Local Markets

The market streets of Ermoupoli are the working side of a town that is usually admired for its marble squares and mansions. Ermoupoli was founded in the 1820s during the Greek Revolution of 1821, when refugees from Chios, Psara and Asia Minor settled on Syros in the Cyclades, and from the start it was a place of traders. The shops and stalls that run through the lanes behind the harbour and Miaouli Square carry on that tradition, selling food, household goods and local specialities to residents more than to visitors.

The best reason to wander through is the food of Syros. The island has a cheese of its own, San Michali, a firm, spicy cow's-milk cheese protected by a designation of origin, and the shelves also hold louza, a cured pork speciality seasoned with pepper and spices, along with capers, honey and olive oil. Sweet shops sell loukoumi, the soft, scented Turkish delight that Chian refugees helped make a trademark of the island, and halvadopita, a sesame and honey confection that is also a Syros favourite. A tasting is often offered if you ask.

Greengrocers and bakeries cluster in the lanes, and the morning is the liveliest part of the day, when locals do their shopping and shopkeepers set out crates of vegetables and fruit. Fishmongers near the port sell the catch of the day, and small family stores sell dried herbs, pasta and pulses by weight. The sense of ordinary life is the main attraction, and prices are generally lower than in tourist-facing cafes.

The streets are close to other places of interest, which makes the market a natural pause in a walking route. The Apollo Theater and the Town Hall on Miaouli Square are a few minutes away, the Archaeological Museum and the waterfront promenade are close, and the stairways of Ano Syros rise just behind. Shopping hours follow the usual Greek pattern, with many shops closing in the afternoon on some days and reopening in the evening, and in winter the pace is slower. Outside the busy months some shops reduce their hours, and at Easter the town celebrates with Orthodox and Catholic traditions side by side, which gives a different mood to the streets.

Ermoupoli is reached by ferry from Piraeus, a trip of a few hours depending on the vessel, and it is a quieter alternative to Mykonos or Santorini. A visit to the market is easy to combine with a day in the town, and it is a good place to buy gifts to take home, such as sweets, cheese, honey and local spirits. Bring a bag, carry a little cash for the smaller stalls, and take your time.