Can i walk from fira to oia

I completed the walk with my daughter in mid-July. It was great!! All in all, though I would definitely say it was doable with, yes, plenty of water and good shoes, and even on a broken bone. Thanks, Dave, these tips were invaluable. Just completed the Fira to Oia hike and disagree with the assessment that a 7-year old could complete.

There is very little shade between Imerovigli and Oia. Bring plenty of water and snacks. Thanks for the great feedback. I will stick by my point that most 7-year-olds will be able to handle the walk without a problem.

I am no great hiker but often do the walk in crocs without any trouble. Thanks again. Hi Dave, for someone who will be traveling solo, what advice would you give if I get lost on the Oia-Fira hike? Thinking of taking the bus from Fira to Oia to see the sunset and then hike back. Thanks for your help! I would not recommend walking the hike in the dark and since it will be after the sunset, it will obviously be dark.

Just done hiking the route from Fira to Oia in less than 2 hrs. A must-do for all. Thank you, Dave, for the excellent tips and suggestions: they have proven to be very accurate.

Thank you for your wonderful site and advice. Do we need hiking boots to avoid knee injury or a pair of running shoes is enough? I just completed the hike with my two parents who are both 73 years old. We did it in three hours on the dot. Dave thank you very much for your tips and this site, we feel comfortable using this page as a guide.

Thanks again! We just got back from a cruise that included Santorini. The trip was for my 40th birthday and my wife is While we are by no means in amazing shape, I did want to share that we felt that the description from Dave underestimates the effort that will be needed to get from one end to the other. We did Thira to Oia and at the end of the So be prepared to spend some time, take your time, take some water and be ready to be tired.

The other thing that we found disappointing…not necessarily from Dave but from other sites…is that Oia is not the quaint little art town that it is painted to be. Most of what we found were higher-end named clothing boutiques and jewelry shops. We were hoping to buy some paintings but none were to be found. Thanks for the feedback.

As I mention above: Hi Dave! Maybe I missed it but how long does this hike take from Fira to Oia? We have been following all of your recommendations and we are staying at Aria Suites.

So excited! Thank you Joanie. At a brisk pace you could get from Fira to Oia in 2 hours. Thanks for your postings , this is wonderful and very helpful. We are a family of 4 2 kids aged 9 and 4 and want to do the hike. After reading everything we thought we could do Fira to Imerovigli as we have kids. Would you recommend Fira to Imerovigli or vice-a versa or should we go till Cava Tagoo and take the bus back or take a bus to Imerovigli and go downhill to Fira given the age of the kids.

We are staying in Fira. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I just did this hike yesterday and your instructions were so extremely helpful. Hello, I was wondering if you can recommend a half way point where we can park our car for the hike?

I do not want to miss anything and would like to see OIA or the sunset or is it possible to end up at Amoudi Bay? Take the bus to Cavo Tagoo the next stop after Imerovigli. And yes, you can continue to Ammoudi Bay to eat dinner and watch the sunset. Hi Dave, my husband and I are visiting in December. Is this hike ok to do at that time? This is superb, thank you for it!

Where would you recommend we start in the direction Fira-Oia, with parking spaces , and end where there are buses available for us to take a bus back? We are looking to about 30mins-1hr hike. Thank you so much! Walk from Fira to Cavo Tagoo — 15 minutes north of Imerovigli. If you want your walk to be mostly downhill bus to Cavo Tagoo then walk south to Fira. Be sure to stay to the right as you enter Imerovigli from the north to get the best views. We just finished the hike from Fira to Oia and are currently tapped in from Mezzo having coffee and breakfast.

Your site, pictures and all, was amazingly accurate and helpful. We never felt uncomfortable with the trail or where to go. Amazing views and photo ops.

We were saying you should print this and market it to all of the resorts! We would have certainly purchased it. We will be staying at the Astra Suites for our Honeymoon in late September and definitely want to do this hike one morning.

Would you recommend us taking a bus to Fira and starting the hike there? Ending with lunch in Ammoudi is a great idea and adds a little length to the hike. Unless you want to have the experience of doing the whole hike in one go. I want to know if it is ok for us to hike to Oia from Fira at 3pm in August and still manage to reach Oia for the sunset view.

I will hiking with my wife and 2 kids age 9 and Time-wise you will make it. There will still be plenty of up and down and there is almost no shade from Imerovigli to Oia, but at least it will be a shorter walk.

Just started planning our Athens and Santorini trip for the first week in November of this year. We live on the coast of Maine in the USA and hike in our national park. Stamina is not the problem, but a definite fear of heights is….

Will I be far enough away from the ledge to feel safe? I really want to do this hike. Our hotel Astra Suites, chosen as one of your recommendations is very close the Skaros Rock path. One thought would be to go one way one morning and the other on the next. Would that be feasible? Thank you for the wonderful informative website. Better than TripAdvisor! Rachael Sharp. The two paths rejoin each other near San Antonio Suites. Just a quick comment to say thank you for creating this post!

