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If you're going to Santorini, then there is a very good chance that you will be visiting Oia at some point.
This spectacularly located white-washed village sits precariously on the edge of the red and black cliffs overlooking the deep blue sea, and is widely regarded as Santorini's "must see" sight.
In terms of its appearance and location it is similar to the island's capital, Fira. But somehow it is even more spectacular. Maybe it is higher (I'm not sure), maybe the cliffs are steeper, maybe the buildings are more brightly coloured. It feels more "natural" than Fira - almost as though the hotels and restaurants and swimming pools have grown there. That would make more sense than somebody actually having built them in their frightening locations!!
The village consists of houses, tourist rooms, bars, restaurants, churches and souvenir shops - from a distance it is difficult to tell what any given building is. Narrow paths wind between the buildings, and flights of steps, which seem to be heading nowhere, transport you to another terrace or pathway. This is a great place to spend a morning getting lost.
Oia is also the most popular spot on the island for watching the famous sunset. The paths and restaurants along its cliffside apparently fill up with tourists (and their cameras) at the end of each day. I only visited Oia during the day, so never experienced the sunset from there. (I viewed the sunset from Fira and that was spectacular enough - but apparently, the view from Oia surpasses that!).
The spectacular setting, and the consequent influx of visitors, means that prices in Oia have naturally been inflated beyond those in other parts of the island. If you're travelling on a budget then you may want to consider staying elsewhere (I stayed in a village named Karterados, near Fira) and visiting Oia by bus. If you're not travelling on a budget, then Oia is THE place to stay in Santorini. Spectacular rooms with terraces and swimming pools built right on the very edge of the cliff can readily be found. Leave a Comment Directions: In the north-west of the island. On the edge of a cliff! Can be reached by bus from Fira (15 minutes; 1 Euro) or from the east coast beach resorts (30 mins).
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Oia is a small village 12km from Thira. Bus KTEL departs from the coach station will take you there for €1 fare. The ride takes 30 minutes, and fare is purchased onboard.
Oia has the same blue on whitewashed as Thira does, but there are also many shades of ochre, pastel and a good use of grey colour. Houses and hotels are much smaller in scale, many traditional houses have only one room and available to rent.
I like Oia better than Thira because although the village lifeline also depends on tourists just as Thira, it is quieter and there are more nooks and crannies waiting to be discovered. Leave a Comment
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Sunset is the beautiful show that happens every day in Santorini.
One minute, the bright sun glares on the walls and reflects from the roofs; the next minute, it softens the white while brightening the yellow and bringing out the undertone of the various shades of blue.
For half an hour or so, the ball of fire alters the colour of the sky, dulls the mirror-like sea, and transforms the entire look of the land. Then it lowers itself slowly into the water, melts its heat into the cool sea, resting for a few hours before raising its torch anew for another day on the island.
Bring your camera and don’t move from your good spot. Leave a Comment
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Oia village is really Santorini's postcard. Totally different from Fira, it isn't so touristic and it is much nicer, with good shops and restaurants. It's located about a 20 minute drive from Fira and , to get there you can take a bus .
There you can watch the most beautiful sunset in Santorini. This is the perfect place for a romantic weekend or a honeymoon with lovely hotels and villas. I was surprised that two of my friends visited Santorini and never went to Oia!! It's a must see. Leave a Comment Directions: A 20 minute drive from Fira, the capital.
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Sunset at Oia (pronounced EE-ah)! Trust me, the word "alone" does not exist here. By 6pm, the cliffs (especially at the Kastro Walls at the far end of the village) of Oia are jam-packed with crowds, all eager to catch a front-row seat for a supposedly romantic view of a Greek sunset. Here - you will find the true sun-worshippers!!
How the residents here bare with the din everyday is a tantamount to the resilience of the Greek race.
The town of Oia is literally white-washed. The village was heavily destroyed in the earthquake of 1956 and when rebuilding was carried out, all the new buildings were painted white. Within years, postcards showcasing a cliff of white houses set against the blue skies and waters of Greece began enchanting visitors all over the world. The rest is history. Today, you need to destroy your bank accounts to stay in one of these swanky hotels for the great view. I was chased away a couple of times for unintentionally "invading" private properties. The folks running the places were very polite, to their credit, but they do make sure you step away from the snaking paths of the Caldera and back onto the public paths.
This is where I belonged. Sigh.
I had the great fortune of having 3 American ladies on holiday in Greece as my companions as folks around me jockeyed for places. Sure beats sitting there all by myself (even though a family of Taiwanese sitting upwind from me thought I was from mainland China and tried to get a conversation going with me about cross-strait tensions. Duh).
For photo-buffs: Make sure you go early to pick the best spots.
Take note: Like a huge sigh of relief, the crowds empty the streets of Oia once the last rays of the sun finally flicker away. Here, the true "Amazing Race" starts, as folks not staying in Oia, would be in a rush to catch the first public buses out of Oia.
And yes, (I am waiting for that National Day Medal anytime now) I am proud to report that I managed to catch the first bus out of Oia for Fira! Leave a Comment
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From Oia you can get a terrific view of not only the vibrant sunset, but also the stunning view of the west cliffs of Santorini. This is because Santorini is crescent-shaped and Oia is situated on the tip of the northern point of the crescent. This is a church bell tower in Oia with Imerovigli, Firostefani, and Fira in the background. Leave a Comment
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Visitors to Santorini flock to the scenic Oia, a village at the far northwest tip of the island, to view the beautiful sunsets. When you go you'll see why they make this journey. If you ever find a more beautiful sunset anywhere else on the planet, by all means let me know, because I'd certainly like to see.
Getting to Oia is a bit, shall we say, interesting, because you have to travel on a very windy road clutching the edge of steep cliffs. The bus trip to Oia can be downright terrifying, so I'm glad we took a cab there and then took the bus back after dark when we couldn't see how close we were to the edge. Leave a Comment
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There's more to Oia than just the sunsets. The town itself is quite picturesque with its traditional Cycladic architecture and its maze of narrow paths. I was so fascinated with the churches all over the Greek Islands that my wife started to think I was becoming some kind of religious fanatic. I don't know what it was about the churches there, but I found the simple yet elegant architecture and stark color contrasts to be absolutely captivating. This is one of the many churches in Oia. Leave a Comment
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Oia (pronounced as "Ee-yah")is the place to go to see sunsets, but if you want to explore the town do it during late morning to midday. This is to avoid the masses of tourists that flock there to see the sunsets. Getting there early will allow you to get unobstructed views of the buildings and windmills for pictures. I would then suggest going back late afternoon to catch the sunset.
Tip: Most people stay in the town to catch the sunset and therefore you have to fight for viewing space. There is a fishing port below that you can walk to via a few hundred steps of stairs. My advice is to drive down to the port and catch the sunset from a restaurant on the port. Less tourists and better views. The port is called Amoudi. Leave a Comment Address: Oia
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With Fira being my "homebase" for sunsets, I found it hard to think that there might be a better vantage point to view the sunset. But, I heard from numerous people and writings about Ia's, so off I went. Boy, was I glad I listened!! Ia offers an unimpeded view of the sun over the ocean, whereas Fira has an island blocking the view. Don't get me wrong, either is fantastic, but Ia wins for the simple fact that you can watch the sun melt into the sea.
Tip: Get there at least 30 minutes before the sun even gets close to setting to get a good seat. Leave a Comment
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