AMOUDI BAY
Amoudi is a peaceful spot under Oia. You can access the water from here and there are also a few restaurants to chose from. You can get to Amoudi Bay by walking down about 300 steps. The path is right under Oia Castle. If you get tired there are donkeys or horses you can hire to take you back up. We did not use the donkeys or horses and found it wasn’t too hard going back up. If you are moderately fit you shouldn’t have any problems. There are also taxis available to drive you down to Amoudi Bay or back up to Oia.
The donkeys you can hire to take you back up if you chose to do so.
OIA CASTLE
Oia Castle has some of the best views of Santorini. Below are pictures shot from Oia Castle. It can get pretty during sunset but that’s because the views from there are stunning. I usually don’t like big crowds but you have to go to Oia Castle at sunset at least once. A popular photo spot is the Kastro Oia restaurant- the orange building. You can get a good shot of the restaurant from Oia Castle.
Kastro Oia Restaurant
SKAROS ROCK
You can hike Skaros Rock starting from the town of Imerovigli. Imerovigli is a town between Fira and Oia. You can also get here if you are taking the walking path between Fira and Oia- which is what we did. There is only one path there and back and it is clearly marked. It maybe takes about 30-45 minutes to get to the top. It does get steep towards the end of the hike but it’s worth it for the incredible views. I would recomend a moderate fitness level to complete the hike. The path isn’t bad but there are a lot of stairs. On the same path as Skaros Rock is a church- Mother of Lord Theoskepasti Holy Orthodox Church. From the church you can take some incredible photos and enjoy a view of the beautiful blue water. I recommend stopping at the church if you are going to be hiking Skaros Rock. Also yes I did bring a dress to throw on for pictures on the Church!
Mother of Lord Theoskepasti Holy Orthodox Church
Mother of Lord Theoskepasti Holy Orthodox Church
Mother of Lord Theoskepasti Holy Orthodox Church
WALK FROM FIRA TO OIA
You can walk from Fira to Oia which is roughly 6.5 miles one way. We actually didn’t go all the way to Oia. We just walked from Fira to Imerovigli. From there we went to Skaros Rock (above). The walk from Fira to Imerovigli it is a little over 1 mile and took us about 40 minutes. We stopped to take photos which took a little more time. It’s a straight forward path and without veering too far off the path you walk by amazing views pictured below.
On the path from Fira to Oia
On the path from Fira to Oia
3 Bells of Fira
3 bells of Fira
On the path from Fira to Oia
View of the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord from above
View of the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord from above
View of the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord from above
View of the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord from above
WALK AROUND OIA
Talk a stroll through Oia and find the blue domes and windmills. There are a few very popular blue domes around Oia. It felt a little like a scavenger hunt walking around trying to find all them all. There are so many cute spots to take photos which is fun. I’m definitely an iPhone photographer but I love snapping pictures for the mems. There are obviously more things to see in Oia than the blue domes and windmills but if you’re in Oia you might as well find the iconic spots that Oia is famously known for. The three dome viewpoint is sometimes roped off. No one is there to make sure you stay out but it is always good to respect the rules. Our airbnb was right by the three dome viewpoint and so we had to cross through the rope to get to our accomodation.
Pink bells of Oia
Pink bells of Oia
Three dome viewpoint
Three dome viewpoint
Three dome viewpoint
Windmill of Oia
Windmill of Oia
WALK AROUND FIRA
Fira has so much to offer. From the main square to churches to eating Gyros. I felt like Fira was a more laid back town in Santorini. Lots of people go to Oia but Fira is just a short 20 minute bus ride away. We stayed in Fira for a few days and enjoyed the more relaxed vibes it had to offer.
St John the Theologian Holy Orthodox Church
St John the Theologian Holy Orthodox Church
Gyros from the main square in Fira that cost 2 Euros
Shopping around Fira main square
RENT A FOUR WHEELER AND EXPLORE SANTORINI
There’s a lot more to Santorini than just Oia and Fira. Santorini has a beautiful range of beaches from black sand to red sand and everything in between. Santorini is also a small island and surprisingly it only takes about an hour to go from one side of the island to the other. We rented a 4 wheeler in Fira and spent a day traveling all around the island. One thing to keep in mind is you need an international drivers license to rent a car or 4 wheeler in Greece. If you want to rent a scooter you will also need a motorcycle license. You don’t need to make reservations in advance. We were able to rent a 4 wheeler the day of. There are plenty of shops to chose from.
Akrotiri Lighthouse
View from Akrotiri Lighthouse
View from Akrotiri Lighthouse. The view is worth it but the lighthouse is a little underwhelming ngl.
View from Akrotiri Lighthouse
Black Beach
Black Beach
Kokkini Paralia Beach – red sand beach
Kokkini Paralia Beach – red sand beach
Perissa Beach