The hodgepodge of whitewashed stone houses and blue-domed churches looks like it’s been peeled straight off of a postcard. Moulded into, and out of the cliffside, balancing in layers above the vivid sea and connected by a web of smooth marble footpaths. If you’re tempted to just take a few glamorous snaps in front of a church and move on, please don’t! It’s picturesque, but there’s far more to this place than just as a backdrop for your instagram shots; so if you’re wondering what to do in Oía then look no further my friends!
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A very quick history of Oía
Are you confused about how to actually pronounce the name of this glorious town? I don’t blame you. It’s ‘Ee-ya.’ Rhymes with here. Or skier. But there’s no skiing down here because it is (throughout the summer months, at least), incredibly hot.
Water is scarce, let alone snow.
Many many many years ago, Santorini was a big island with a volcano in the middle. But the volcano erupted and the centre sank into the sea, creating the ‘caldera’ or cauldron that we can see from above today. The skinny curve of Santorini is what was once the rim of the volcano, and Oía perches on the northern end of this dry curve.
Like plenty of other Greek islands, Santorini has been controlled by both the Venetians and the Ottoman Empires. Oía was an important town for each group of people- thanks to the harbour tucked away at the bottom of the cliffs. However at the beginning of the 20th century, other bigger ports- like Piraeus in Athens– began to welcome far more trade than tiny little Oía. People moved away and the population dwindled. A massive earthquake in 1956 destroyed a lot of the town (and the rest of the island), but the increase in tourism put Santorini back on the map.
When is the best time to visit Oía?
I’m more of an off-the-beaten-path kind of a gal, so before I visited this little gem on the northernmost tip of Santorini’s curved spine, I was concerned that I was actually going to hate it. Spoiler alert, pals: I did not hate it, and I still don’t. I will, however, say that it definitely pays to be picky about when you choose to visit. Santorini is a ridiculously busy island.
Having visited many times over the years, I can say with certainty that my favourite time of year to visit Oía is in late Autumn. Most of the cruise ships have sailed away to the Caribbean for the winter season already, and the village is decidedly less crowded than it is during the crazy summer months.
(If you’re curious about what Oía looks like in October, take a look at this.)
How to get to Oía
Santorini is a tiny island, so it doesn’t take particularly long to get anywhere. And although private taxis are available, the public transport in Santorini works well and is much more affordable; I’ve never had any problems using the buses.
All the bus routes run out of Fira, and there’s one bus which runs regularly throughout the day and evening between Fira and Oía; find the timetable here. The journey take around twenty minutes, easy peasy lemon squuezy. Alternatively, download the Moovit app, and change your location to Santorini- it’ll give you detailed instructions of your whole journey, and just about every transport method possible. It’s a solid gold lifesaver.
Is Oía expensive to visit?
Whether Oía is expensive to visit, like many places in Europe, depends on your style of travel. And although Oía has a reputation as a luxury destination, it can be explored on a tiny budget.
Hotels in Oía definitely tend to be on the expensive side, so if you’re looking to stay in Santorini on a budget then you’d be better off looking at accommodation elsewhere- either Fira if you want to be central, or in one of the villages further south. Other than accommodation, your biggest expense in Oía will be on eating and drinking. Prices are definitely bumped up here compared to the other parts of Greece, but the food quality is great.
Within this post, almost everything I suggest to do in Oía is actually completely free of charge.
Is Greece safe for solo female travellers?
Wander the streets
I love a wander, and Oía is the perfect spot for wandering. It’s also incredibly safe (in fact, this goes for the whole island. Which is why I’ve visited Santorini several times as a solo traveller; it may have a reputation as a honeymoon destination, but it’s actually one of my favourite places to visit alone.)
The main street through Oía is made of white marble, which is very regal-looking but can be a little on the slippy side in the hot midday sun, and the little alleyways running down from here and across the cliffs are narrow but very easily-navigable on foot. A collection of very swanky boutiques and bars line the marble boulevard, and there are plenty more to be found on the smaller lanes, housed in the little converted cave-houses which are traditional on Santorini and across the Cyclades islands.
Head away from this street for some quiet time. There are churches peppered across the entire village, and cats lollop between shade and sun throughout the day; a lazy contrast to the hubbub of the tourists. (Although the tourist-presence is felt even on a quiet day. Signs painted on rooftops ask people to please not step on them, presumably either for their pictures or for a sunset-viewing spot.)
If you do visit Oía in summer, prepare to marvel at the amount of photoshoots going on around you. It’s genuinely quite astonishing. Not only are the phone cameras out in full force, but at any given moment you can look out across the slope of whitewashed stone houses and see three or four near-identical flying dress photoshoots occurring. Women rent brightly coloured long-trained dresses, along with a photographer to produce photoshoots of themselves posing in front of the caldera. The results are lovely, I’m sure, but it is surreal to see so many people replicating the exact same images over and over.
