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Greek Architecture: Doors from the Greek Islands

Regional Guides

25.10.2023

Door in Santorini

From the Instagrammable wooden doors on the cliffs of Santorini and Mykonos to the old blue and white doors of the Cyclades, every door in Greece has a story to tell. Maybe this is because of the ever-present background of the Mediterranean Sea. Or maybe it is the Greek sun, or the thought of the hospitable Greek family behind the door, waiting for you with a warm dish of pastitsio or moussaka, that makes the door so beautiful. In this article, we explore Greece’s most beautiful doors and what they tell us about the people and history of the place.

Corfu

This doorway is found on the island of Corfu. You’ll notice that it doesn’t look like a lot of other areas of Greece, because it is in the Ionian island chain. The islands of the Ionian in the western area of Greece are unique. They include Corfu, Paxos, Lefkas, Ithaca, Cephalonia, Zakynthos, and Kythira. These are the biggest islands in the Ionian chain, but there are also smaller islands like Antikythira, Antipaxi, Ereikousa, Mathraki, Othonoi, Meganisi and Strofades. These destinations are known for their temperate climate, beautiful beaches, and historical sights. Historically, the Ionian islands are the only part of the Hellenic world that did not fall to the Ottomans after 1453, when Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire fell. Corfu Town is the perfect example of the Ionian architecture that was influenced by the Italian Renaissance. The historic buildings, palaces, and churches in the historical center of Corfu Town are the reason why Corfu Town has a UNESCO Heritage distinction.

Chania

The architecture of Chania is unique both to the island of Crete and the country of Greece as a whole. It features influences from Ottoman, Venetian, and local styles. Each neighborhood has a unique mix of these architectural styles. The Yali Mosque is one of the most visited sites in Chania and is a great example of Ottoman Architecture from the 1600s. It is the oldest structure from the Ottoman period in the city. The charming countryside of Crete is known for its stone houses, watermills, and fountains. These are mostly found on the outskirts of Chania and in the rural areas, because Chania has since been built up. If you’re looking for other adventures in the local area of Chania, it’s worth taking a trip to the southern coast of Crete. There, you will find the beautiful fishing village of Loutro, which is known for its white buildings and scenic bay of Loutro.

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is the second biggest city in Greece, located in the north of the country, in the region of Central Macedonia. At times, Thessaloniki natives referred to the city as the “co-capital”, not to propagate the popular cultural rivalry with Athens but rather to highlight the historical importance of the city, which was considered the co-capital of the Byzantine Empire because of the strategic positioning the port of Thessaloniki enjoyed. Folklore aside, Thessaloniki’s rich history is evident around almost every corner. Nowadays, however, the city is not only favoured by history aficionados, but the city’s vibrant cultural life attracts over 7.9 million visitors annually!


Within the city’s centre, one can find 15 UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, most of which are Early Christian and Byzantine churches. Remarkable is the Rotunda, an impressive round building decorated with marvellous mosaics, which initially functioned as the mausoleum of Roman Emperor Galerius but was converted to a church and later a mosque and is used today due to its excellent acoustics as a unique cultural centre.

Hydra

Hydra is one of Greece’s car-free islands. Many travelers only visit the most touristed islands, like Santorini and Mykonos. In fact, Greece has thousands of islands to explore besides the most well-known “Instagrammable” spots. Based on a recent report, the precise number of islands of any size in Greece, inhabited or uninhabited, is 29,372. Many of Greece’s smallest inhabited islands do not have cars, which gives them a charm that cannot be found in the most touristed islands and certainly not in the big cities. The island of Hydra is very steep, and the only form of transport is mules that are found in the port. Neither cars nor motorcycles are allowed here. The silence is broken only by the mules' steps on the cobbled streets and the occasional church bells ringing. Architecturally, you will not find white and blue houses like in the Cyclades, but likely Hydra's characteristic mansions.

Serifos

Serifos is a Greek island in the western Cyclades, and it is one place in Greece where cave houses are becoming more popular. Cave houses, called υπόσκαφα (iposkafa) in Greek, have long been built, with the most well-known ones being on the island of Santorini. They were often two-room houses comprising a kitchen and bedroom built into cliff edges, though a number of churches and storage areas have also been built in the same manner. In a concept that involves building a home into the earth, the idea has been around for as long as humans have been seeking shelter. But it offers a bunch of very modern benefits. The houses provide large cost savings, room for innovative world-class designs, and spacious facilities that let in plenty of golden Greek sunlight. An underground house designed on the rocky island of Serifos has earned MOLD architects global recognition as it received various distinctions, including a nomination for the Mies Van Der Rohe Award (2016 and 2021) and a finalist position for the IDA Interior Award 2021. Find out more about the house here.

