After staying in Athens for two nights, my friend and I took the (very rocky and very busy) ferry to the island of Santorini. It was a dream for both of us to visit Santorini and we had an amazing time! We decided to stay in Fira due to the lower accommodation prices but we were most excited to visit Oia. If you are staying in Fira or Imerovigli, a day trip to Oia is a must.
In this post I will outline everything we saw and did on our perfect day trip to Oia. Enjoy!
Getting There
From Fira, you can travel to Oia very easily by bus. The bus ride takes 30 minutes and costs only 1.60 euros each way. You can also hike the infamous trail from Fira to Oia, which takes just over 2 hours one way.
From Imerovigli, you can also take the bus to Oia. The bus ride from Imerovigli takes 20 minutes. The hike from Imerovigli to Oia takes just under 2 hours.
Due to the extreme heat, we opted for bus each way.
Panagia Platsani
Start your day at Panagia Platsani, one of Oia’s beautiful churches.
The Main Street
Continue walking along the main pedestrian street towards Amoudi Bay. This main street is so picturesque, filled with shops, restaurants and beautiful homes.
Blue Domes
Keep your eye out for Oia’s famous blue dome churches. You may have to wander down side streets to get a good photo but be sure to respect the homes and hotels.
Atlantis Books
On the main street you will see a very cool book store, Atlantis Books. Head inside to take a look!
Four Bells
You’ll eventually reach the Four Bells of Oia. Another great photo-op!
Oia Castle/Byzantine Castle Ruins/Lookout Oia
Veer off the main street and head towards Oia’s Byzantine Castle Ruins. This is an infamous lookout that will give you the postcard view of Oia. Wait until you see how packed this spot gets at sunset!
Helios House
Head back towards the main street and take the pathway down to Amoudi Bay. You’ll pass by the beautiful exterior of the “Helios House.”
Fun fact: This house is seen in the film, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Alexis Bledel’s character stays at her grandparents’ house in Oia, which is located right across from the Helios House.
Amoudi Bay
It’s finally time to make your way down the path to Amoudi Bay. Hanging out in Amoudi Bay was my favourite part of our day trip to Oia.
Note: The pathway is steep, and the steps are very wide and covered in donkey feces. But trust me, it’s worth it!
Once you reach Amoudi Bay, you’ll see the beautiful turquoise water up close. The bay is a calming and relaxing place to escape the crowds of Oia for a little while.
There are a few restaurants in the bay. We decided to grab some lunch at Dimitris Ammoudi Taverna and it was wonderful.
Continue walking past the restaurants. If you think the views on the way down were beautiful – you can’t miss these views of Oia from below! If you walk even further, you’ll reach Amoudi Beach.
Sunset
You can’t come to Oia without seeing the sunset. However, we found it a bit difficult to kill time until then. After Amoudi Bay, you could head back up top and continue to explore, do some shopping, grab a drink, etc. There is also a Maritime Museum and a winery.
Oia is PACKED at sunset. We stood near the Helios House to admire the sun setting.
Tip: If you are taking the bus back to Imerovigli or Fira, start heading to the bus terminal a bit before sunset is over. The lines at the bus stop are very long, so it’ll help to get ahead of the crowds.
I hope you enjoyed this post about our day trip to Oia!
