Seminars and company events
Venetsanos Winery on Santorini offers its terraces for private events, and the official site names ceremonies, receptions, private dinners and galas. The venue does not present itself as a meeting or seminar site, so it suits an incentive dinner, a client reception or a gala evening better than a working day. The largest event area is the Upper Terrace, an open-air space of 250 square meters that looks out over the caldera.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are a stated part of the offer. The Upper Terrace can host both the ceremony and the reception, which lets a couple keep the whole day in one place. The winery describes the terrace as suited to ceremony, reception, private dinner and gala. For the exact format, availability and conditions, the winery asks organisers to write to info@venetsanoswinery.com.
Rooms and capacities
The winery is built on four levels. The Upper Terrace is on the second level. The maximum capacity stated for it is about 100 seated guests at round tables, 160 guests in a standing reception, or 100 guests in theatre style with chairs only.
Two other spaces are used for visitors. The Main Hall Terrace is where wine tastings take place, with a view of the caldera cliffs and the Aegean Sea. The Sunset Terrace is a place to take a glass while the sun goes down. The site does not give capacities for these two, so an organiser who wants to use them should ask.
Catering
The winery serves local cold dishes with its wines on the Main Hall Terrace, and it offers a wine tasting with a light lunch that can be booked online. The site does not describe a full catering service for events, so the organiser should confirm with the winery whether food is prepared in-house or by a caterer.
History and setting
The Venetsanos family built the winery in 1947 as the first industrial winery on the island. For years it produced wine for Santorini and exported widely, including to Russia. The building was designed from the top downwards and relies mostly on gravity, which saved energy when electricity was scarce. The buildings have been renovated and are open to visitors, who can walk through the site to see how wine was made and how it is made today, followed by a tasting.
The winery sits in the Caldera area of Megalochori, right above the port of Athinios, with views over the caldera. Its wines include Santorini, Nykteri, Mandilaria, Anagallis, Liastos and the Vinsanto, a naturally sweet dessert wine.
Getting there
The site links to directions but gives no travel instructions. The port of Athinios is directly below the winery, which is useful for groups arriving by ferry. Organisers should check transfers with the winery.
