Santorini - Hike from Fira to Oia

Thanks for your report back - glad you had a great time.

Did you use any maps for the walk between Fira and Oia or was it easy to navigate through the villages?

Thanks Adam

Just wanted to report back as I am the original OP of this thread.

 

We were early enough in the season that ours was the only ship in port that day. Took the first tender off the ship and the first cable car of the morning up to Fira. We left Fira at 7:45am and arrived in Oia at 9:45am. So the hike took us 2 hours.

 

It was a sunny 70 degree morning with a nice sea breeze. The scenery and views are tremendous. You do not get the same views from taking the bus between towns, the bus route is further away from the ocean and the view is often blocked. The walk part of the journey takes you between/through/among some of the beautiful resorts/spas/restaurants. The hike part of the journey takes you along the mountainside and edge of the caldera. There is some change in elevation but nothing strenuous. Footing is not a problem at all. Definitely worth your time. An absolutely beautiful way to see the island.

 

Oia is a nice place to wonder and enjoy the Greek style. We took the local bus back to Fira for 1.80 euro each. The bus trip took about 25 minutes. Then we explored Fira.

 

We walked down the donkey path to the tender pier. It took 20 minutes to walk down.

 

For those asking about hiking from Oia to Fira, speaking only about the hike, there is no difference in my opinion, on which way to enjoy the hike. Just look to your right instead of the left to enjoy the beautiful ocean views.

 

Hope you all get to enjoy your travel as we did.

Thanks so much for your report. Were there sites (i.e. Shops, restaurants, homes, etc) to see along the way or is it just a walking path. Also were there comfort stations , benches on the route. We are traveling in late August when the temperatures will be considerably warmer than April, do you think this type of hike is doable? I am fit and walk About 3 miles per day so I am not concerned about walking for 2 hours.

hi!

If there are many ships on Port it will take you a little bit longer to get on top.During our stay we had a private tour with Gold Street Travel and really enjoyed it!

Boscodog,

On the edge of Fira you will walk between the back of a couple of hotels/resorts. Then you will walk an open area, come to another small town, then a couple of churches , a small cantina and not much else. No comfort stations, no benched and no shade. We are fit fast walkers but it It took us almost three hours because I kept stopping to take photos. Yes, it will be hot in August (we did it in June) but if you can get an early stop, bring plenty of water, wear large brimmed hat and cover up/wear sunscreen you should be fine.The views are quite special.

Thanks for reporting back, BostonBoatBoy. Sounds like you had a great day.

Regarding the specifics to the hike, is there a map or markers,mot ensure that you do it get lost? Thanks

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Really except for your way out of Fira I don't think you can get lost. First of all it is all pretty wide open, second, when in doubt veer toward the cliff edge and third you will see plenty of other people and can follow them.

How do you get out of Fira, or is it obvious? Never been there. Thanks Chairsin.

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Once you either exit the cable car or the end of the walkway from the tender drop off you are in the town of Fira. It is a little rabbit warren of a town. Just head toward the cliff and then left. You will be out of the town in five to ten minutes. If that makes you uncomfortable I seem to recall seeing on the web a step by step account forms couple echo detailed the directions. Sorry I don't have the link. It you can Google it and see if it comes up..

We are going to do this walk next month.

This link has a trail description and photos along the way:

http://www.santorini-walks.co.uk/Santorini-Oia-Walk.html

This trail description only seems to work in Windows Explorer:

http://www.santorini.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=156&Itemid=100&lang=en

Hello fellow hikers, just back from my awesome adventure that included this hike in reverse- from Oia to Fira. It absolutely is a spectacular visual and visceral experience and a great way to get the real essence of the amazing geology of the island.

Quick summary: 4 hour hike for us active 60 year olds with ample picture taking time with a couple of water/snack breaks, mostly uphill this direction with three or four mildly strenuous uphill treks but mostly flat-easy walking. No map, easy self-evident navigation with just a few places to make choices where we either asked others, used the outward bound approach to decision making or back-tracked as necessary.

We took the first tender off the boat at 7:15 am, the first ferry to Oia (€15 w/o cable car ticket, including bus ticket, easy to find - head to left at dock), arrived in Oia by 8:15ish about the same time as one of the ship tours but before the masses and as the shops were setting out their wares. Allowed us to enjoy the quiet beauty of Oia without crowds ( and frankly it would have been a completely different experience with crowds- the walking alleys are very narrow, barely two people wide).

Of course, we weren't able to enjoy the beautiful views in Oia while sitting at an overlook sipping our favorite beverages either and we somewhat rushed through our Oia exploration so we could hike before it got too hot. We did luck out and randomly caught a young couple getting pre-wedding photos against the background of the picturesque five blue domes. Weather note- it was overcast the entire time, so the seas were dark blue and the skies cloudy. No rain. No humidity. Still beautiful.

I speculate the hike in this direction was a bit longer and more strenuous but less crowded and equally enjoyable. I am glad we chose this road less traveled. As we got closer to Fira the trail was full of hikers. Fira streets were crowded and we only had three ( 2 small) ships in port that day. We did enjoy lunch close to the cable car overlook and took the steps down ( 45 minutes for us with more picture stops! no issues with slippery or smelly steps, but then it was early in the season and I always breathe through my nose if I want to avoid noxious smells!)

Well worth the time and effort. Enjoy your hike!

Just wanted to report back as I am the original OP of this thread.

 

 

 

We were early enough in the season that ours was the only ship in port that day. Took the first tender off the ship and the first cable car of the morning up to Fira. We left Fira at 7:45am and arrived in Oia at 9:45am. So the hike took us 2 hours.

 

 

 

It was a sunny 70 degree morning with a nice sea breeze. The scenery and views are tremendous. You do not get the same views from taking the bus between towns, the bus route is further away from the ocean and the view is often blocked. The walk part of the journey takes you between/through/among some of the beautiful resorts/spas/restaurants. The hike part of the journey takes you along the mountainside and edge of the caldera. There is some change in elevation but nothing strenuous. Footing is not a problem at all. Definitely worth your time. An absolutely beautiful way to see the island.

 

 

 

Oia is a nice place to wonder and enjoy the Greek style. We took the local bus back to Fira for 1.80 euro each. The bus trip took about 25 minutes. Then we explored Fira.

 

 

 

We walked down the donkey path to the tender pier. It took 20 minutes to walk down.

 

 

 

For those asking about hiking from Oia to Fira, speaking only about the hike, there is no difference in my opinion, on which way to enjoy the hike. Just look to your right instead of the left to enjoy the beautiful ocean views.

 

 

 

Hope you all get to enjoy your travel as we did.

Thank you, JenZ, for your very helpful report! This is exactly what I'm thinking of doing, except that our ship gets in at 2pm so we might linger in Oia a bit hoping it cools off a little before the hike.

Glad you had a great visit to Santorini, and thank you for sharing your experience with us. :)