Every guidebook on Santorini recommends that you hike from the capital, Fira, to the postcard-worthy town of Oia. If you have any doubts about this hike, know right now that it’s absolutely worth doing. The hike from Fira to Oia isn’t a tourist trap, and is arguably the best thing to do in Santorini (besides stuffing yourself with Greek pastries, that is). My mom and I both loved the hike, and although it’s quite a long trek we both had no problem completing it. If you’re eager to get your fitness on in Santorini and are craving gorgeous caldera views, you need to do this hike. But before you lace up your tennis shoes, there are a few key things to know about this hike.
What to wear on the hike from Fira to Oia
Before I dive into the logistics of the hike, I wanted to discuss the appropriate attire for the hike from Fira to Oia because I wore the totally wrong thing. Peep the photo above to see what I wore, and please try not to judge me too harshly! Going into the hike, I thought the path from Fira to Oia was paved the entire way, hence the Birkenstocks and sundress. As it turns out, the last half of the hike is a legit hike, dirt path and all. Although I made good time on the hike, I kept slipping on the loose gravel in my sandals.
A solid pair of tennis shoes or hiking sandals is needed for this hike, but you can wear whatever else you want on top. Shorts and a breezy top would be fine, as would a sundress. Just avoid anything really tight as you’re guaranteed to work up a nice sweat along the way!
Hiking from Fira to Oia
The six-mile hike from Fira to Oia will take you around three to four hours, depending on how often you stop to rest. The trail begins in Fira by the Hotel Atlantis, and winds through the center of town and up a hill. Initially, I was really confused because there are no signs for the hike until you reach the end of town. Trust your gut and stick to the wide street closest to the caldera until you reach the top of the hill overlooking Fira (you’ll pass the Catholic church on your way up, if that helps!). At the top of the hill, the path turns slightly so you can no longer see Fira; at this point, you should start seeing signs pointing you in the direction of Oia.
The first town you’ll reach after Fira is quaint Firostefani. Because my mom and I started the hike so early, everything was closed in Firostefani. We still enjoyed the walk through the empty streets though, and took lots of photos of the whitewashed buildings in the morning light. The path through Firostefani is a little confusing since the walking path signs are scattered quite far apart, but as long as you keep walking in the right direction, you’ll wind up where you need to be!
15 minutes after you leave Firostefani, you’ll stumble into beautiful Imerovigli. Here, you can either continue your walk through the town or you can take the fork in the path and hike out to Skaros rock, which is supposed to have a beautiful view of Imerovigli. We chose not to hike to Skaros rock because, 1) my mom flat out refused, and 2) I thought hiking out to the rock in Birkenstocks sounded like a fab way to get killed. So we admired it from afar and shuffled along to Oia.
It was about this point that our troubles started. Namely, the nicely paved path turned to loose gravel and dirt, and I started seriously questioning my clothing choices (seriously, why did I think Birkenstocks were a good idea??). The dirt path from Imerovigli to Oia is the longest portion of the hike, but is also the most beautiful. Along the way, you have an insanely gorgeous view of the caldera, with Oia a tiny speck in the distance. If you start the hike from Fira to Oia early enough, you should stay fairly cool during this part of your journey.
Near the end of your journey, you’ll come across a quaint church overlooking Oia. From here, it’s just 15 more minutes until you’re in the heart of Oia. My mom and I took this opportunity to rest our feet for a bit and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. Although the hike wasn’t that intense (just long!), we were ecstatic to have made it to Oia! The views of Oia near the end of the hike are insane, and it truly feels like you’re walking through a postcard.
Once we made it to Oia, we popped into a taverna for a much needed lunch (a big plate of pasta and Coke for me. Much needed after that hike!). Then we hiked down to Armeni Bay for a spot of swimming later in the afternoon. Our legs were incredibly fatigued after so much walking, but the dip in the ocean did wonders for us at the end of such a long day!
Key things to remember
- Start the hike early—my mom and I started the hike from Fira to Oia around 8am, which landed us in Oia around 11:30. The first 90 minutes of our hike were relatively cool, and we got some amazing photos of Fira and Imerovigli in the morning light. By the end of the hike, it was quite warm, but not unbearably so. If we had started the hike any later in the day, I think we would’ve been dying by the end of it.
- Bring water with you—don’t count on running into a roadside stand along the hike. Some blogs said we’d see fruit stands and such along the path, but we didn’t pass any (possibly because we started the hike so early). The night before the hike, go to the grocery store and buy a liter or two of water. While you’re hiking, make sure to continue drinking water, even if you don’t feel thirsty. It’s easy to get dehydrated in Greece, and once you leave Imerovigli there are no shaded spots for you to rest and recover.
- Bring a light snack—again, this is a long hike so you’ll want a snack to tide you over. We brought apples with us and they were the perfect treat halfway through the hike.
- Bring a swimsuit—A swim in either Ammoudi Bay or Armeni Bay is a must after that hike! Pack a swimsuit and change in the restaurant bathroom at lunch. That first dip in the ocean is incredible after the sweaty hike.
Hopefully you now feel prepared to make the hike from Fira to Oia. Although the hike is long, it’s not too difficult and can easily be done by anyone who’s decently fit. If you have any more questions about the hike, drop me a comment down below and I’ll do my best to help you!
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