Santorini Island is just shy of 30 square miles, but it’s full of villages each of which have their own history, culture, and sights to offer to visiting tourists. Whether you want a port city built against the caldera with plenty of accommodation options or a relaxing beach village, you’ll be able to find something that suits your tastes in Santorini, Greece.
In fact, there’s so much for tourists to enjoy about the villages of Santorini that we couldn’t cover it in one blog post. Today, we’ll talk about three of the busier villages in Santorini: Fira, Firostefani, and Oia, Santorini.
Fira
Positioned along the caldera, Fira is the capital of Santorini, Greece. Here you can shop for souvenirs, taste Mediterranean cuisine at one of the many restaurants, or stop in for a drink at one of their cafes and bars. Many of the restaurants have outdoor dining options where you can take in the beautiful scenery around you, especially those of the caldera and the Aegean Sea.
If you want even more spectacular sights, take a cable car, donkey ride, or - if you’re athletically inclined - a hike to the mountaintop where you can have a panoramic view of Santorini Island and the neighboring islands.
However, you haven’t truly experienced Fira until you’ve experienced it at night. It’s held to be the best village on the island when it comes to nightlife. You can also find some of the best cocktail bars, cafes, and bars and clubs to go dancing in Fira. Many of the bars stay open until 3 in the morning, while the clubs stay open until dawn.
Firostefani
Firostefani is to the north of Fira and so similar the villages could be siblings. In the center of this village is the main shopping street, where tourists can find clothes, jewelry, souvenirs, and many more samples from Santorini Island to take home with them.
In Firostefani, you can escape some of the crowds of Fira and explore a number of rustic walking paths with picturesque views. And because Firostefani is so near Fira, you won’t miss the splendid image of the caldera, just the bustle of the capital. When you’re through, you can stop in to a little restaurant or bar set against peaceful natural backdrops for refreshments before heading back to your hotel.
Oia
Oia, Santorini (pronounced ee-a) is undoubtedly the busiest village on Santorini Island. As the home of Port Ammoudi, it is the main port village, and home to many Santorini apartments, like Strogili Traditional Houses, where tourists can stay during their vacation. Here, you can see the classic white-washed buildings, including the famous churches with their white-washed structures and bright blue domes.
Like Fira, Oia overlooks the caldera, and it’s said to have one of the best sunsets in the world. The best place to watch the sunset is on the steps at Castle Oia, though if the crowds are too much, you can go down to Red Beach or Monolithos Beach and watch the sun seem to sink into the water from there.
From Port Ammoudi, you can take a ferry out to the tiny island of Thirassia, which was once attached to Santorini before a volcanic eruption separated them. You can also boat out to destinations for diving or go cliff diving in Ammoudi Bay.
Fira, Firostefani, and Oia, Santorini are just three of the villages worth visiting in Santorini, Greece. There are several others that await your vacation to the Cyclades, but these are the first three that you’ll likely come across. In particular, Oia, Santorini is perhaps the best place to find accommodations.
Book your stay at one of the many Oia, Santorini hotels like Strogili Traditional Houses, offering luxurious facilities and stunning views of the Aegean Sea. Strogili is located close to caldera tours and archaeological and historical sites. Staying there, you won’t miss a thing that Santorini, Greece or its vibrant villages have to offer.
