. On the walls beside it maps show the development of the city over the years, and note the buttons beneath the displays which illuminate the relevant parts of the model.
Scale Model of Irakleio in Irakleio’s Historical Museum
Around Irakleio’s Historical Museum
The museum tour continues behind the ticket desk, with the rooms spread on several levels. Room 2 is the Ceramics Room and has some beautiful bowls and plates imported from Italy during the Venetian period. These are cleverly displayed side-by-side with locally-made pottery from the same period, clearly showing the Italian influence on local designs. There are also some lovely, delicate jugs and bowls from the Arab Occupation of the island.
The rest of the ground floor has several rooms containing Byzantine items, Venetian coats of arms and carvings (note the fountain from a 17th-century Palazzo in Room 6), with stairs leading up to the second level.
El Greco Painting
The Monastery of St Catherine beneath Mount Sinai in Egypt’s Sinai Desert by El Greco
The highlight of Level B is undoubtedly the small dimly-lit room containing El Greco’s painting of The Monastery of St Catherine beneath Mount Sinai in Egypt’s Sinai Desert. This, his only work to remain on Crete, was painted in 1570 and some background to the work is given in extracts from books about it which are also on display.
Cretan Icons
Elsewhere on this floor are several icons from the Cretan school, the more typical style of Greek art, and at the rear one room is given over to the struggle for independence against the Turks.
Nikos Kazantzakis
The major display on Level C is the writer Nikos Kazantzakis’s study from when he lived in Antibes 1948-57, complete with manuscripts of his works, his library of books, and copies of his own books translated into many languages around the world.
Folklore Collection
The museum’s top floor contains a folklore collection based on the theme of the life cycle of birth, marriage and death. The museum has a fine collection of weavings, embroidery, old costumes, household items, musical instruments and many other objects.
Hidden Gems
Slightly overshadowed by the other displays in the first room are some cabinets in the centre containing objects, including fascinating glass and clay hand grenades, found on a galleon that sank in 1669.
One to Miss
The Emmanuel Tsouderos room, opposite the Nikos Kazantzakis room, is unlikely to appeal unless you have a deep interest in Greek politics.
Must See
El Greco’s painting, Monastery of St Catherine beneath Mount Sinai in Egypt’s Sinai Desert.
Museums in Rhodes Town include an archaeological museum, Byzantine museum, a museum of decorative arts, and exceptional collections of modern Greek art.
Museum of Modern Greek Art in Rhodes Town
There are several museums in Rhodes Town that are well worth a visit, and if you are staying on Rhodes you should plan to spend at least one day in Rhodes Town, but preferably two or three.
Archaeological Museum
Archaeological Museum of Rhodes
Rhodes’s Archaeological Museum is located in the old Hospital of the Knights, a rather severe, but impressive, 15th-century Gothic building. A steep staircase leads to the magnificent infirmary hall with its central colonnade, the capitals of which are carved with heraldic devices.
The smaller side chambers of the upper gallery contain some fine artefacts including the celebrated, yet unglamorous, Marine Venus, a sea-eroded 4th-century BC statue of Aphrodite, which inspired the writer Lawrence Durrell to call his book about Rhodes, Reflections on a Marine Venus.
In other chambers are superb Rhodian amphorae, some fine Attic pottery pieces, and Mycenaean jewellery. Look for the 4th-century gravestone of Kalliarista and its touching epigram inscribed by her husband, as well as the tiny vases and bowls that formed a child’s funerary gifts. Beyond the upper gallery is a sunlit sculpture garden.
Rhodes is the proud guardian of one of the finest collections of modern Greek art in existence. The collections are housed in separate galleries. Two are in the Old Town; the Municipal Art Gallery, which contains a collection of fine engravings, while the second, the smaller Centre of Contemporary Art, exhibits and promotes work by contemporary artists.
Pride of place goes to the splendid Nestoridion Melathron, housed in the one-time Olympic Hotel at the heart of New Town’s hotel district. The building has been thoroughly modernised and contains superb collections from the 1860s to the present day. The displays include an extensive number of paintings and prints, together with sculptures and drawings by celebrated Greek artists.
Nestoridion Melathron, 1 Haritou Square, mgamuseum.gr
Centre of Contemporary Art, 179 Sokratous Street
Decorative Arts Collection of Rhodes
Decorative Arts Collection of Rhodes
The Decorative Arts Collection of Rhodes is housed in a ground floor room that was once part of the armoury of the Knights of St John. It is more of a folk art museum than its name implies, and has a charming and colourful collection of domestic goods from the 16th to the early 20th century.
These include folk costumes from the islands of Symi and Astypalaea, carved and painted chests and bedsteads, carved wall cupboards and other furnishings. There is a large collection of ceramics and fabrics, including carpets and such distinctive items as embroidered bed tents.
The Byzantine Museum is housed in the splendid Church of Panagia tou Kastrou, the Virgin of the Castle. This 11th-century building has had a remarkable history. Originally it was the Byzantine Cathedral of Rhodes and had a classic Byzantine ‘cross-in-square’ form, with a central dome. The church was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral by the Knights of St John, who replaced the dome with a barrel vault and cross vaults.
During the Turkish occupation of Rhodes the building was converted into a mosque complete with minaret, removed during the Italian reconstruction. Today, the church contains a few Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons and wall-paintings, sculptures and mosaic fragments.
Located within the Palace of the Grand Masters, this is an outstanding collection of artefacts that leads you through a series of displays from the Stone Age settlement of Rhodes through the classical to the Roman period. Among the many exhibits is a fine head of the Sun God Helios, Rhodes’ mythic founder.
A mosaic floor of the Middle Hellenistic period displays a superb ‘New Comedy Mask’ that you would swear was a painting rather than an intricate mosaic. Look out for the little bronze figures of bulls and grasshoppers. There are splendid collections of pottery and household goods from all periods displayed in an imaginative way.
Discover the Athens Museum of Cycladic Art, home to world-famous prehistoric figurines & ancient Greek treasures in the stunning Neoclassical Stathatos Mansion.
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art
In the elegant Athens neighborhood of Kolonaki, where the bustle of central Athens gives way to leafy streets and Neoclassical facades, stands the Museum of Cycladic Art. While Athens is often defined by the monumental scale of the Parthenon, this museum celebrates the beauty of the miniature and the abstract. It is home to one of the most important private collections of prehistoric art in the world, specifically focusing on the enigmatic marble figurines of the Cyclades islands.