This is why, pals, I urge you not to just to hunt down the ‘most instagrammable places in Oía.’ The village deserves to be wandered through, not trampled on and out of.
Visit the castle
The castle is one of the most famous sunset-watching spots in Santorini, although it gets so crowded that I’d actually recommend visiting much earlier in the day. (Find out some of my favourite alternative places to watch the sunset in Santorini, over here.)
Now don’t go getting over-excited here, pals. Agios Nikolaos is more of a castle-crumble than a castle; the ruins of the watch-tower are all that remain, and there’s not really any information to be found on site. But its position on a piece of rock jutting outwards and upwards away from the village, is second to none, with an incredible view along the curved edge of the island all the way around the caldera.
The castle’s incredible vantage-point is no accident; it was built here above the harbour in the 15th century when pirate raids were happening almost non-stop. And the reason for its ruinous appearance these days? That pesky earthquake in 1959. It really did mess things up, didn’t it?
Browse the books at Atlantis Books
I love a bookshop, but I especially love a unique and beautiful bookshop in an intriguing location. What could be more unique and beautiful and intriguing than a bookshop within an old cave-house? Atlantis Books is one of the most beautiful bookshops I’ve ever visited, and I’m happy to say that when it comes to books, the owners really know what they’re doing.
Atlantis Books has a great selection in various languages, as well as a growing collection of first editions and signed copies; all housed within the walls of a Cycladian cave. Climb the stairs to the roof terrace to take a look at the secondhand bookshelf and get another breathtaking view across the water to the volcanic islands in the centre of the caldera.
Eat some delicious gyros
When in Greece- eat gyros. But don’t be ripped off in the process. Gyros are street food, and should be treated as such. None of this €10-€15 nonsense that I’ve seen on some Santorini menus, thank you very much.
Pitogyros is famous for being not only the makers of the best gyros in Oía, but potentially the whole of Santorini. (Honestly, that could be simply because Oía is a tourist hotspot, but I can vouch for the food at this grill house being absolutely delicious.)
Pork, chicken or halloumi are all popular fillings of this hearty pita bread wrap, which is also stuffed with tomatoes, onions, tzatziki and chunky fries. The little restaurant has an outdoor seating area just opposite the kitchen, or you can take your gyros to go.
Walk the 300 steps to Ammoudi Bay
The journey may be long and arduous in the hot sun, but it’s 100% worth walking down to Ammoudi Bay- avoiding paying for a donkey-ride at all costs. Partly to save the donkeys, who by all accounts aren’t treated particularly well, but also for the brilliant sense of accomplishment when you complete the walk! Bravo, you!
The red cliffs around the harbour are a striking backdrop to the white houses and bright blue sea, and the fishing-village vibes are completed with strings of octopus drying in the sun. Ammoudi Bay is a great place to try some authentic Greek food in Oía- check out my post for recommendations.
Go swimming (or even cliff-jumping)
There may not be a ‘traditional’ beach in Oía, but hidden just around the corner from Ammoudi Bay is the number one cliff-jumping spot on the entire island of Santorini. You’ll have to clamber over a fair few rocks- so considering the staircase down the cliffs as well, it’s not the most accessible of locations- but the scrambling is worth it for a splash in the cool Aegean Sea and the oddly beautiful rocky scenery.
There are other beaches in Santorini, but Ammoudi Bay is definitely the wildest option. If you want to jump from a height you’ll need to swim the short distance across to the big rock with a concrete platform.
Read a detailed guide to cliff jumping at Ammoudi Bay.
Hike from Oía to Fira
Most visitors wanting a challenge in Santorini hike from the island’s capital, Fira, to Oía, just in time for sunset. But I’d suggest either making the hike first thing in the morning- as early as you can bear- or getting the bus to Oía and hiking back from there to Fira. Early morning is definitely the best time to see Oía as it tends to still be very quiet, and from afternoon onwards the village can really start filling up.
The hike is beautiful, leading walkers through dry olive-tree-strewn countryside, along pathways lined with whitewashed buildings, past rocky outcrops crowned with more ruined castles, and with consistent views across the caldera. There can be no denying Santorini’s beauty on this track, I’m telling you. If you do choose to do the hike, bear in mind that there’s almost no shade. Bring plenty of water and suncream.
Oía is definitely one of those ‘bucketlist destinations’ which risks losing its authenticity as it gets swamped with more and more tourists, and is debatably a victim of its own success. (Much like this national park in Croatia.) Whilst I don’t believe this is a reason not to visit somewhere- I mean, I’ve revisited Santorini many times, and always spend at least a few hours in Oía each time- I do think this means being savvy about your timings. Oía isn’t worth visiting at the height of summer, but in spring or autumn you’ll have freedom to explore, with more of an authentic atmosphere.
There is no denying Oía’s captivating beauty, and I hope that this never fades.