Kalymnos

The picturesque island of Kalymnos can be found between the islands of Kos and Leros, in the Dodecanese. Visitors come from all over the world to experience its natural beauty, delicious seafood, quaint alleyways, and, naturally, the local sponges. Sponge diving has been practiced on this island for centuries as a local trade. The port town of Pothia is the capital of the island and is a gathering place for lovers of Greek architecture. It is full of old mansions, captains’ houses, and small one-bedroom townhomes from the 19th century that used to be the dwellings of –you guessed it– the local sponge divers.  Kalymnos’s traditional sponges are just one example of a local Greek island product. Chios is known for its Masticha, Lesvos for its ouzo, and Symi for its shrimp.

Mykonos

Mykonos may be Greece’s most well-known island. It is known as a place for celebrities and partying. Luxury bars on the beach are known to sell champagne for over 100,000 Euros per bottle, boutique shops sell luxury jewelry and 20,000 Euro Rolexes, and tourists come in droves. Celebrities are commonly seen here on their yachts. Mykonos is successful at attracting famous and wealthy young entrepreneurs because the island feels like it has no rules. Tourists want to go to paradise, to have a break from their work-dominated routines, and to take advantage of the hippy and bohemian lifestyle. Mykonos wasn’t always this way. In the 1950s, the famous photographer Robert McCabe was known to capture simple scenes from day-to-day life in Mykonos like restaurants, local stores, fishing boats, and barber shops. McCabe notes that in 1955, Mykonos felt like its own country with “its own dances, cuisine, architecture, and even language.”

Naxos

Naxos is one of the Cycladic islands, just 100 nautical miles from Athens’s port. The Cycladic Islands are some of the best islands for vacationing in Greece because they are in the middle of the Aegean Sea. Naxos Island is the largest in the Cyclades group. Naxos’s main town is famous for its big Portara (the great door). It is the remains of an ancient temple to Apollo that was not finished. It was constructed in the 6th century BC by the ruler of Naxos, Lygdamis. He wanted to build the highest and most incredible building in Naxos, but when war came with Samos, the construction of the temple stopped. Experts don’t know exactly what the temple of the Portara was designed for, but some people say it was a temple to Apollo, the Greek god of music. Today, the Portara is the ideal place in Naxos to enjoy the sunset and to go for a walk after a delicious taverna meal. In Naxos town, it is not just traces of the ancient Greeks you can see. It is also the impact of the Venetians and the Franks who took over the Greek islands at different times. In the alleys of the old town, you will feel like you are in the Middle Ages.

Rhodes

Rhodes’s architecture is a combination of Byzantine, Venetian, Renaissance, and Ottoman styles. Locally, houses were typically made with the materials available on the island. Interior decorations were often rich, and there were often embroideries, cloths, and even a special section of some walls called a “piatelotichos” (plate wall). The typical rural family home had a single room with an entrance on one of the longer sides. This style can be found in most villages of the island. In the 21st century, one of the biggest influences on Rhodes’ architecture was Italy. Today in Rhodes, some of the most famous buildings designed by Florestano di Fausto, the Italian architect, include the Foro Italico Administrative Center in the Mandraki area, and the Italian Club, an area exclusive for Italian officers.

Sifnos

This door is from Sifnos island, and it has the style of the Cycladic islands: white and blue. There is a good reason why Instagrammers flock to the Cyclades for their blue and white hues. The soft tones reflect the peace of the area and complement the calming tones of the sea. However, there is a deeper reason for the color scheme. At least a century ago, Greeks needed to cool down their spaces (without air conditioning, of course). So, they painted over the rocks with whitewash – a mixture of lime, salt, and water — which was much cheaper than paint. This naturally cooled the home. Also, in the late 1930s, Greece was suffering from a cholera epidemic, and the nation’s leader at the time, Ioannis Metaxas, ordered all Greek citizens to whitewash their houses. The whitewash used to paint the outside of citizens’ homes contained limestone, which happens to be a potent disinfectant.

Explore More

We admit we don’t know where this door is from. There are many islands in Greece that are not known to the average tourist beyond Mykonos and Santorini. Greece has 119 inhabited islands, according to the most recent census. 54 have over 1,000 people. Out of the inhabited islands, 40 of the Greek islands have a population of under 100 people. Greece has thousands of other uninhabited islands. The true gems in Greece are the lesser-known islands with a few locals, often known for their warm hospitality. The lifestyle is often rural and agrarian, and the population in the summertime is much larger than in the winter months. Marathi, just east of Patmos in the Dodecanese islands, for example, has only 5 yearly residents. The lifestyle is slow, and residents rely on each other to fulfill their basic needs. Irakleia, in the Cyclades, has 141 residents and is known for its white and blue houses, nature, and history. It is found between Naxos and Ios and can be reached by ferry from Athens.

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