International Sandal Makers Series - Katerina of Parga.
Traditionally shoemaking has mostly been done by men. Eager to learn as much as I can about techniques and materials, I have been researching deeply and have discovered there in fact many female sandal makers spread across the world.
On a recent trip to Greece, I was lucky to find myself in Parga, where I met one of these wonderful craftswomen, Katarina. With the help of google translate and my very meagre Greek I was able to find out a little more of her story.
She taught herself the art of traditional Greek sandal making as a young girl, and now spends her summers hand crafting sandals for visitors in her workshop in the town.
She spends the winters at her home near Athens and prepares the bases and components in advance so that she can quickly create the sandals, fitting the straps to the customers measurements. She works late into the night so they are ready to collect in as little as a day .
If you have the opportunity to visit Parga, a beautiful Venetian influenced town on the mainland near Corfu, be sure to look her up, you can easily spot her workshop if you look out for the giant sandal hanging up outside.
Here are a few of our favourite places in Parga if you are headed there soon;
Food:
Hellenikon- delicious food in a charming, quiet stone courtyard, away from the busy tourist crowds on the main promenade.
Atrium Bar for fresh juice and light snacks with amazing views high above the small beach of Piso Krioneri
The Yard
Perfect for brunch and right across the street from Katerina
Beaches :
During our stay in Parga, we usually took a boat taxi to nearby Lichnos bay to escape the high-season crowds. Vratos is another calmer beach worth visiting. You can catch a water taxi to either location from Parga harbour. As of 2026, the round-trip fare is €6 for Vratos and €12 for Lichnos.
If Parga isn't on your destination list at the moment, of course I can handmake you a pair of beautiful handmade sandals here in the UK, and we can work together to make sure they are fitted perfectly to your feet and can be made at any time of the year, especially handy if you need them for an off season or winter sun trip.
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