Oia Holidays

On an island full of famous villages, cities and sites, to be considered the most famous village on Santorini is truly one of the highest honours a place can be bestowed on a village. There is a lot of evidence that points to Oia being exactly that.

Known world-wide for its laid-back lifestyle and absolutely brilliant sunsets, Oia has become quite famous for being one of the most picturesque, and beautiful villages, not only on Santorini, but in all of Europe.

When one thinks of Oia, there is a good chance that the first image that comes to mind is the classic Oia scene: Looking down on the crisp, clear blue sea, peering over-top of the blue-domed churches and the cliff side.

Oia is situated up on the cliff, there are so many wonderful, postcard-like views all over the entire village. Sitting up high on the north side of the island, just over 10 km from the islands capital, Fira, looking over the impressive cliffs, down over the volcano of Palia and Nea Kameni, as well as the island of Thirassia, the village is a traditional one, full of quaint little homes along narrow streets, as well as the blue domed churches, and sun-soaked verandas. And because Oia is situated up on the cliff, there are so many wonderful, postcard-like views at almost every single turn in the village.

Oia Shopping and Dining

The streets here are peppered with shops (both high-end and tourists), classic Greek cafes, as well as tiny little restaurants serving up some classic Greek dishes, freshly caught fish, as well as a few twists on international dishes. While the village is much more low-key than the hustle-and-bustle driven Fira, there is still a lot of pedestrian traffic around the villages more popular areas, as there are no cars within the village (at the mouth of the village is a car park where tourists who have rented a car, or even driven in from across the island can park their cars.)

Oia Excursions

Walking through the streets of Oia will be some of the most picturesque walks, and journeys you will ever take. Especially if you take a trip around the volcano. Though it may be one of the least imposing volcanic ranges on the island, it still possess the power to produce some truly outstanding views (your Instagram followers will thank you!)

While it may be full of picturesque views, Oia is far more than just a pretty face. Filled with cultural attractions, such as the Maritime Museum (which is home to a tiny library covering the entire maritime history of the area), as well as the remains of old Venetian fortresses.

After taking some time to explore Oia it will be very easy for you to sympathise with why so many artists fell in love with this area and ended up staying and setting up shop here. Because so many artists have proclaimed Oia to be their home throughout the villages history, there are many art galleries spread a round the village.