Looking for tips and advice from anyone who has done this hike. I know it’s about 6 miles, parts of it through towns and partly on a hiking path along a cliff. That’s the part I’m wondering about. Is it pretty safe? Is the path easy to follow? I’m also currently planning a national parks trip in October so I’m working on building up my endurance. Thanks!
Posted by
2790 posts
We did it--ages 20-50 something in 2018 from Oia to Fira in May. There were 7 of us. It is simply the most spectacular hike I have ever done. It took us probably 3 hours and that is with a ridiculous amount of picture taking. We then took the bus back. The part nearer Oia is more like a real trail while closer to Fira is mostly sidewalks. We hiked from Oia to Fira because we were staying in Oia and it was easier to just start there.
There were only a couple places where it was a bit confusing but we figured it out.
We did not find it overly strenuous. We all are in reasonable shape.
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3148 posts
Yes, it's safe and easy to follow. Bring water, snacks, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Wear appropriate footwear, not open sandals.
Posted by
Charleston & Birmingham
4604 posts
BethFL did the hikes involve steep and narrow paths with scary dropoffs?
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3148 posts
Don't worry. Between Fira and Imerovigli just keep the caldera on your left shoulder and head towards Oia. Once you're past Imerovigli the path is unpaved volcanic gravel but safe all the way to Oia, with a few spots along the way where there are remote luxury hotels that have perhaps groomed the path to make it more attractive. There's also a spot about halfway to Oia where the path returns to the main road for a short distance. There's a snack bar there and taxis will stop if you don't want to continue hiking.
Posted by
2790 posts
Cala-I do not remember steep and narrow paths with steep drop offs. The path as I recall was not on the edge of that is what you are asking. It did go up quite a bit at times but would be going down coming from Fira. I would say anyone who spend a few hours hiking in US could do it. It is a hike though not a walk.
One thing that you might not expect is that there is a short stretch on the road. We stopped at a stand with snacks and saw the hikers walking towards us so we saw where we needed to go. Walking from Oia to Fira we went against the grain.
And I would recommend stopping at the food stand. We, of course, had brought water with us but was nice to sit and have something else midway through the hike.
Posted by
OP
Huntington Beach CA
1162 posts
Thank you all! I was really worried about steep hills and scary drop offs from the pathway so this makes me feel better. We will have 3 full days in Santorini so hope to be able to do this.
Posted by
15 posts
This is a great hike to do. It's safe and easy to follow, but one thing that really gets people is not being prepared. It's long, which means that you should have comfortable footwear, enough water, and a snack or two. It's one of those situations where it is easy if you are prepared, but it can be awful if you're not, like if you run out of water or have uncomfortable shoes.
Posted by
Reno, NV, USA
2547 posts
We hiked from Oia to Fira a good number of years ago. We were avid walkers at the time so it was easy. When we told the hotel staff what we were going to do they were aghast and insisted that we take their cell phone with us (we didn’t have one at the time) and call them if we needed help. LOL! At one point on the hike, you will be on the main road for a bit as their will be no path. Wear good hiking shoes, bring hydration, etc. We spent the afternoon in Fira, had a wonderful lunch and then took the bus back to Oia. It is a great memory.