The museum is a masterclass in how ancient history can feel strikingly modern. Its clean lines and minimalist presentation mirror the very artifacts it houses, creating an experience that feels less like a dusty archive and more like a contemporary art gallery.
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art
History of the Athens Museum of Cycladic Art
The museum owes its existence to the vision of Nikolaos and Dolly Goulandris. In the early 1960s, the couple began collecting Greek antiquities with a particular fascination for the 3rd millennium BC culture of the Cyclades. At the time, these primitive marble idols were not as widely appreciated as Classical Greek statues, but the Goulandris couple recognized their unique aesthetic value.
As their collection grew, it gained international acclaim, eventually touring major institutions like the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. In 1981, following the death of Nikolaos, Dolly Goulandris established the Nicholas P. Goulandris Foundation. The museum officially opened its doors on January 26, 1986. Today, it has grown from a private passion project into a world-class institution dedicated to the study and promotion of Aegean and Cypriot civilizations.
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art
Where Is the Athens Museum of Cycladic Art?
The museum is uniquely split between two distinct but interconnected buildings on Neophytou Douka Street, just a short walk from Syntagma Square and the National Garden.
1. The Main Building: Designed by architect Ioannis Vikelas in 1985, this modern structure features a facade of glass and white marble—materials synonymous with the Cyclades. It houses the permanent collections across four floors.
2. The Stathatos Mansion: One of Athens’ most beautiful Neoclassical landmarks, this 1895 mansion was designed by the Bavarian architect Ernst Ziller. Originally the home of Otto and Athena Stathatos, it now serves as the museum’s wing for temporary exhibitions. The two buildings are joined by a sleek, glass-roofed corridor that allows visitors to transition between the 19th and 20th centuries in a single walk.
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art
What to See: The Permanent Collections
The museum is organized chronologically and thematically, leading visitors through the evolution of art in the Eastern Mediterranean. 1. Cycladic Art (The Star Attraction)
Located on the first floor, this is the museum’s heart. Here, you will find over 350 objects from the Early Cycladic period (3200–2000 BC).
• The Figurines: These are the world-famous idols—flat, marble figures with folded arms and tilted heads. Their lack of facial features (originally painted with bright colors) and abstract geometry famously inspired 20th-century masters like Picasso, Modigliani, and Brancusi.
• The Cup-bearer: One of the most famous pieces in the collection is a rare seated male figure holding a cup, a masterpiece of 3rd-millennium BC sculpture.
• The Dove Vase: A stunning marble plate adorned with 16 carved doves, representing the incredible craftsmanship of a society that worked without metal tools.
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art
2. Ancient Greek Art: A History in Images
The second and fourth floors transition into the historical periods of Greece.
• Daily Life: The fourth floor is particularly engaging for families and casual history buffs. It uses artifacts to reconstruct ‘Scenes from Daily Life in Antiquity’, covering themes like marriage, childhood, athletics, and war.
• Technology and Trade: You can see intricate gold jewelry, bronze helmets, and both black- and red-figure vases that tell stories of gods and heroes while showcasing the technological leaps made in pottery and metallurgy.
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art
3. Cypriot Antiquities
The third floor houses one of the largest collections of Cypriot art outside of Cyprus.
• Cultural Crossroads: Because Cyprus sat at the intersection of the Greek, Egyptian, and Near Eastern worlds, the art here is remarkably eclectic. Look for the unique plank-shaped terracotta figurines and the elaborate limestone sculptures that show a distinct blend of Eastern and Western styles.
Visiting the Athens Museum of Cycladic Art
The Museum of Cycladic Art is designed to be accessible. Each floor features high-tech interactive screens that explain the social context of the items on display—how they were made, who used them, and why.
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art Cafe
The Cycladic Café
No visit is complete without a stop at the museum’s café. Tucked away in the atrium of the main building, it’s an architectural gem in its own right. With a floating ceiling that allows natural light to filter through and walls of lush greenery, it offers a serene escape from the city. The menu focuses on modern Cycladic flavors, making it a perfect spot for a light lunch.
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art Shop
The Museum Shop
If you are looking for a souvenir that isn’t a plastic magnet, the museum shop is one of the best in Athens. It sells high-quality replicas of the Cycladic figurines made by master craftsmen, as well as contemporary jewelry and design objects inspired by ancient forms.
Why It Matters
The Athens Museum of Cycladic Art proves that old does not mean outdated. By focusing on the purity of form and the early roots of human creativity, it offers a bridge between the prehistoric past and modern aesthetic sensibilities. Whether you’re an art student or a curious traveler, the museum provides a quiet, profound space to reflect on the beginnings of Western art.
Explore the Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum, a journey through 25,000 artifacts, stunning icons, and the historic Villa Ilissia.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
In the heart of modern Athens, tucked away on the grand Vassilissis Sofias Avenue, lies one of the city’s most significant yet tranquil cultural treasures: the Byzantine and Christian Museum. While many visitors flock to the Acropolis to witness the glory of Classical antiquity, this museum offers a profound journey into the millennium that followed—the era of the Byzantine Empire and the subsequent centuries of Christian art.
Housed in a 19th-century mansion and a sophisticated underground complex, the museum preserves over 25,000 artifacts dating from the 3rd to the 20th century. It is not merely a collection of religious objects; it is a narrative of how the Greek-speaking world transitioned from the pagan Roman Empire to a Christian superpower, and finally into the modern Greek state.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
Location and Origins
The museum’s physical setting is as storied as its contents. It is located in the Villa Ilissia, a stunning complex built in 1848 for Sophie de Marbois-Lebrun, the Duchess of Plaisance. Born in Philadelphia and married to a French statesman, the Duchess was a colorful and influential figure in early modern Athens. Her villa, designed by the renowned architect Stamatios Kleanthis, is a masterpiece of Neoclassical and Romantic styles, featuring marble revetments and arched porticos that overlook what was once the banks of the Ilissos River.
The museum itself was founded in 1914, emerging from the efforts of the Christian Archaeological Society. After being moved between several temporary locations, it finally found its permanent home in the Villa Ilissia in 1930. In 2004, to coincide with the Athens Olympics, the museum underwent a massive expansion. While the Duchess’s original villa still stands as a focal point, the majority of the collection is now housed in a vast 12,000-square-meter underground wing, designed to lead visitors on a chronological and thematic journey through time.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
The Collections: A Thousand Years of Transformation
The museum’s permanent exhibition is divided into two major sections: The Byzantine World (4th–15th century) and From Byzantium to the Modern Era (15th–20th century).
