Oia Village

One of the optional excursions available while on the island of Santorini is called Island Tour and Oia Village (about 53 euros). My friend has recommended this tour if you want to see both the capital of Fira (or Thira) and Oia.

Located at the northern tip of the island, perched on the cliffside, sits the typical Greek island village of Oia which is famous for its spectacular sunsets. There are several really neat videos on YouTube that show just that. The cliffs get really crowded at sundown!

Since we will be on Santorini from 4:30 – 9 pm, I am not sure which town (Oia or Fira) we will be in for sunset. That’s a question for our tour guide.

The excursion takes us by boat to Athenios Harbor, where we then travel by bus on one of the most winding roads in the Cyclades. Oia is the island’s third port and was quite the commercial center before damage from the 1956 earthquake.

Reconstructed after the earthquake, Oia is well-known for its beautiful architecture –white and pastel-colored houses with red pebble walls clinging to the cliffs, Venetian sea captains' mansions, skafta cave houses, and blue-domed churches. A restored 19th century mansion houses the Naval Maritime Museum.

Staircases lead down to Ammoudi fishing harbor with its floating pumice stones and red pebble beach which boasts a tradition of boat building.

Oia was used for several scenes in the movies The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, parts I and II.

This video is a good overview of the village of Oia.