Syros Vaporia Quarter

Location: Ermoupolis

Vaporia, the most picturesque quarter of Ermoupolis Syros: Vaporia is a wonderful neighborhood around the port of Ermoupolis, the capital of Syros. Vaporia used to be the most important trading quarter of the island in the 19th century, as most trading deals on the island were achieved in the shops there and products were loaded on the ships to be exported.

Today this quarter is an architectural splendor with beautiful mansions constructed in the neoclassical style, paved paths, and beautiful arches, which make it the most picturesque quarter in Ermoupolis. Just in front of Vaporia, whose name means "ship" in Greek, there is the church of Saint Nikolas, the patron saint of Ermoupolis and one of the two churches that you see as the ferry approaches the island.

The elegant buildings of Vaporia have carved marbles for their balcony supports, different colors and they are built one attached to the other. Some have quite outstanding wall paintings or frescoes adorning the ceilings and walls of the houses, built right at the edge of the port. These houses used to belong to rich ship owners and captains of Syros, therefore it was the richest area in the town.

Most mansions of Vaporia have been recently renovated without much damage to their architectural beauty. Some of the residential mansions there have been transformed today into star hotels and traditional guesthouses.