1. From Antiquity to Byzantium
As you descend into the exhibition space, the first section explores the birth of Byzantine art. This was a period of monumental shift, as the Roman Empire became Christianized.
Architectural Fragments: You will see massive marble capitals, lintels, and floor mosaics from early Christian basilicas. One of the highlights is a reconstruction of a 5th-century Christian Basilica, which helps visitors visualize the scale and grandeur of early places of worship.
Early Christian Sculpture: Notable exhibits include the Good Shepherd and Orpheus statuettes from the 4th century. These are fascinating because they show how early Christians borrowed pagan imagery to represent their new faith—Christ is depicted as a young, beardless shepherd in a style nearly indistinguishable from Classical Roman art.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
2. The Byzantine World (The Golden Age)
This section delves into the height of the empire, where art was almost entirely focused on the divine. The museum’s collection of Byzantine Icons is world-renowned.
Icons and Wall Paintings: Visitors can view rare 13th- and 14th-century icons that showcase the evolution of the Byzantine style—the move away from realistic depth toward a two-dimensional, spiritual abstraction characterized by golden backgrounds and elongated figures.
Minor Arts and Everyday Life: Beyond the icons, there are displays of intricate jewelry, bronze lamps, and pottery. These items remind us that Byzantium was not just a church; it was a living society with bustling markets and high-fashion tastes.
The Tree of Life Relief: Look for the 9th-century marble relief carving of the Tree of Life, a beautiful example of mid-Byzantine decorative sculpture.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
3. From Byzantium to the Modern Era
After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, Greek culture did not disappear; it evolved under Ottoman and Venetian rule.
The Cretan School: A major highlight of this section is the display of icons from the Cretan School, where the Byzantine tradition met the influence of the Italian Renaissance. You can see the works of master painters who influenced (or were influenced by) artists like El Greco.
The Ionian School: This represents a further shift toward Western European styles, with icons that use oil paints and three-dimensional perspective, reflecting the cultural life of the Ionian Islands.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
What to See: The Visitor Experience
The museum is designed for slow exploration. Unlike the crowded halls of the National Archaeological Museum, the Byzantine and Christian Museum offers a meditative atmosphere.
The Garden of the Duchess
Before or after your tour of the galleries, spend time in the Museum Gardens. This urban oasis features three small themed outdoor exhibitions:
The Well-Cistern: An exploration of how Athens managed its water supply from antiquity to today.
Paradise: A garden layout reflecting the Byzantine concept of Paradise as a walled garden of peace.
The River Ilissos: A tribute to the river that once flowed past the villa.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
Highlights Not to Miss
The Episkopi Wall Paintings: An entire 17th-century frescoed church interior from Evrytania has been relocated and reconstructed inside the museum, allowing you to step inside a historical place of worship.
Manuscripts and Textiles: The museum houses delicate illuminated manuscripts and liturgical vestments (Epitaphioi) embroidered with gold and silver thread, showcasing the incredible craftsmanship of Byzantine nuns and monks.
The Cafe-Bistro: Often cited as one of the best museum cafes in Athens, it sits in the garden and offers a perfect spot to process the centuries of history you’ve just witnessed.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum Cafe-Bistro
Practical Information
Address: 22 Vassilissis Sofias Avenue.
Getting There: Take the Metro (Line 3) to Evangelismos. The museum is just a two-minute walk from the station.
Accessibility: The underground wing is fully accessible via elevators and ramps, and there is a tactile route available for blind visitors.
The Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum is more than just a repository of religious art; it is a bridge between the ancient world and the modern Greek identity. It captures a millennium of survival, faith, and artistic innovation that defined the Eastern Mediterranean.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum is Crete’s most important museum and contains some of Crete’s oldest artefacts, Minoan frescoes and the Phaistos Disc.
Irakleio Archaeological Museum
Irákleio’s Archaeological Museum is not only the major museum on Crete: it is the largest repository of Minoan antiquities anywhere, and stands among the finest museums of the ancient world. This magnificent collection of pottery, frescoes, jewellery, ritual objects and utensils brings the Minoan world to life.
Come here first before visiting the ancient palaces and your view of the ruins will be enlivened with a sense of the colour, creativity and richness of the fascinating culture that once flourished on this island.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum covers 5,500 years of Cretan history, dating from Neolithic times (5000-2600 BC) to the end of the Roman era (4th century AD). The two-storey building, which contains 20 galleries, was built in 1937-40 and both the collection and the present-day summer crowds have outgrown this space. There are plans to renovate the museum over the next few years to create new exhibition areas. Thus some rooms may be closed or displays rearranged while work is in progress.
Map (c) Google Maps
Visiting Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
Buy your tickets at the kiosk in the courtyard. Beyond is a small garden and a coffee shop on the terrace behind the main building. Inside the entrance hall is a large desk where you can buy postcards and a museum guide. This is not essential, as most of the major exhibits are labelled in both Greek and English, though not in great detail.
The collection is arranged chronologically from room to room, with finds from the major Minoan periods also grouped according to the sites where they were discovered.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
Timeline
Archaeologists categorise the museum’s artefacts into the following periods:
Pre-palatial period: 2600—1900 BC
Old Palace period: 1900—1700 BC
New Palace period: 1700—1450 BC
Late Palace period: 1450—1400 BC
Post-Palace period: 1400—1150 BC
Sub-Minoan, Geometric, Oriental and Archaic periods: 1150—6th century BC
Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods: 5th century BC—4th century AD
Minoan Motifs
Look for the major motifs which appear on artefacts throughout Minoan times: the double ax, the spiral and the horns of consecration were often painted or etched on pottery, while votive figurines were shaped like bulls or goddesses with upraised arms.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room I
Room I contains some of Crete’s oldest artefacts, ranging from Neolithic stone tools and crude idols, to early Minoan pottery, figurines and jewellery from the Pre-palatial period. The ancient origins of bull sports, later an important ritual in palace life, are depicted by the small clay figures of bulls with acrobats grasping their horns, in case 12-13 and case 15.
