Excellent Oia Santorini holiday attractions 2022
Best Santorini attractions right now? Tight buildings are crossed by narrow (impassable to cars) streets. As on the whole island, we find many churches here – there are over 70 in Oia and the surrounding area. Many houses have been built into the slope – they are located in tunnels hollowed out in the volcanic cliff of the caldera. These are the so-called Hyposkapha – houses belonging to the less prosperous inhabitants, usually terraced sailors, and people servicing ships. The Hyposkapha houses carved into the rock are long and narrow, with a semicircular vault. Their fronts are directed (according to the caldera arrangement) – to the south and west. Usually stacked, one above the other (a fragment of the roof of one house is often at the same time a courtyard of the other). See additional info on https://santorini-more.com/oia/.
Near the village of modern Akrotiri, 12 kilometers southwest of Fira, the ancient Minoan settlement of Akrotiri was buried below lava following the 16th-century BC volcanic explosion that created the caldera. At the Akrotiri Archaeological Site, visitors can walk on pathways through the debris of the town to see remains of the clay buildings of this once thriving town. It is so well preserved that it’s often compared to Pompeii. The site has remnants of multi-level buildings, pottery, and drainage systems, proving that Santorini was a flourishing and prosperous island before the eruption and probably lived from shipping and trading. Santorini’s connections with North Africa can be deduced from the outstanding frescoes (most of which are now in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens) that decorated its houses. The site of the Akrotiri ruins reopened to the public in 2012, following several years of closure.
No matter if you’re on a family trip or a romantic gateway in Santorini, you should definitely go watch a movie at the open air Cinema. The Kamari Open Air Cinema, or Cinekamari, is an outdoor movie theatre located in the middle of the forest. It’s a really original and nice place to watch a movie. From May to October, you can see movies in English (subtitled in Greek) every night starting from 21h30. It costs 8€ per person. You can also visit this website to check the ferries rates, schedules and book them.
Fira, Santorini’s capital, is one of the best places to see on the island. It’s the perfect Cycladic town, a real postcard scenery. Wander in the city’s alleys and discover the breathtaking viewpoints of the sea and the caldera. You will for sure fall in love with the island (even if it’s often crowded!). From Fira, follow the beautiful walking trail to reach the villages of Firostefani (only a 10-minute walk) and Imerovigli (the highest point of the caldera, 30 minutes away from Fira). Plan at least between 1 and 2 hours, as you will stop every 2 meters to enjoy the view and take pictures! You can also walk to the small port of Fira Skala. It’s quite easy to get down the 587 steps, but getting back up can be more difficult, especially under the sun!
The capital of Santorini, Fira (Thira) is made up of whitewashed cubic houses and terraces, winding lanes, little squares, and blue-domed churches perched on the cliffs 300 meters above the caldera. From the small port of Skala, Fira can be reached either by walking or riding (mules are for hire) up the steep and winding stepped path (587 steps) or by taking the cable-car. It can also be reached from neighboring towns via the Fira to Oia scenic trail that takes you along the caldera cliff. Ferries dock at the port of Athinios, connected to Fira by road, while cruise ships put down anchor in the caldera, and passengers are transported to Skala by tender. Fira lives principally from tourism, and many of its buildings now serve as small hotels, apartments, restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, and jewelers. See additional information on https://santorini-more.com/.
