Oia Santorini by Andrew Hurley
What's Oia Like
Oia sits on the northern tip of Santorini, it’s around a 15km drive from the capital Fira and would usually take about 20 to 25 minutes in the car.
Oia is the second most popular resort on the island behind Fira. It’s a beautiful village perched on top of the caldera with amazing views. It’s a romantic little village and very popular with couples and honeymooners, it also hosts many weddings every year.
Oia offers everything you need including some of the best restaurants on the island, supermarkets, tavernas, bars and of course the magnificent sunset over the caldera.
Most visitors will be choosing between here and Fira as their place to stay, some say that the views from Oia are superior to those of the rest of the island due to the way it looks down over the capital and it’s buildings so if you’re looking to stay on the caldera side of the island and want to be in one of the major towns with a great view then definitely consider Oia.
Oia Nightlife
The night life in Oia is based around getting a restaurant with a caldera view and taking photos of the beautiful volcanic scenery as the sun sets. There’s not much in the way of late night bars and no clubs.
If you enjoy traditional Greek music and dancing then there are a couple of options. There’s also a few cocktail bars and places that stay open late but don’t expect to be partying until the sun comes up, that’s not what Oia is about.
What to do around Oia
Oia isn’t on the beach but you can swim down at Amoudi Bay, there’s even a popular spot for cliff jumping if that’s your thing. To get to Amoudi Bay you have to walk down 300 steps, just remember to take water shoes as getting in and out of the sea isn’t easy as it’s very rocky.
Also around Oia are a number of churches in the traditional Cycladic style of white walls and blue domes, a couple of which are situated right on the edge of the cliffs and are a great place to sit and watch the sunset.
Another incredibly popular spot to watch the sunset is at the Byzantine castle that’s right next to the steps that lead down to Amoudi. It’s true that you get a wonderful view from here but it’s so popular that it’s sometimes hard to get a good spot so keep that in mind if you’re thinking of going.
Quick look guide to Oia
Where is Oia
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Where next?
Go to the Santorini resort guide to find out about the great towns and villages on the island.
Go to the Santorini beach guide to find out about some of the best beaches on the island.
Find something to keep you entertained whilst in Santorini with our Santorini sight seeing guide.
Go back to the main Santorini guide to find out more about this lovely Cycladic island and what it has to offer the holiday maker
Find information on another Greek island, whether that’s to hop from Santorini on a day trip or to research an alternative destination.
Tell your friends and followers about Oia
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