Look out too for early signs of Minoan craftsmanship in the Vassilikí pottery from eastern Crete, with graceful, elongated spouts and deep red and black mottling, obtained by uneven firing. Also noteworthy are the early seal stones.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room II
Room II contains Old Palace finds from Knossos and Mália. The painted and glazed earthenware plaques of the Town Mosaic (case 25) depict the multi-storey dwellings of Minoan architecture. The many human and animal figurines were votive offerings found in peak sanctuaries.
Clay taximata, representing feet, arms or other parts of the body needing cures, are forerunners of the silver ones pinned to icons in churches today. Pottery is more elaborate with the white and red polychrome decoration of Kamáres ware, and the delicate ‘egg shell’ cups.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room III
The style reaches its height in Room III, devoted to finds from the same period at Phaistos palace. Here large amphorae sport elaborated spirals, fish and other designs, while the royal banquet set (case 43) includes a huge fruit stand and a jug with relief decoration of big white flowers. However, the highlight of this room is the Phaistos Disc with its intricately carved hieroglyphic characters, possibly from a ritual text. It stands alone in a central case.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room IV
Room IV contains some of the finest artworks in the museum, dating from the New Palace period when Minoan art reached its peak. As you enter, in the left corner is an exquisite gaming board from Knossos, made of ivory with gold casing and inlaid decoration of rock crystal and lapis lazuli.
Further along this wall in case 50 are two superb statues of the Snake Goddess, sacral relics from the temple repositories. Both are bare-breasted, one holding a pair of snakes in her upraised arms, the other with snakes coiled round her outstretched arms. They represent a major Minoan deity, or possibly a priestess engaged in ritual.
Case 51 contains the Bull’s Head Rhyton from Knossos (a rhyton is a libation vessel used in religious ceremonies). Magnificently carved from steatite, a black stone, it has inlaid eyes of rock crystal, nostrils of white shell and restored wooden horns.
Other life-like artworks are equally impressive, such as the alabaster head of a lioness, also a libation vessel, and a stone axe-head carved in the shape of a panther (both from Mália in case 47); and in case 56 the graceful ivory figure of an acrobat in mid-leap. New developments in pottery are represented by the Jug of Reeds, case 49, with dark colours and patterns depicting nature themes.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room V
Room V, with Late Palace period finds from the Knossos area, has an interesting model of a Minoan house at Archánes. Case 69 contains rare examples of Linear A script, the written language of the Minoans, alongside the Linear B script of mainland Greece.
Europe’s First Written Word
The earliest known written history in Europe began in Crete around 2000 BC. Known as Linear A, these inscriptions pre-date the documents of Mycenean Greece, written in Linear B, by 600 years. Nearly 1,600 Linear A inscriptions have been found to date, and although they are not fully deciphered, most are probably administrative records. Only 10 per cent, found in sacred caves and mountains, are thought to be religious in nature.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room VI
Room VI contains a range of objects from cemeteries at Knossos and Phaistos. In case 71 is a delightful clay statuette of men locking arms in a ritual dance between the horns of consecration, and another clay scene of ritual washing. Along the back wall are the bizarre remains of a horse burial, while case 78 contains a helmet made of boars’ tusks. There are also several cases of jewellery and bronze objects.
Parting Gifts
Men were buried with bronze weapons and tools, while bronze mirrors were beloved offerings for female burials.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room VII
Three enormous bronze double axes erected on wooden poles guard the entrance to Room VII. Religious objects often decorated the hallways of palaces and country villas. The most outstanding piece of Minoan jewellery ever found — the intricate honeybee pendant with two gold bees joined round a honeycomb — is tucked away among the displays of jewellery in case 101 at the back of the room.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
Equally famous are three elegantly carved steatite vases from Ayía Triádha (cases 94—96): the Harvester Vase shows a procession of harvesters and musicians; the Chieftain Cup portrays an official receiving a tribute of animal skins; the Boxer Rhyton depicts boxing, wrestling and bull-leaping.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room VIII
Room VIII is devoted to treasures from the palace of Zákros. In case 109 along the wall is one of the triumphs of the museum — a stunning rock crystal rhyton with a green beaded handle, expertly reconstructed from over 300 fragments. The Peak Sanctuary rhyton in case 111 depicts scenes of Minoan worship. Room IX contains finds from settlements in eastern Crete, including Gourniá, and has a marvellous collection of seal stones.
Small is Beautiful
Despite their tiny size, seal stones display an amazing degree of craftsmanship. Animals, people, imaginary creatures and hunting or religious scenes were carved in intricate detail onto hard stones such as agate or amethyst. These were then impressed onto clay seals which were used as a signature on correspondence or a guarantee on shipments of goods. No two are alike.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room X-XII
Rooms X-XII represent the Post-Palatial periods. Here, Minoan art is in decline, and the influences of Mycenaean Greece and Egypt are apparent. Room XIII contains dozens of clay sarcophagi (coffins) painted with geometric designs. Many are shaped like bathtubs, and two have skeletons intact.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Room XIV
Upstairs, Room XIV, the Hall of Frescoes, is the highlight of the museum. The long walls are lined with the famous frescoes from Knossos: the bull-leaper, the Lily Prince, the dolphins from the Queen’s bedroom. Only fragments of the original frescoes survive, with the paintings reconstructed around them, but the colour and detail in these few pieces reveal the remarkable skill of these ancient artists. In the centre of the room is the magnificent Ayía Triádha sarcophagus, which survives intact, with elaborate scenes of a funeral procession and animal sacrifice.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Rooms XV and XVI
Rooms XV and XVI have smaller frescoes, including the sensuous ‘La Parisienne’ (no. 27). Also notice the ‘Saffron Gatherer’, originally thought to be a boy picking flowers but later re-interpreted as a blue monkey.
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum Rooms XIX and XX
At the end of the Hall of Frescoes is a wooden scale model of the Palace of Knossos in all its glory. Back on the ground floor, rooms XIX and XX contain classical Greek and Roman sculpture.
Top Tip
Visit first thing in the morning, during lunchtime or late afternoon to avoid the worst of the coach-party crowds.
You don’t need to tackle all the exhibits at once. Your ticket is valid for re-entry on the same day, so take a break if you’re feeling tired or overwhelmed.