We did the walk this morning and your pictures and tips really helped! Hi Dave, We will be visiting Santorini end of June and are very keen to do this walk from Fira to Oia — it looks incredible! We will however have a 2 year old toddler in tow who my husband is fairly used to carrying on his back we live in Cape Town and do some hiking.

Do you think the walk would be suitable for us to do with our son in a hiking backpack? The islands of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni are right behind the rock. When taking the left turn from Blue Note, you will notice the pretty Church Agios Georgios that offers magnificent views from its patio.

Look out for the prominent sign with its Greek inscription that says that this church was established in memory of the miracle of Saint George when year-old Evaggelos Spaiou Verat, Albania was saved after he fell from this spot into the gulch. Go right if you want to explore the Imerovigli town and have a nice meal, but go left if you want to just photograph the churches… you need to walk up to a vantage view a small rewarding detour.

A path few meters away from the church leads downwards to Skaros. Keep following the steps till you reach the Chapel of Agios Ioannis Katiforis… an ancient chapel that affords excellent views of Oia right and Santorini cliffs left.

As you keep moving down, the view gets better and you will see huge chunks of red and black rocks with ruins of old houses interspersed between them… a clear testament to the inhabitants who once lived there. The sight that greets trekkers at the end of the stairs is a feast of colours; purple flowers , red and black volcanic remains , green grass and weeds and grey-brown ruins of houses.

After this, you will have to ascend for some time before you reach the actual rock and the bevy of building remnants and cave houses called hyposkafa in Greek that surround it.

When you are walking back to Imerovigli, you will see the white St Georgios church getting you atop the red-black lava cliff. The entire side trip to Skaros Rock will take around 2 hours.

For continuing the hike to Oia you need to return on the same path you had taken before you took the detour for Skaros. You will notice a profusion of 5-star hotels on this path. The Imerovigli town is very pretty and many choose to wander through it though the maze of paths that exist inside make choosing just one difficult. Just remember one basic rule… head north. As you cross the Avaton Resort and Spa in Imerovigli, the multiple paths converge into one.

Keep walking and you will reach an important landmark… Profitis Ilias Church. Right before you approach the church there is a fork in the path.

Go left if you want to see the church and enjoy an amazing view of the Caldera and go right if you want to follow an easier but less eventful route. About 15 minutes of walk away from Imerovigli there is the Cavo Tagoo hotel bus stop. People who want to go on a shorter hike take the bus from Fira till here as this is roughly the mid-point of the long trek and then start walking towards Oia still about 1 hour 15 minutes away. The road becomes gravelly after this point and then converts to a path.

You can continue walking towards the church of Ikklisia Profitis Ilias there is signage pointing towards it that falls along the road to Oia. Near the church, there is another confusing fork in the path. If you take the left path… the road is very scenic but a little rough.

To reach Oia, you need to take the curving path to the left that keeps going up… this is probably the hardest and the most boring part of the trail. This is when many walkers want to cut the hike short and take a bus till Oia. You will cross a white building named Agios Markos at the top of a hill and right after that, you will finally reach the blue and white chapel of Profitis Ilias.

There is another blue-domed chapel that you can spot Psilos Stavros Church around here. Once you reach the top of the trail, the difficulties recede and you begin the descent into Oia. You will be presented with a lovely view of Finikia and the luscious vineyards. After some time you will be able to see the mysterious and uninhabited Thirassia island to the left. There is the lovely Panagia Church that falls on the route.

This is also a good place to catch the sunset. For a proper meal though, go down to the famous Amoudi Bay that has fantastic seafood restaurants. The yellow colour of this church distinguishes it from the usual blue-domed ones.

Speaking of blue-domed churches, there are a couple of very pretty ones in Oia along the Nikolau Nomikou street Agios Spyridonas and Anastasios,. Please let me know if the hike from Fira to Imerovigli is the easisest part of this hike??? Hi Sylvia, This is a difficult one to answer! It certainly makes the most sense to do this part, as the views are some of the best. However, there IS a bit of up and down. Hi Dave. My husband and I will be in Santorini from June 26 to I am planning to do the hike on the 28th.

I have reservations at at the Kastro restaurant in Oia. My question is: What time should I start the hike? I wanted to start as early as possible to avoid the heat but I was thinking it might be a very long day. My plan was to get to Oia by early afternoon have a long lunch, explore Amoudi Bay and Oia until our reservation.

I appreciate your advice. Hi Sakine, I think you could start at Hi there! Thanks for the article. I am currently in Santorini and wondering about hiking this trail Fira to Oia. I really want to do the hike, but I will also be with my grandmother. We are both in good shape for our ages, and today she walked all stairs UP from Old Port with almost no difficulty. So, I am wondering your opinion on if this hike would be OK for us to complete. Hi Hannah, If she walked the stairs, she can definitely do this walk.

