A Rare Journey to Interwar Santorini: Last Days to Experience Nelly’s Legendary Photography Exhibition

If you love history, art, and the raw beauty of the Aegean, there is a captivating cultural event in Santorini that you absolutely cannot miss this month.

For just a few more days, visitors and locals have a unique opportunity to step back in time and witness the island as it once was. The highly-acclaimed photography exhibition, “Nelly’s – Santorini in the Interwar Years” is wrapping up its spectacular run. Hosted at the magnificent Kastellana Photography Center, nestled within the historic Kasteli of Pyrgos, this exhibition offers a mesmerizing look at Santorini before the devastating 1956 earthquake changed its landscape forever.

Following its massive success since launching last August, the exhibition reopened for the start of the tourist season and will officially close on June 10th.

Who Was Nelly’s? The Pioneer of Modern Greek Landscape Photography

Nearly a century ago, Elli Sougioultzoglou-Seraidari, world-renowned by her professional signature, Nelly’s, visited Santorini. She became one of the first photographers in Greece to methodically and deeply explore landscape photography. In fact, modern art historians regard her work as the true starting point of contemporary Greek landscape photography.

Between 1928 and 1932, Nelly’s spent five consecutive summers vacationing on the island with her family. What resulted was an extensive, deeply personal photographic archive. Her breathtaking black-and-white images captured the essence of the Aegean. Long before Santorini’s blue domes and whitewashed windmills became globally recognized symbols of Greek tourism, Nelly’s lens had already immortalized them as timeless architectural icons.

Capturing the Modernist Allure of Cycladic Architecture

What makes Nelly’s work so historically significant is how her visit overlapped with a major architectural revolution. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, pioneers of Modernism, including the legendary architect Le Corbusier, were discovering and drawing immense inspiration from the functional, minimalist beauty of Cycladic architecture. Nelly’s masterfully documented this aesthetic shift.

Unlike her European contemporaries, such as Herbert List or Henri Cartier-Bresson, who often looked at Greece through an “exoticizing” lens, Nelly’s approached Santorini with an organic, deep cultural understanding. She didn’t just take pictures of a beautiful place; she captured the true identity of the island.

Trace Nelly’s Footsteps Across Santorini

The exhibition takes you on a physical and emotional route across the island’s unique terrain, showcasing photographs taken during her extensive explorations. Marvel at images that capture the sheer awe of the volcanic cliffs, the Caldera & Skaros Rock, showcasing the distinct geological layers and vertical rock fractures of Skaros. See early depictions of the fluid boundary where the black volcanic sand meets the Aegean Sea in Kamari Beach. Experience the infinite scale and vastness of the island from its highest peak, Prophet Ilias. Wander through past alleys and cobblestone streets (kalderimia) of Fira and Pyrgos villages, populated by a bygone generation.

Plan Your Visit: Essential Information

Don’t let the clock run out on this beautiful cultural experience. If you are currently on the island or arriving before June 10th, make sure to add this to your itinerary.

• Exhibition Title: “Nelly’s – Santorini in the Interwar Years”

• Venue: Kastellana Photography Center (Κέντρο Φωτογραφίας Καστελάνα)

• Location: Inside the Kasteli (Castle) of Pyrgos, Santorini

• Closing Date: June 10th, 2026

Why go? Exploring the medieval village of Pyrgos is already one of the best things to do in Santorini. Pairing your walk through the castle with a viewing of these historic masterworks will give you a profound appreciation for the resilient spirit, history, and evolving beauty of the island we all love.