Must See
The Phaistos Disc (Room III)
Snake Goddesses (Room IV)
The Bull’s Head Rhyton (Room IV)
Rock Crystal Rhyton (Room VIII)
Hall of the Frescoes (Rooms XIV-XVI)
The Phaistos Disc in Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
Hidden Gems
Don’t overlook the hidden gems, such as the seal stones, the honeybee pendant (room VII) or the ivory butterfly (room VIII). The museum’s garden has the ruins of the Venetian Monastery of St Francis, too.
More Information on Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum
See Greece lists the ten best museums in Athens, the top two being the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum.
Outdoor Sculpture at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
Athens has many fine museums, with our favourites including the National Archaeological Museum, the Acropolis Museum, the Benaki Museum, the Greek Folk Musical Instruments Museum. and the Museum of Cycladic Art. But there are many more fine museums, including the Jewish Museum, children’s museums, folk art museums, religious museums, art museums, and a very interesting war museum.
Ten Best Museums in Athens
National Archaeological Museum
Gold finds from Mycenae on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
If you only have time to visit one museum when you’re in Athens then make it the National Archaeological Museum. It’s the finest collection of Greek art and artefacts in the world, and it’s one of those rare national museums whose collection is so rich that it doesn’t have anything on display from beyond the country’s own borders.
You should allow at least half a day to visit, though if you are pushed for time consider booking a guided tour before you go, which will make sure you don’t miss any of the highlights. For more information read our full page on the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum
Time for two of the best museums in Athens? Make this the second one, after the National Archaeological Museum. It tells the fascinating story behind the building of the Acropolis, with marvellous views of the Acropolis and Parthenon across the road. In all it has over 4,000 items on display, all of them found on the Acropolis rock or the surrounding slopes. There are also glass floors in some of the rooms so that you can see the archaeological site on which the museum was built. For more information see the Acropolis Museum website.
Benaki Museum
The Adoration of the Magi by El Greco In the Benaki Museum in Athens
A short walk from Syntagma Square stands the grand mansion that once belonged to the Benakis family. It now houses the Benaki Museum, a spectacular collection of over 100,000 items covering Greek history. It began with the Benakis family’s own collection, but further acquisitions since it opened in 1930 have meant that satellite museums have been opened, showcasing Asian and Islamic art, leaving the main museum to concentrate on Greece. For more details see our full page devoted to the Benaki Museum.
Byzantine and Christian Museum
This is a little further on from the Benaki Museum, on the other side of the road. It isn’t the best-known of Athens’ museums, but it’s long been one of our favourites. That’s partly because of the buildings and the grounds, but also its displays of over 25,000 icons, paintings, frescoes, ceramics, manuscripts, and many other items. See our detailed page all about the Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum.
Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art
Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens
This is also definitely on our list of the top museums in Athens, a few minutes further on from the Benaki Museum on the same side of the street. It dramatically and very effectively displays the graceful sculptures of the Cycladic civilisation, which influenced modern artists such as Picasso and Modigliani. In fact Picasso was the subject of one of the museum’s ongoing series of special exhibitions, which have included Ai Weiwei, El Greco, Dali, and Caravaggio. See our full page on the Athens Museum of Cycladic Art.
National Historical Museum
This museum is housed in what was the Greek Parliament Building from 1858 to 1934. That’s reason enough by itself for a visit, as you get to see the very grand debating chamber. Other highlights include a room devoted to Lord Byron, containing some of his belongings, and a vast archive of charming old photographs.
Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments
We both love music and play instruments so naturally we rate this as one of the best museums in Athens. However, we’ve also sent non-musician friends to visit and everyone has loved it. As with some of the other museums, one of the attractions is to see inside the building it’s housed in, in this case a Plaka mansion. It displays a collection of over 600 musical instruments spanning a period of about 300 years. The real fun thing is that the display cases have headphones so you can hear the instruments being played. They include bouzoukis, Cretan lyras, drums, flutes, and bagpipes. The museum doesn’t have a website but you can get all the information you need here.
Jewish Museum of Greece
This museum is housed in a neoclassical mansion, with the outside remaining as it was but the inside was completely and stylishly redone to house this collection of over 6,000 items. It tells the history of Jewish people in Greece, not flinching from the horrors of the holocaust when Athens, like other places in Greece, lost most of its Jewish population. There are also temporary exhibitions, a modern art gallery, and a comprehensive photographic archive. For further information visit the website of the Jewish Museum of Greece.
Museum of Islamic Art
This newer museum was purpose-designed to better display over 8,000 items of Islamic Art that were originally part of the main Benaki Museum collection, which didn’t have space to put everything on display. It’s in a neoclassical mansion not far from the Kerameikos cemetery. It’s a superb collection, one of the most important in the world, and the items are beautifully displayed. It covers Islamic art from India, Asia, the Middle East, Egypt and North Africa, Sicily, Spain and elsewhere. For information about visiting see the main Benaki Museum website.
War Museum of Athens
A war museum might sound like it could be a sombre experience, and in places it is, but it’s an enthralling place too. It tells the story of Greece through the lens of armed conflict, but it’s much more than a series of displays about wars and battles. Outside the entrance are some military vehicles old and new, and inside are model ships, weapons, miniature cities, temple friezes, and an engrossing telling of the role Greece played in World War II.
The best things to do on Symi include visiting the several museums, climbing to Symi Castle for the view and taking an excursion to the Monastery of Panormitis.
Symi in the Dodecanese
Best Things to Do on Symi
Symi Town
Symi Town is made up of its lower harbour area, known as Gialos, and the upper, older town known as Chorio. Gialos is, understandably, the busiest part of the town. The harbour is broad and long, framed by rising land to either side and overlooked by tiers of pastel-coloured houses with elegant pediments.
Ferries and excursion boats mostly dock at the west quay which is lined with cafes, tavernas, shops, and workshops. The harbourside road leads on from here past hotels and houses to the settlement of Harani, where small boatyards maintain the tradition of Symi boatbuilding.
The Harbour at Symi in the Dodecanese
Chorio
The older district of Chorio rises dramatically from the east side of the harbour to where a line of old windmills punctuates the skyline and the ruined castle of the Knights of St John, occupied by the Church of Megali Panagia, crowns the highest point.
The best way to approach Chorio is to climb the magnificent stone staircase, the Kali Strata, where the atmospheric 19th-century mansions line the lower stairs, some abandoned, some now being restored.
From higher up the Kali Strata you enter a fascinating world where tempting alleyways lead off to either side into a maze of occupied and unoccupied houses linked by stairways and narrow passages, the whole punctuated with open terraces and squares.
