Santorini, one of the most famous islands in the world, is all about romance, epic sunsets, and jaw-dropping views. So, when I say that you must add the Fira to Oia hike on your Santorini itinerary, it may sound strange. But trust me, this easy 10-km hike does offer the best views of the island, the caldera and the villages from so many different viewpoints.
This scenic hike was the highlight of my 2 weeks in Greece itinerary, as far as memorable views go.
Things to Note About the Fira to Oia Hike
- You can do the hike from Oia to Fira or the other way round. The advantage of hiking from Fira is you get the best views of the northern tip of the island including the stunning Oia village in front of you. Plus the hike is more downhill in this direction, and hence a bit easier.
- The distance is about 10 to 10.5 km depending on the starting point. The walking route initially through the villages is on cobbled streets, the rest of the path is mostly gravel or pebbles, with a short stretch on a road.
- The hike takes between 2.5 and 4 hours depending on you pace and how many photo stops you take on the way.
- Avoid the hike during the 11 am – 4 pm time. The best time to do the hike is early in the morning, starting at 7 am. Note that none of the shops will be open at this time, so do carry water and sacks with you. Or, like me, you can choose to start the walk at 4:30 pm.
- There are very few signboards on the Fira to Oia hiking path. I did get lost a bit at one point of time and had to backtrack. But it is difficult to get completely lost. For the entire walk starting from Fira, if you keep the ocean to your left then you know that you are moving in the right direction.
- There is no shade anywhere on the route, so make sure you have a cap / hat / sunglasses and sunscreen on.
- You don’t really need to wear hiking boots. I did the walk in comfortable walking shoes, which were fine on the worst gravel path. This is very different from the challenging Samaria Gorge hike that I did on my Crete itinerary, all rocky terrain which is best done with hiking boots.
Start of the Hike at Fira
The hike “officially” starts at the Atlantis Hotel in Fira. I started my hike from Three Bells of Thira. It saved me 15 -20 min perhaps than starting from Atlantis Hotel.
The initial route takes you through the villages of Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli. This route is interesting with boutique hotels, cafes, bars lined up on both sides of the streets. And there are the stunning harbour views of Fira.
Imerovigli is the highest point on the island, so the initial route is on an incline as you climb up from Fira. Moving towards Imerovigli, you will come across a fork in the path. I took the route on the left to stay as close to the caldera views as possible. The right path is the less scenic route that goes through Imerovigli town.
Detour to Skaros Rock
Staying on the left path through Imerovigli gives you stellar views of Skaros Rock. This ginormous Rock divides the Santorini island almost in two. You can add a detour to Fira to Oia hike by adding the hiking route to Skaros Rock. To get out onto Skaros Rock, you will first descend a series of steps. This detour adds up to 50 to 60 minutes to the walk. But do note, that it can get extremely windy on Skaros Rock.
Dirt Path After Imerovigli
Once you cross Imerovigli, the views change. You can see the northern tip stretch out in front of you and the village at the tip is Oia. The path is all gravel and pebbles, and you need to be careful walking on this.
You then come to a church at a scenic spot on a small hill, Profitis Ilias Church. Just before the Profitis Ilias Church, the path will fork. I stayed on the left side to continue up to the church for amazing views of the caldera.
After crossing the church, there is a bit of a downhill path. Once at the bottom of the hill, the trail ends and you will briefly have to walk along the shoulder of the road. This section is about 150 to 200 meters long. The trail resumes just past a small snack bar.
Onwards to Turtle Rock
This next section is the hardest part of the walk (if you are walking from Fira to Oia). It’s a steady, uphill walk on a rocky, dirt trail. It gets a bit monotonous after a while. This is where I got lost choosing between 2 dirt paths. I backtracked from the left path and got on the right side path.
I was almost by myself during the stretch after crossing Imerovigli. I crossed 2 small churches and then reached a nice viewpoint named Turtle Rock.
As the name suggests, it is a rock resembling a turtle with its head upturned. The rock is located right next to the path between the chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the small church of the Prophet Elijah.
Continue to Walk Along the Caldera Into Oia
Before you start the descent into Oia, you will find the small church of Psilos Stavros with some magnificent views. My hotel was almost at the start of Oia village, so I ended the walk there.
But you should continue to the end of Oia village. If you do the hike in the evening, like I did, you are in for a treat, with a glorious sunset at the northern part of Oia. You can base yourself anywhere near the Venetian Castle inn Oia to see a spectacular sunset.
For more articles about Santorini, check out my recommendations below:
- Going on a package holiday to Santorini with Jet2
- What to eat in Santorini
- Sailing in the Cyclades itinerary
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