Santorini - Oia

Santorini Walks & Santorini Photos Guide.

Wandering along Santorini mule-paths and moni-paths on the Island of Santorini, Greece including walking along the spectacular cliffs from Thira to Oia.

We were pleasantly surprised to find several mule-paths, moni-pati and paths - mostly in good condition - to enjoy whilst on our Santorini holiday which we took in late May. The Topo map of Santorini (ISBN 960-8195-34-9) is quite good for showing the roads and some of the Santorini's tracks but shows hardly any paths so ending up finding and being able to walk quite reasonable distances on paths and particularly on some really beautiful moni-pati was a bonus for us.

There are two Santorni walks described below - a fairly short walk from Perisa which crosses over the saddle on the Mesa Vouno and then takes you back down to Kamari and it's beaches and the other Santorini walk takes you from Fira to Oia along Santorini's amazing cliffs with great views of the lagoon and of the houses clinging to the cliffs - a very popular walk for people on holiday or visiting Santorini on a boat cruise.

Santorini enjoys some really beautiful scenery apart from the Thira to Oia cliffs - please also take a look at our other topics : one is about a long somewhat hard walk which goes from Emborio to Pirghos (up of course) on a mule track then picks up a moni-pati as it heads on further up into the hills to the highest point on Santorini at Profitis Ilias Monastery (which may be closed) before heading over the hills and eventually back down to either Kamari or Perisa. Another walk goes from Perisa (this is mostly track and road) round the bottom of the Mesa Vouno to reach Emborio, follows a line of windmills to the coast near Vlichadha then returns along the coast back into Perisa and also a walk involving Santorini's colourful Red Beach and Perisa which might be of interest.

A note about vertigo (this is Santorini after all). My wife can jump around on cat's back ridges with massive drops just inches away either side of her without any concern - I on the other hand have a problem with some heights in some circumstances. It is difficult to recommend on any of these walks whether someone might have a vertigo problem since what is ok or not can vary so much. None of the walks we have described have severe drops both sides - however several of them have parts where there are steeply sloping drops on one side or the other of the path and so these will be noted on our descriptions plus where possible a picture which might help.

Perisa to Kamari [possible problem with vertigo!]. This fairly strenuous one way walk is on a often well surfaced but sometimes rubbly path but you do walk along and eventually over the hillside with perhaps 45 degree drops one side on the way to the saddle. Also if you divert to the small church at Panaghia on the way up there is one place where the drop is nearly straight down for a short distance. Similarly after the saddle on the way down to Kamari there are several places where there is a perhaps 20 to 30 degree slope down one side - however this path is generally quite wide.

Start the walk from the northern end of Perisa Beach - walk inland on the quiet road almost immediately passing the ruins of the Byzantine church of Aghia Irini on the right. Follow the road round to the right with the hills now looming high above and also you can see the small church of Panaghia tucked into a fold in the cliffs high up on the right. This church is only a fairly short diversion from the walk below but is well worth going too.

Not long after passing the Mariana Hotel take a dirt track on the right (this is signposted "Ancient Thira") - then several metres down the track take a path leaving on the right which heads up into the hills. This narrow twisty path climbs quite steeply to reach a path junction - you will see a large white cross painted on a rock just here. Do not take the really poor path heading towards the cross, instead continue on the main path a little further on to reach another path junction. Assuming you want to visit Panaghia church (why wouldn't you after all?) go right and again follow the narrow path often steeply up. The path does flatten a little as it rounds the hillside and just here there are considerable drops down on the right - but you do get magnificent views of Perisa now way below you as well as the coastline. Soon the path ends up at narrow rocky steps - climb up these to reach the lovely little church of Panaghia - there are several bench seats here situated under some trees so it's a nice cooling down spot.