Map (c) Google Maps
Nautical Museum
This museum is down in Gialos and occupies a handsome neoclassical building. It’s not a huge collection but does tell you a lot about Symi’s grand nautical history, with both shipbuilding and sponge-fishing being big parts of the island’s past. There are model ships, old maps, diving suits, paintings, and other items on display.
Archaeological and Folklore Museums
These two museums are side by side in Chorio and overlap a little in their contents. Still, for a tiny island it’s impressive to have these historical and cultural displays to see, showing the rich history of the place. At one time Symi had a bigger population than neighbouring Rhodes, which is hard to believe as today
Symi Castle
The View from Symi Castle
There isn’t a lot that remains of Symi Castle but it’s an enjoyable walk to get up there, through the upper town, and you do get the perfect view of Symi harbour far below. Inside the castle remains is the Church of Megali Panagia.
Pedio
The small village of Pedio (or just Pedi) lies on the south side of the high promontory that flanks Symi Town. It still retains its engaging character as a fishing village from where small boats work the inshore waters. There is a narrow shingly beach on the waterfront, and it takes half an hour to walk along the path across the rocky hillside from the south end of the village to the pleasant sandy beach of Agios Nikolaos.
A 20-minute walk along a path from the north end of the village leads to the shingle beach of Agios Marina. Both beaches become very busy in summer, as crowded water-taxis arrive from Symi Town.
The Harbour at Symi in the Dodecanese
Monastery of Panormitis
The Monastery of Panormitis (Moni Taxiarchas Michael Panormitis) lies at the far southern tip of Symi and is an extremely popular destination for excursion boats. It can be reached by road from Symi Town, but this involves a hard six-hour walk or by taxi. The most convenient – and dramatic – approach is from the sea into the horseshoe-shaped bay that lies in front of Panormitis below pine-covered hills.
The 18th-century monastery is a huge building, almost Venetian in style. Its tall, baroque bell tower dominates the long white facade of the main building. The inner courtyard contains the free-standing church, which has a superb carved wooden altar screen and numerous gold and silver lamps, as well as a silver-leafed representation of the Archangel Michael, patron saint of Symi and protector of sailors. Here you can visit a small Byzantine Museum and there is also a museum of folklore.
The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece’s ancient treasures.
The National Archaeological Museum in Athens
This collection of the best treasures from Greek civilisations down the centuries forms the core of one of the world’s great museums. If you do only two things in Athens you should visit the Acropolis and also visit this remarkable collection of artifacts.
Outdoor Sculpture at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
Guided Tours of the National Archaeological Museum
To see everything properly you would probably need to visit the museum at least twice, as there is too much to take in on one long visit when museum-fatigue might set in. If your time is limited then take a guided tour which will show you the unmissable highlights, and these tours are available in several languages. Ask in the ticket office. You should at the very least buy a museum guide, or take an audio tour, also available in different languages.
Mycenean Collection
Gold Cup from Mycenae at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
If you’re visiting by yourself then head first for the Mycenean collection, one of the jewels in the crown whether you have plans to visit Mycenae or not. These treasures from the royal tombs at Mycenae date from 1500 BC. They include gleaming gold masks, cups, dishes, and jewellery discovered by archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1874.
Don’t miss the exquisite golden burial mask which Schliemann believed (partly because he wanted to) to be the face of King Agamemnon. Later dating, however, showed that it predated King Agamemnon (if he even existed) and the Trojan Wars by 200-300 years. Other finds include a silver wine vase (a rhyton) in the form of a bull’s head with horns of pure gold.
Cycladic Figurines
Cycladic Bowl at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
You will also find a stunning collection of Cycladic figurines found, naturally, in the Cycladic islands. Despite dating from about 2000 BC they are uncannily modern-looking.
Sculptures at the National Archaeological Museum
Sculptures at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
The museum’s sculptures are equally impressive. Seek out the rudely exuberant statue depicting the gods Pan and Aphrodite, dating from the 1st century AD. He clearly has lascivious designs on the naked goddess, while she preserves her modesty with one hand and wields a show in defence in the other. Also lovely are the remnants of a colossal cult statue of Zeus, found in 1916, and some delicate plaques of dancing girls from the Theatre of Dionysos below the Acropolis.
Bronzes at the National Archaeological Museum
Statue of Poseidon (or Zeus) at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
The bronzes, which include some of the museum’s largest works, possess an overpowering majesty, none more so than the huge figure of the sea god Poseidon. Arm stretched back in muscular grace, he is about to throw a trident, though some believe the figure is actually Zeus preparing to throw a thunderbolt. Experts have been able to use his facial expression to date the statue to about 460-450 BC.
The Little Jockey Sculpture at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
The more delicate Jockey Boy (or Little Jockey) is one of the museum’s most famous bronzes. The powerful horse and its tiny rider may or may not have been intended as one work – it was found in pieces – but the result is dramatic and full of movement. The figures were discovered, like Poseidon, in the sea off Cape Artemision, off the coast near Evia, and date from the 2nd century BC.
Another brilliant piece is ‘The Youth of Antikythira’, a 6.5-feet (2m) high bronze statue of a nude young man that combines delicacy and power. Some believe it’s the work of the famous sculptor and painter, Euphranor of Corinth. The youth once held a spherical object in his right hand, perhaps an apple, which would make him Paris, the son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. The statue gets its name because it was found in the waters off the small island of Antikythera in 1900 and dates from the Hellenistic period (323-31 BC).
Egyptian Art at the National Archaeological Museum
Miniature Egyptian Boat at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
The collection of Egyptian art reminds us of the way the ancient Greeks had close trading relationships with the Egyptians. Among the works to admire are an alabaster statue of a pharaoh dating from 2575-2155 BC, a granite statuette of Ramses II dating from 1290-1244 BC, and a stone stela from 664-525 BC with hieratic text, the ancient Egyptian writing system.
The Gift Shop at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
Private Collections
The museum also boasts two private collections: the Eleni Stathatou Jewellery Collection and the Karpanos Collection. The latter includes many artifacts from the ancient site of Dodoni, near Ioannina in Epirus, including lead tablets containing questions for the oracle at Dodoni.
The jewellery collection includes beautiful works in turquoise, silver, bronze, and glass, ranging in time from the Bronze Age to the Byzantine era.
