The highlight of Santorini is the classic hike between its 2 showcase villages, Fira to Oia. The walk takes you around the caldera rim with jaw dropping views of the volcanic crater and the sparkling Aegean sea below. This post explains how to make the most of a fantastic day on the trail.
The Fira to Oia hike
The island of Santorini is stunningly beautiful. It is the remnants of a vast volcano that erupted with such force that all that is left is the rim of the crater dropping into the sea-filled caldera below.
Its 2 main villages Fira and Oia are made up of beautifully whitewashed buildings that cling to the edge of the volcanic rock.
There is nothing better than spending a perfect day hiking the 10 km trail between the 2 villages and taking in the spectacular scenery. Read on to find out all about this awesome hike and how to tackle it.
A budget guide to Santorini – Check out our guide here
Important things to know before you hike from Fira to Oia
It is quite a long hike, around 10 km or 6 miles in total. Hiking times are estimated around 3 to 4 hours, but we took 6 hours as the views are so magnificent we stopped for numerous photos and a picnic lunch too!
Here are some tips to make your day more comfortable and to make sure you do not forget anything.
- Do not underestimate the trail. There are plenty of steps and the northern section is rocky and slippery in sections so wear sturdy footwear like sneakers or hiking shoes. We saw one girl in low-heeled leather shoes really struggling on the trail.
- Leave early and take your time. We took 6 hours at a nice slow, relaxed pace. This way you can enjoy the experience and not race by all the wonderful scenery.
- Take water. You will need it and there are not many places to buy supplies especially north of the 2 villages, Firostefani and Imerovigli.
- Wear a hat and take sunscreen. It can get very hot and there are many sections without shade. We did it in April and our faces still got sun burnt. In the midsummer months of July and August the heat will be very oppressive and exhausting.
- Take snacks. it is a long walk and you will get hungry. We bought delicious sandwiches and pizza bread from a bakery in Fira for a picnic lunch. There was one small caravan snack bar between Imerovigli and Oia, but that is all.
- Make sure your device or camera is fully charged. Believe me, you will be taking lots of photos.
Take a look at our hike from Fira to Oia here
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How hard is the hike?
The path is paved in places, steep steps in places and rough volcanic rock in places. If you can walk for at least 4 hours over this kind of terrain you will have no problems. We saw families with young children hiking and seniors on the trail. It is not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs.
Fira to Oia – where to start
The path is quite easy to follow. Begin at the main pedestrian street along the caldera front in Fira. Follow it north past St John the Baptist church and basically stay on the trail with the sea to your left.
We always use the great offline map app Maps.me to find our way around. Failing that, locals will always show you the way, and there are a few red signposts dotted along the trail to help guide you.
The first famous landmark you will come to along the trail is the blue dome church on the northern edge of Fira. There will be plenty of people lined up above taking photos from this impressive viewpoint.
When we walked the trail in April 2019 part of it had been washed away by erosion and the path was closed off on the section below the church. We had to take a detour around through a car park to get back on the trail. Maps.me showed us the way. Hopefully this will be repaired quickly.
Firostefani and Imerovigli
Firostefani and Imerovigli are the two pretty villages that run north from Fira. They are lined with high class resort hotels with private rooms and swimming pools/plunge pools that are terraced into the rocks in a very dramatic fashion.
The trail becomes a bit confusing in Imerovigli with options to climb higher above the village or stay lower through it. You can take either of the two. The lower trail leads to a side track to the prominent Skaros rock which stands sentinel on the headland.
The trail becomes wilder
Once you are north of Imerovigli the buildings end and the trail passes through wilder and more remote terrain. It is a beautiful, peaceful spot. When we walked in April the wildflowers were blooming along the trail, filling the landscape with a riot of colour.
Further along you will come to a church just above the path. This is about the halfway mark of the trail and is where we stopped for a picnic lunch. It’s a great spot with wonderful views south back along the headland.
Just past here there are some public toilets which are the basic long-drop variety. Bring your own toilet paper!!
The path is a bit unstable past here and it is easy to slip on the loose volcanic rock so be careful. It drops down for a kilometre and then follows the main road for a few hundred metres before climbing again.
You will come to another church, Psilos Stavros at the highest point. This is another great photo location, and from here it is downhill all the way with Oia only 30 minutes walk away.
Welcome to Oia
Congratulations!!! You’ve made it to Oia, one of the most photogenic locations in all of Greece. Walking in you will be stunned at its beauty, and once you drag yourself away from your camera you will probably be ready for a drink at one of the many cliff-side restaurants and cafes in the village.
A budget guide to Santorini – Check out our guide here
Things to see and do in Oia
Oia is one of those villages that is fun to explore by just wandering around and getting lost in its winding alleyways. They will lead you up and down steep steps to viewpoints that will fill you with awe. Some places to head to are –
- Oia castle. This has great views to the whitewashed buildings and windmills to the west. This place gets crowded for sunset so make sure you get there early.
- Ammoudi Bay. If you have the energy, follow the 300-odd steps down to Ammoudi bay below Oia where there are a few expensive seafood restaurants. We didn’t eat there.
- The blue domed churches. These are the focal points for the budding photographers of Oia. You will probably queue for a photo here but they are THE spot for a Santorini selfie!!
Getting back to Fira
Buses leave Oia for Fira every 30 minutes or so and are supposed to run until about 9.30 pm mid-summer but a lot earlier in the off-season. Check departure times if you want to stay for sunset to prevent getting stuck as taxis can be quite expensive. So many people flock to Oia for the sunset that it becomes a real scramble, and for that reason we didn’t bother and returned to Fira where it is just as impressive.
The bus costs 1.80 Euro
Check out our Fira to Oia hike on our Youtube channel.
Want to know where to stay? Where to eat? What to do? It’s all in The Frugal travellers budget guide to Santorini
Have you done this hike or are you planning to do it? Is there anything else we should add?
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