Return back to the previous path junction and now turn right and follow what is a rocky but reasonably wide path which easily climbs up across the hillside to eventually reach Mesa Vouno saddle. You will find a refreshment van here where you can get cold drinks plus there are a few seats - note this van is usually only open whilst the Ancient Thira site is open i.e. not Mondays and only to 14:30 on other days. If you wish you can divert up the hill further and take a look at Ancient Thira from here - looking round the site takes around an hour.
To continue the walk take the tarmac road and follow it for two bends and then on it's third bend on the left take a gravely scree path (there is a large white cross painted on a rock here showing the start point). This path soon becomes a cobbled reasonably wide path and continues slowly down the hillside to reach rock steps. Head on down these quite steep rocky steps - there are quite considerable drops on the right just here but there is a semblance of a handrail. You start getting a glimpse of Kamari way down below and also Zoodochos Pigi church starts to appear. You soon reach the church - this is a beautiful area to stop off - there are quite a few stone seats situated under trees and a large stone table just inside a cave and also (if the door is still open/unlocked) you can go right into the cave and splash yourself with the life-giving waters. From the church continue on a really nice cobbled path which zig-zags it's way on down the hillside - this is a well made path and quite wide. Eventually you reach the outside of Kamari where you just walk on down one of the roads to reach the beach area.
At the time of our holiday there was a boat service which runs from Kamari beach back to Perisa once the main season gets started or failing that you have to get the bus back to Thira and then Perisa.
We have described this walk as one way but it can obviously be enjoyed "there and back" or of course walked from Kamari to Perisa as a one-way - the walk does give quite different views depending on which way round you go - we did it 3 times in fact just because of how much we enjoyed it.

Santorini - Fira (or Thira) to Oia along the cliff top. This undulating 12km moderate Santorini walk gives you fabulous views of the lagoon, cliffs and also the various streets and alleyways in Thira and Oia, visits several lovely churches as well as finishing off by using a really nice wide mule-path. If you are Island Hopping or only on holiday on Santorini for a very short time this is probably the best walk to do as you can see just why Santorini is so renowned for its scenery, cliffs and so on.
There are obviously massive drops especially around Thira but the initially paved route is wide so if you hate it too much you don't have to look. We took loads of photos whilst walking along this really scenic Santorini coastline between Fira and Oia - the views are so brilliant as well as the lovely churches and buildings etc. that you have to sort of ration yourselves on how many you take in the end.
Starting off from Santorini's main bus station in Thira head straight up the road (probably along with 100's of other tourists) and walk to the edge of the cliffs just past the Archaeological Museum. Turn right and follow the narrow streets and alleyways through Thira enjoying the amazing views - you are always right next to the cliff face. Although the area is initially very busy with tourists many of them get tired fairly quickly and you soon find the walking is much nicer with less people around. The route continues on through Firostefani - eventually after passing several churches you almost reach a tarmac road however the route continues on a cobbled path to reach the large convent of Agios Nikolaos. Continue on past the convent and then soon reach the next village which is Imerovigli.

Once through the village the area opens out much more and the cobbled path continues by a restaurant and some buildings and then becomes a dirt track where it splits next to a hotel and a large parking area. Here you have to divert left as you have to visit another of Santorini's hidden churches. Go through the car park and at the far side a narrow stone path zig-zags down to reach the lovely church of St Antonius - there are stone tables and seats inside several caves. The views are pretty good.
Walk back up the path and through the car-park - now turn left and continue along the track to shortly reach yet another but much larger church. Having looked round this nice church continue yet again on the dirt track to reach the church of Profitis Ilias. From here the path splits - the left path goes along the edge of cliffs. This path has been paved part of the way down but the bottom section has not been finished and is very poor underfoot with slippery scree - however you do get marvellous views if you use this path. Alternatively the right hand path has been paved all the way to where the two paths rejoin but does not have such good views.

The paths join and then reach a road - turn left and follow the road for around 250 metres where there is a cafe on the left - just a few metres on a mule-path leaves on the left - this really is a brilliant walled path to walk up - and it does go up - passing two churches on the way to reach a saddle above Oia. From here and having enjoyed the seemingly continuous excellent views nearly always available on this walk - follow the path as it gently descends into the outskirts of Oia.

Turn left along the road heading into the centre of Oia but not forgetting to take a look at another large church on the way. Assuming you want to return to Thira (by bus) and if you have sufficient time it is probably best to not wait at the several bus stops on the way into the town but to go into Oia from where the bus actually starts. This is because the bus often gets very full right from the start and is quite likely not to stop at all once it departs from Oia because there is no room inside.

On our Emborio-Pirghos topic there are walks and pictures for Emborio - Pirghos - Profitis Ilias Monastery - Profitis Ilias - Sellada - Perisa or Kamari + also Pirghos - Vothonoas - Kamari. Our Beaches and Windmills page describes walks which you might enjoy to Perisa - Emborio - windmills - Vlichadha - Perisa and also Santorini's famous Red Beach - Akrotiri - Kaparies - Taxiarchis - Kambia Beach - back to Red Beach.
or please visit our Santorini Holiday Guides for more topics and information about this extremely scenic holiday Island.