Jewellery at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
Temporary Exhibits
Also worth checking out are the museum’s temporary exhibits, as there have been some really impressive shows put on there over the years.
Numismatic Museum
Coins from the Numismatic Museum in Athens
Coin enthusiasts will definitely want to see the Numismatic Museum, which has one of the greatest collections of coins in the world. It contains over 600,000 items and coins range from the ancient Greeks through the Roman and Byzantine period right through to the present day.
It’s also interesting for the building in which it is housed, the 1878 mansion which was once the home of archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann and known as the House of troy. It’s a 20-minute walk from the National Archaeological Museum, a few minutes from Syntagma Square, but it is part of the main museum collection.
Greek Coins
The old Greek currency, the drachma, had been in existence since at least 1100 BC before it was replaced by the euro in January 2002. It wasn’t a universally popular move, partly because of the drachma’s longevity and partly because there were price rises caused by ’rounding up’ amounts due to the new exchange rates. The drachma lived on, though, on the new 1 euro coins which cleverly depict on one side an old 4 drachmae coin from the 5th century BC. The 2 euro coin also has an ingenious design from Greek mythology showing Zeus as a bull abducting Europa, after whom Europe and ultimately the euro were named. Other coins depict Greek ships, from old triremes to a modern tanker, and famous Greek politicians including Venizelos and Kapodistrias.
Frieze from Santorini at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens
A visit to the Museum of Samos Wine to learn about the muscat grapes that produce the best dessert wines in the world and also the Greek spirit, Metaxa.
Wine-Tasting at the Museum of Samos Wine
Around the harbour from the Archaeological Museum in Vathi stands a museum to another subject that has played a huge role in the history of Samos: its wine. The Museum of Samos Wine celebrates the fact that wine has been made on the island since antiquity, and for centuries the name of Samos has been known around the world for producing some of the finest dessert wines.
Samos even exports its wines to France, which is a triumph in itself as the French are renowned for being very parochial when it comes to their choice in wine. Yet 40% of the wine produced on Samos – and they produce over 5 million litres a year – is exported to France where it is mainly drunk as an aperitif.
Another large portion of the best Samos wine is bought by the Metaxa company and taken to its distillery in Athens, where it is a key ingredient in Greece’s unique spirit, Metaxa. (Most people refer to Metaxa as a brandy, and although it tastes very similar to a fine brandy it technically is not a brandy as brandy by definition does not contain wine.)
Visiting the Museum of Samos Wine
Museum of Samos Wine
The Museum of Samos Wine is housed in a building near the waterfront that dates back to the 1930s and was once a warehouse and barrel-making facility, our guide Iannis Panagiris tells us. Iannis works for the wine cooperative that runs the museum as part of its activities, and which goes by the grand name of the United Winemaking Agricultural Cooperative of Samos.
‘Some of the old barrels are on display,’ Iannis says, ‘but we no longer make barrels here. The biggest one on display holds 18,000 litres. The cooperative was founded in 1934, although of course Samos wine had been popular for many years before that. The winegrowers decided to unite to avoid exploitation by European wine buyers. At the cooperative we take the grapes from 25 villages. We have about 2,500 members, with their families, and the vineyards cover about 1600 acres.’
Old Bottle of Samos Wine
The vast majority of the Samos vineyards cultivate the muscat grape, which grows exceptionally well on the island. It mostly grows here and in the South of France.
Old Photos
‘If you look at the historic black and white photos that are on display around the museum,’ Iannis says, ‘you’ll find that not much has changed because of the difficult access. You can’t get machinery into the vineyards so it is still all done by hand. One change is that each village traditionally had a grape collector, as most people only had donkeys, but now the growers bring their own grapes to us on trucks.’
Museum of Samos Wine Tour
On Samos the grapes grow at everything from sea level up to about 900m high (2,953 ft), with many of the vineyards on the slopes of Mount Ampelos, whose name appropriately means ‘vine’. It’s the highest mountain on Samos, at a height of 1,095 metres (3,593 ft).
Because of the different elevations, the harvest on Samos lasts for about two months, usually in August and September. The sea level grapes are ready first, though the higher grapes take longer to mature and produce a more concentrated taste and wine of a higher quality, although a lot depends on the individual microclimates.
‘The union also supports growers with advice to help control the quality,’ Iannis explains to us. ‘This is an AOC so there are certain rules to follow. The secret to the success of the wine is the altitude, the drainage, the maturation. It’s a sweet wine but also has a freshness that is almost metallic and might remind you of stone. That’s why Samos wines are known around the world. Samos has been known for centuries as a supplier of top sweet wines.
Inside the Museum of Samos Wine
‘The price growers get from us depends on the quality of the grapes and the type of wine they will be making. Better grapes obviously get higher prices. They also get higher prices for grapes that go into the Grand Cru that goes to France because there is a lesser yield. We’re not a profit organisation. We have to cover our costs and then the rest is distributed. The role of the union is vital in the success of Samos wine. Seven of the producers are elected to the Board of Directors. Many of them are quite young, in their 30s, so the younger people are still working the vineyards.’
Visiting the Wine Museum of Samos is clearly educational as well as entertaining. It’s an impressive museum that covers two floors and the old photos are especially interesting. Elsewhere there are collections of wine-making equipment, bottles, books, ledgers and all manner of things.
Wine-Tasting at the Museum of Samos Wine
Sign for the Museum of Samos Wine
At the end, naturally, we enjoy a wine tasting. We start with two dry muscats, an Aegean Breeze and a High Peaks. The Aegean Breeze manages to be both crisp and dry yet aromatic, and we try pairing the High Peaks with a yellow goats’ cheese from Samos, a perfect match.
We move on to the least sweet of the sweet wines, the Grand Cru that the French enjoy so much as an aperitif. It is light and fresh, with a slight metallic taste to it, good as a palate cleanser. The Vin Doux is 15% ABV, a strong and sweet wine that is the typical dessert wine we associate with Samos.
Wine-Tasting at the Museum of Samos Wine
The Samos Anthemis is the same as the Vin Doux but aged for 5 years. It tastes like toffee, raisins and Christmas pudding, and is the most popular Samos wine in the UK. Samos Nectar is aged for six years and is a deeper more tawny colour, tasting of dried fruit, caramel and nuts. No wonder these drinks are popular at Christmas.
