| Fira, Imerovigli and Firostefani tips and photos posted by real travelers and Santorini Island locals. • 338 Photos
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If you think Fira looks good by day you should see it by night! In the half hour or so after sunset as the light fades more and more the city lights up in an array of twinkling lights reflecting colour from the whitewashed walls of the buildings. And if you catch the moon shining off the sea behind the town, well...
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Fira is the capital of Santorini island. And what a capital it is!
Only a small village, despite being the capital, white-washed Fira clings to the edge of the cliffs on Santorini's west coast.
Along with the north-western village of Oia (which has a similar appearance and unique location), Fira is one of Santorini's "must see" sights.
Picturesque homes, hotels, tavernas, bars and shops are scattered along the edge of the cliffs, while tiny narrow paths (struggling to accommodate the influx of visitors) weave in and out of the buildings.
The views out to sea (beyond the isles of Kameni and Thirassia) are breathtaking, particularly so in the evening when the sun sets.
Hordes of daytrippers make the journey up and down the cliff each day by mule, cable car or, for the foolhardy, on foot.
Beyond the cliffside, the centre of Fira has many shops, tavernas, bars and Internet cafes. Prices on the high street are considerably lower than in the prime cliffside locations as you would expect.
The village of Karterados on the outskirts of Fira has plenty of budget accommodation (and a handful of shops and tavernas), although this entails a 10 minute walk into Fira. Leave a Comment Directions: On the western coast of Santorini. On the edge of the cliff!
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The "Old Port" at Fira lies at the bottom of some 600 or so steps down the cliff side. This is quite a hike, moreso up than down, and it's one way to keep fit! The journey to the bottom of the steps is well worth it as it's like a different world down there. A variety of fish tavernas line the harbour and tenders are constantly toing and froing between the port and the various cruise ships anchored a little way offshore. Excursion boats to the volcano, hot springs, Therissia and Oia leave from here too, better to check times in the town than to face a wasted trip down here!
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Skaro rock sticks up and out from the cliffs at just about the highest point of Imerovigli. It once housed a Venetian fortress though scant little remains of this these days. The walk over to the rock involves yet another climb down and up steep steps (it seems to be a feature all over Santorini) and a walk across a path that was described in one of our books as "not for the faint hearted". really, it's a doddle and shouldn't scare anyone. At the far side of the rock (and down yet more steps) is a small church that is set right on the edge of the rock. The views from it are spectacular and the church itself is picturesque and charming. Worth the hike.
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The west side of the island is THE place to stay, because of the most spectacular sunsets on the planet. I saw sunsets in Tuscany, Cafe del Mar in Ibiza, other Greek islands, Paris, etc. NONE come close to the magic of Santorini. Maybe its because of the build up from hearing other peoples stories, maybe it because there isn't all that much else to do on the island, or, what I think is true, it just plainly is the most dramatic setting for the sun's rays to be captured anywhere on the planet. The two main spots, although anywhere on the west side will do, are Fira and Ia. Fira is great because this is where I stayed, and taking in a sunset from your own balcony is pretty cool to me. But, Ia has its perks too... Leave a Comment
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This church steeple in Fira makes a good landmark because it is just about the tallest structure in town. I liked it because the light pink paint made it stand out among the other buildings and looked especially nice against the blue morning sky. Which brings up a great point: Morning is a great time to walk around taking pictures on Santorini because the Sun is low in the sky and hardly anyone is around. Leave a Comment
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This was one of my favorite scenes in Imerovigli. The town is completely full of little homes like this, simple but beautiful. The town was not crowded at all during our visit, so it was a great experience just wandering around leisurely and seeing places like this everywhere. Leave a Comment
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On the first morning after our arrival on Santorini I had such bad jetlag that I awoke at about 5:00 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep. As it turned out, this was an excellent time to walk around and photograph my new surroundings because, with the Sun so low on the horizon to the east, the sky was a brilliant blue and provided a great contrast to the whitewashed buildings. This photo is from my walk up to Imerovigli, the town just north of where we stayed in Firostefani. Leave a Comment Directions: Just north of Firostefani. It's a fairly easy walk along the path that leads all the way from Fira.
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Fira is the capitol of Santorini. If you approach it from the sea it looks a little like it's clinging onto the side of the cliff. You can get the most spectacular views over to the Caldera from the coastal path.
Cruise ships pull into the port at Fira daily, and the place can get very busy especially when it's invaded by thousands of tourist off the boats, sometimes two or three are in at the same time.
The long and steep streets, with it's multitude of steps slowly whined their way up to the Monastery, and, the Greek Orthodox churches at the top of the hill. Stop off at the Archaeological Museums of Artifacts on the way, you will find one by the bus station, and one near the Cable car, buy a ticket for both.
The side streets that lead off from the main road and the coastal path, are a delight to wonder down, browse the many jewelery, craft, and cake shops, or stop off for a meal or a drink at one of the many cafes and restaurants. Be careful where you stop, as you pay well over the odds for the beautiful view.
If you are going to the port of Fira, which has a few bars and cafes, either take the cable car, mule or walk the many steps (well over 100 ).
If you have a walking disability, you will find it difficult to get around Fira, it can be done if you take your time and stop off from time to time, the most of the streets have long low steps, but it can get steep in places.
Wheelchair users, make sure you have a good strong pusher. Leave a Comment
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The Catholic Cathedral stands some way north of the Orthodox one and is not quite on the caldera rim, though it is visble from there. It forms part of a little "complex" that also houses the monestary of dominican nuns. The little streets around here are quiet and tranquil and not trodden by nearly so many tourists as the rest of Fira.
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