The highlight of our time in Santorini was absolutely the Fira to Oia Hike. We knew we wanted to do this hike prior to going so we planned a whole day to do it. This gave us plenty of time to take pictures, stop along the way, and really enjoy the views without feeling rushed. Here is our complete guide to the Fira to Oia hike on Santorini including what to look out for and how long it took!

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First: Is The Fira to Oia Hike Hard?

Before going through the specifics, the first question when discussing a hike is usually “is it hard?”. Our answer is that the hike from Fira to Oia is not extremely strenuous BUT it always depends on your hiking experience and personal preferences.

The conditions of the hike change significantly from start to finish so it’s important to be comfortable walking up and down a fair amount of stairs. There is also a long uphill section towards the end of the hike that is on loose gravel.

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When to Start the Fira to Oia Hike

We started the hike around 11 AM for two reasons:

We initially planned to leave earlier to avoid the hottest part of the day, however, we got caught up having a scenic breakfast and taking pictures in Fira. If possible, try starting the hike a bit earlier than we did.
Because we were staying in Fira, we wanted to take advantage of our time in Oia at the end of the hike. We got to Oia around 4:30 PM which gave us time to walk around, see the churches with the blue rooftops (to get the famous Santorini pictures) and watch an amazing Oia sunset. Getting there in the early afternoon meant we had plenty of time to explore before taking the bus back to our hotel in Fira.

1. Start the Hike in Fira at the Hotel Atlantis

Start walking up out of Fira towards Firostefani. The hike starts as a nicely paved walkway right along the cliff with a few stairs up and down. In general there are not a ton of signs along the way. There are enough to generally guide you but don’t expect consistent directions. Trust your gut and make sure the water stays on your left!

The little jut out that you will start to see in the distance is Skaros Rock. It is not directly on the way to Oia so you will have to decide if you want to make a detour to hike out before continuing on your way.

2. Firostefani to Imerovigli

While walking you want to stay along the coast and head towards Skaros Rock. There are many paths inland, however, the coastal hike always stays left. You will have plenty of chances to head into town if you want to catch a bus or taxi or stop for a quick snack.

We recommend walking along the coast as it provides the best views of the rest of the island as well as the caldera. It is also the only way to walk out to Skaros Rock.

3. Skaros Rock

Skaros Rock is the big rock you see off to the left of the path. There are a decent amount of stairs to walk down to get out to the rock itself. If you’re not interested in climbing down (and then back up) stairs, this might not be for you. However, if you are capable of climbing the extra stairs we really recommend this detour! The views were amazing and definitely worth the added time.

It took us 1 hour and 15 minutes to walk out to Skaros Rock. That includes walking down the stairs, out on the path to the rock and around the rock for a while. If you continue walking around the front of Skaros Rock there is a small path down to a church that overlooks the entire caldera. It is the farthest point out and gives you a completely unobstructed view in every direction. It is a great place to take a break and relax!

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4. The Fancy Hotels

The next part of the hike passes some really fancy looking hotels. Beautiful patios and infinity pools will make you want to stay on Santorini forever. Keep walking along the water and enjoy the view!

There aren’t many restaurants or markets along the route unless you choose to walk inland. However, we were able to find a restaurant to eat lunch at along the way. It was an opportunity to get some food and water and get out of the sun for a little before starting again.
- This was one of the only restaurants we passed after Skaros rock and one of the last we saw before arriving in Oia. Bring extra snacks and a water bottle just in case!

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5. Beginning of the Gravel Path

At this point the path starts to turn to gravel. Depending on when you are hiking, this part of the hike can get pretty dusty. Our shoes and legs did get quite dirty by the end of the day so we appreciated wearing sneakers and athletic clothing. We always bring a buff when hiking because you can use it for some many things including covering your face when it’s really dusty!

You will pass two small churches in this stretch.
At this point there is very little in the way of buildings and amenities available. As a warning we didn’t pass by any public bathrooms on the hike so make sure if you do stop for lunch to take advantage while you can!

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6. Small Stretch of Road & First Views of Oia

You will pass two more hotels before coming to a small stretch of the hike that requires you to walk on the road. It did feel a little like we were going the wrong way when we first got to it. However, if you keep going you’ll eventually catch back up with the path.

There is a bit of a hill in your last push and once at the top you’ll get a view of the island of Thirassia and your destination, Oia. This part of the hike was definitely the hardest because of the loose gravel and the lack of shade. We definitely appreciated having water with us!
Beware of the lack of shade! We made sure to toss this container with sunscreen in the bag so we wouldn’t get too burnt.

Travel Truth: Honestly, this part of the hike is where we started feeling ready to be done. It was really hot, there was no shade, and the dust and wind was picking up. There are no longer any buildings and the ground can get very uneven in places. Don’t worry though it should be about 30 more minutes before reaching Oia once you get up the hill!

7. Last Stop: Oia

Your first views of Oia will feel like an accomplishment! Continue walking as you have reached the destination! From there it depends on where you want to go and what you want to do in Oia.

We headed straight to Lioyerma Lounge Cafe Pool Bar Oia, a pool that allows you to swim as long as you buy a drink. We spent about an hour cooling off by the pool. This gave us the break we needed to enjoy the rest of our night in Oia.

Before leaving for the hike we threw clean clothes and our microfiber towels into our daypack. Our (not so glamorous) plan was to hike all day in workout clothes, jump into the pool, and then change into clean clothes to enjoy a nice dinner in Oia for the sunset.

Travel Truth: If you’re not okay with a bathroom outfit change this plan might not work for you but for us it worked out perfectly! Without having to get a hotel, or stay in our sweaty hiking clothes, we enjoyed the rest of the night in Oia before heading back to Fira.

After dinner in Oia we easily caught the bus back to Fira. The bus stop is towards the outskirts of the main part of Oia. Backtrack towards where you initially walked into Oia and you’ll find the bus stop. The bus was crowded on the way to Fira so we ended up standing in the middle aisle for most of the ride.

How Long Did the Fira to Oia Hike Take?

The Fira to Oia hike took us 4.5 hours from starting in Fira to entering the main part of Oia.

Keep in mind we took a lot of breaks to stop and take pictures along the way. We also took about 1 hour and 15 minutes to explore Skaros Rock and about a 45 minute break to eat lunch. Then once in Oia it took us about 30 minutes of slowly walking through the streets of Oia before getting to Lioyerma Lounge Cafe Pool Bar Oia.

It can definitely be done much faster if you don’t stop as much. But we took our time because the views are so beautiful the whole way! The Fira to Oia Hike is something we would definitely do again!

Even with the heat and the long hours, it was absolutely our favorite part of our time on Santorini! We feel like it was the best way to explore so much of the island!

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Complete Guide to the Fira to Oia Hike on Santorini