Oia, (pronounced by Greeks Ia) is the most beautiful village on the island of Santorini, with the famous white churches with blue cupolas, white or beige buildings and narrow cobbled streets.
Historically, Oia was the wealthy part of the island, where its residents were involved with the shipping industry and commerce; the village was called “village of captains”. After the severe earthquake that damaged the village, Oia was restored and preserved with the help of the government, and now being one of the main attractions in Greece.
The most beautiful way to reach Oia is by foot, hiking from Fira, through Imerovigli, along the calderas. All you need is a comfortable pair of sneakers, a bottle of water and a camera, as the whole trip is just picturesque.
Once you reach Oia (it might take around 3 hours by foot) you can relax at the shadow of a terrace that offers spectacular views to the sea and churches, and eat some musaka and icecream.
THE thing to do in Oia is to watch the spectacular sunset, when the sky turns into shadows of red and blue, which reflect on the water. However, don’t hold your breath for too long, as all the show lasts for only some minutes. After that, you will have to run along the narrow paths of the village with other hundreds of people in order to catch the bus back to the hotel. (That if you don’t stay in Oia).