Before leaving, don’t miss the museum shop, which sells a few other local products as well as wine. But check those wine prices. For medal-winning wine the prices are much, much cheaper than you’ll find them outside of Greece.
So if you’re in Vathi on Samos, don’t think that the Archaeological Museum is the only museum in town. The Wine Museum of Samos is also full of history – and you get to drink wine too.
Wine-Tasting at the Museum of Samos Wine
Museum of Samos Wine: More Information
The Museum of Samos Wine is open May-October. Check the website for opening times: samoswine.gr
Athens’ Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.
Owl Bracelet in the Benaki Museum in Athens
The Benaki Museum, nestled in the heart of Athens, Greece, stands as a pivotal cultural institution, offering visitors a rich and comprehensive journey through the country’s vibrant history and artistic heritage, while also extending its gaze to neighboring cultures.
History of the Benaki Museum
Founded by Antonis Benakis in 1930, the museum was originally housed in the family’s neoclassical mansion on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue. Benakis, a passionate collector and philanthropist, envisioned a museum that would not only showcase Greek art and culture but also serve as a bridge between East and West, reflecting Greece’s unique geographical and historical position.
Main Benaki Museum Building
The main building on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue remains the museum’s central hub and houses its most extensive collection, tracing the evolution of Greek civilization from the prehistoric era to the 20th century. This core collection is meticulously organized, guiding the visitor through millennia of history and artistic expression.
The journey begins with artifacts from the Prehistoric period, including Neolithic pottery and tools, offering glimpses into the earliest settlements and cultures that flourished on Greek soil.
Moving forward, the collection delves into the Ancient Greek period, featuring exquisite examples of pottery, sculpture, and metalwork from the Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic eras. These pieces not only demonstrate the technical mastery of ancient craftsmen but also provide invaluable insights into the daily life, beliefs, and societal structures of ancient Greece.
The Adoration of the Magi by El Greco In the Benaki Museum in Athens
The Roman and Byzantine Periods
The Roman period in Greece is also well-represented, illustrating the cultural exchange and continuity that characterized this era. The collection transitions seamlessly into the Byzantine period, a cornerstone of the Benaki Museum’s holdings. Here, visitors can admire a stunning array of icons, manuscripts, textiles, and decorative arts that reflect the spiritual depth and artistic sophistication of the Byzantine Empire. T
he collection highlights the enduring legacy of Byzantine art and its profound influence on subsequent artistic developments in the region. Following the fall of Constantinople, the museum’s exhibits explore the Post-Byzantine period, showcasing the resilience of Greek culture under Ottoman rule. This section features religious art, folk costumes, and everyday objects that speak to the preservation of Greek identity and traditions during this challenging time.
Greek War of Independence
Death of Markos Botsaris by Marsigli Filippo In the Benaki Museum in Athens
The journey continues into the Neo-Hellenic period, covering the years leading up to and following the Greek War of Independence in 1821. This part of the collection includes historical artifacts, portraits of national heroes, and examples of the emerging artistic styles that reflected Greece’s newfound independence and its connection to Western European movements.
20th Century Exhibits
Finally, the main building’s collection concludes with exhibits from the 20th century, featuring paintings, sculptures, and other artworks by prominent Greek artists, bringing the narrative of Greek art and history up to more recent times. The breadth and depth of this collection make the main Benaki Museum an essential starting point for understanding the multifaceted tapestry of Greek culture.
Benaki Museum Outposts
Beyond its central location, the Benaki Museum has expanded its reach through a network of satellite galleries and museums, each dedicated to specific collections or themes. This decentralized structure allows the museum to showcase its diverse holdings more effectively and provide more focused visitor experiences.
Benaki Museum of Islamic Art
Benaki Museum of Islamic Art
Among these outposts, the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art stands out as a particularly significant institution, highlighting the rich cultural interactions between Greece and the Islamic world throughout history.
Housed in a beautifully restored neoclassical building in the historic Kerameikos area of Athens, the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art is a testament to the artistic achievements of Islamic civilizations from the 7th to the 19th centuries.
The collection, one of the most important in the world, spans a vast geographical area, including regions from Spain and North Africa to the Middle East, Persia, and India. The exhibits are arranged chronologically and thematically, guiding visitors through the development of Islamic art across different dynasties and cultural centers.
The collection features an impressive array of artifacts, including exquisite ceramics with intricate geometric patterns and calligraphic inscriptions, finely crafted metalwork such as astrolabes and ewers, delicate textiles and carpets, and illuminated manuscripts and miniatures. Highlights include rare examples of early Islamic pottery, intricate Mamluk metalwork, and vibrant Ottoman tiles.
The museum’s setting, within a traditional Athenian mansion with internal courtyards, provides a serene and atmospheric backdrop for viewing these remarkable objects. The Benaki Museum of Islamic Art serves as a vital reminder of the shared history and artistic exchange between Greece and its eastern neighbors, challenging simplistic narratives and fostering a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of cultures.
Other Branches
While the Islamic Art Museum is a major outpost, the Benaki Museum complex includes several other notable branches, each contributing to the museum’s mission of preserving and presenting diverse aspects of culture.
The Ghika Gallery, located in the former home of the renowned Greek artist Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, is dedicated to 20th-century Greek art, focusing on the intellectual and artistic circles of the period.
The Pireos Street Annex, a modern industrial space, hosts temporary exhibitions, showcasing contemporary art and cultural events. The Benaki Museum of Toys, housed in a charming building in the Faliro area, delights visitors with its extensive collection of toys, games, and childhood artifacts from Greece and around the world.
The Delta House, the former residence of Antonis Benakis’s sister, Penelope Delta, a celebrated children’s author, is another historical property under the museum’s care, often used for cultural events and educational programs.
Collectively, the Benaki Museum and its outposts form a dynamic and multifaceted cultural institution. They not only serve as custodians of invaluable historical and artistic treasures but also play an active role in the cultural life of Athens and Greece. Through its permanent collections, temporary exhibitions, educational programs, and research activities, the Benaki Museum contributes significantly to the understanding and appreciation of Greek culture in its broader historical and geographical context.
It stands as a vital link to the past, a vibrant center for the present, and a beacon for the future of cultural heritage in Greece. A visit to the Benaki Museum complex offers an unparalleled opportunity to delve deep into the soul of Greece and explore its fascinating connections with the wider world.