In all seriousness, this is a nice gentle walk. Not technical. I will be on a very tight schedule during my brief time on Santorini. I will only have about half an hour to enjoy a short hike along the caldera footpath. Where should I be dropped off and picked up? I would most enjoy spectacular caldera views and iconic Cycladic architecture.

Thanks in advance for your input! Hi Jamie, I would question if it would be worth it for just half an hour. However, you could try the first section from Fira to Imerovigli. You might be better simply spending more time in Oia instead though. Have a great time in Santorini! I am physically fit but sometimes I have sudden bouts of pounding heart that can -though rarely- end up in me fainting.

So I was trying to figure out if there is an immediate way-out out of this trail, a way to ask for immediate help from official civil officers, emergency, etc.. I am afraid it is a challenge to seek immediate help given the nature of the villages which might limit accessibility. The additional heat might also affect your condition.

Instead, it will give you more time to spend in both Oia and Fira, and you could take a taxi between the two. Have a great trip to Santorini! My husband and are will be in Santorini the first week of June with our adult son and daughter, ages 22 and I think this hike would be perfect for us. Where do we find the start of the hike? How much would it cost to take a cab back from Fira? And how long is the trip from Fira to Oia by bus? Thanks very much!

Hi Linda, In answering this and another comment , I think it would be best for you to either get a cab or a bus down to Fira, and then walk back to Oia for the sunset from there. The journey time could be less than 20 minutes — depends on time of day. Cab would be quickest, but bus might be more fun. Thank you so much for all this information. Just one question — do the buses run on regular schedule from Oia to Fira?

If we plan to take bus back, just want to make sure we have plenty of time to catch our cruise ship. Additional — When you dock, you will most likely be given instructions on what time to be back and how to do it. Whether your fellow passengers decide to walk or not, almost all of them will be there for sunset along with you. Hi there, would you recommend doing this walk in the early morning as a solo female traveller without a tour group? I am wanting to do this hike when I visit in late July Hi Kristyn, In July I would recommend either starting early as you suggest or later afternoon in order to avoid the peak heat of the day.

Hi, we will be staying in Fira 17th to 20th November and plan to do this walk. Can you tell me will there be restaurants or cafes open at that time of the year? Hi Annette, I hope you are well and enjoyed the weekend! You will be walking at the same time of year that we did — I hope you have the same great weather!

My advice — be prepared for not much in facilities at that time of year, and take advantage of any you come across along the way!! Enjoy your time in Greece. Hi we are visiting Santorini on July 2nd from noon to 10 pm on a cruise.

I know it will be hot and we will bring water. But wondering how tough would it be to get a taxi in Oia after the walk at about 6 pm? Hi Kellie, Early July you should be fine getting a taxi in Oia. You can possible pre-order one as well if you like. Try this link — Santorini Taxis. Enjoy Santorini! Thank you for your post. I did the hike yesterday from Fira to Oia.

As for the hike , was so worth it. It probably took me longer than the average person, as I stopped often to take pictures and rest my dam calves. Took the bus back to Fira for 1. Relaxing by the pool today, walking a little funny! Lol Thanks agian for your tips, LIN.

Hi LIN, Glad to hear you completed the walk! I hope you are enjoying the sense of accomplishment as well as the wonderful views of Santorini. Enjoy your time by the pool…. You would definitely find sections where you would need to lift and carry the buggy on the Santorini walk.

Going to Santorini in Sep 20, If we start in the morning from Red beach, winery and start walking in the afternoon from Fira to Oia? Is it possible to do? Hi Jin — Yes it sounds possible but it would be a very full day! It may be best to organise the winery tour in advance so you know the times you have available to create the rest of your itinerary. Hi, Going to Santorini for my third time. This time with my family. We will be there first week in october.

We are planning to do this hike, it seems like a wonderful hike. So a hope we manage to follow the road by signs…. However, the tourist season is changing rapidly in Santorini year on year — The days of Santorini closing up early like the rest of the Greek islands are long behind.

Hi, We will be stopping in Santorini in September on a cruise ship for 11 hours, we also plan to walk up the steps then take the bus from Fira to Oia, visit Oia a while and hike back to Fira, what do you think? Is it better to walk from Fira to Oia or our plan is okay? I just want to beat the cruise ship crowd. Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated. I guess it depends on when your ship leaves. Hi will be traveling end of sept and looking forward to doing the hike. Are there any restrooms along the way?

Any places you recommend to stay away from? We love seafood, beach, scenery and sunsets!. Thanks in advance!

And the crowds will be quite big. Heat wise the temperatures should drop a little, but you might still expect highs of 30 degrees in Santorini at the end of August. Sounds like you have time as you describe it. Best option is to ask the people taking you out to Nea Kameni and see what they think!

We will be staying in On a the first week of June. We are definitely going to try the hike.