Canava Antonis Arvanitis Winery in Megalochori, Santorini

Greece › Santorini › Canava Antonis Arvanitis Winery
Updated: September, 2021
By Santorini Dave

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A couple stands next to a table full of wine bottles and homemade goods.

A truly authentic and traditional wine tasting experience in a laid-back, family-run winery that’s been around since the 1950s. Antonis Arvanitis and his wife, Rasita, are passionate about traditional winemaking methods and enthusiastic about sharing these ways with visitors. Tours and tastings are free (with suggested donation) and given daily, year-round. The Arvanitis’ English is minimal and they use a translator for wine tours, so reservations (email or phone) are recommended – but the charming couple’s overwhelming hospitality means that drop-ins are always welcome and accommodated. Tastings can include Roze, Brousko, Mezzo, and Vinsanto, as well as Nychteri – a traditional Santorinian wine made from overripe grapes and aged in old Russian or French barrels. In addition to wines, the Arvanitis sell a variety of homemade products such as olive oil, vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, jams, Greek fava (yellow split pea dip), and lemonsanto, a liquor made with 100% Santorinian lemons; all grown and packaged by the family. Located underneath a fantastic family-owned bakery on the main road that passes Megalochori, Canava Arvanitis is super easy to get to by bus on the Perissa and Akrotiri routes.

Canava Antonis Arvanitis Winery Santorini Hours and Information

  • Season: Open year-round.
  • Hours: 9am-3pm and 6pm-9pm daily.
  • Website: No website.
  • Location: Megalochori 847 00
  • Telephone: +30 2286082848
  • Email: adonis.arvanitis@mail.ru
  • Restaurant: No restaurant on site, but there is a fantastic bakery beside/above the winery, Family Bakery, that offers baked goods, snacks, sweets and some traditional Greek foods.
  • View: No view.
  • Tours & Tastings: Tours and tastings are offered daily, and cost is a suggested donation. Reservations are recommended, as the owners’ English is minimal and a translator is used for tours. Guests can taste the winery’s Nychteri, Roze, Brousko, Mezzo, Vinsanto, and Lemo-Santo.
  • Parking: Limited parking available.
  • Bus: Easily accessible by bus, with the nearest stop just across the street, along the road that passes Megalochori. Buses traveling south from Fira en route to Perissa and Akrotiri will make stops here – ask the driver to let you off at Canava Arvanitis or at The Family Bakery in Megalochori. If coming from another village such as Oia, Imerovigli, or Kamari you’ll need to make a transfer in Fira to a Megalochori (south-bound) bus.

Map of the area surrounding Canava Antonis Arvanitis Winery

Canava Antonis Arvanitis Winery Santorini

Arched blue doorway in a white stucco building, with wine barrels to either side.

Canava Antonis Arvanitis is located in Megalochori, along the main road that runs past the village.

Couple smiling in front of a table of homemade goods, in front of a wall of wine barrels.

The Arvanitis winery has been family-run since the 1950s; Antonis and Rasita are its enthusiastic and hospitable owners.

Wooden wine barrels with taps.

Canava Arvanitis wines are barrel-aged, dispensed directly from the tap for tastings and take-home purchases. The Arvanitis family makes Roze, Brousko, Mezzo, Vinsanto, and Nychteri – a traditional Santorinian wine made from overripe grapes.

Family photos hanging on a wall and displayed on an old wine barrel.

Displayed photographs and artifacts reflect the history of the family business.

A group of tourists tasting wine around a table.

Tastings at Canava Arvanitis are held daily, year-round. Walk-ins are happily accommodated, but reservations are recommended.

A display of homemade culinary goods for purchase.

In addition to wine, the Arvanitis family makes other products like olive oil, vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, jam, fava dip, and lemonsanto.

Customer buying a bottle of vinegar at a small winery.

All of these can be purchased at the winery.

Bus stop in front of a family-owned bakery in Santorini.

Canava Arvanitis is easily accessible by bus, on the Perissa and Akrotiri routes. The bus stop is directly across from the winery and this Family Bakery. Ask the driver to make a stop here when you board.

A bus stop along a rural road, with a passenger van parked in front.

Photo of the bus stop from the opposite side of the street.

Bus stop sign along a rural road, with a timetable posted below.

A timetable is displayed below the bus stop sign, so you can plan your trip back.

A white stone bench near a roadside bakery.

When it’s time to return to Fira, wait next to the bakery near this stone bench, and flag the bus as it approaches.

Stone-built sign with embedded wine bottles, pointing the way to Canava Arvanitis Winery

To the right of the bakery, a stone sign points down a small hill, directing you to Canava Arvanitis.

Blue doorway with wine barrels on either side.

The winery entrance is just below the bakery.

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About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave I'm Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a short article on tips for visiting Santorini with kids. We're now a small team of writers and researchers dedicated to providing the best travel content on the internet. We focus on Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece, offering recommendations for top hotels, neighborhoods, and family-friendly hotels worldwide. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.