Things to Know When Hiking From Imerovigli to Oia

Things To Know:

Start early. If you're visiting during the summer months, the sun is going to be intense. Do yourself a favor and wake up early to beat the midday sun.

Wear Sunscreen. Duh.

Wear athletic shoes. The terrain gets very steep and rocky at certain points, so you're not going to want to navigate it with Jack Rogers on. 

Wear athletic clothes.  You might not get a #dametraveler moment out of this hike, but that's okay, it's totally worth it—sweat and all. Trust me, you're not going to want to make this trek in a sundress. 

Bring Water. There aren't any (or many) places to stop along the way, so bring a bottle of water, and maybe even a breakfast bar to eat.

Go North. Oia is located a the north tip of the island, so just keep going in the opposite direction of Fira.

Watch for signs. Even though it's pretty self-explanatory, there are a couple forks in the road, so make sure to pay attention to the signs as you go by. Otherwise, you will have to back track... Like we did.

If you end up on the street, you're going in the right direction. At one point, I thought we had gone off path because we were walking on the actual street pavement, but don't worry, you're on the right path. Keep walking, and you will eventually get pointed back on a dirt trail.

This hike was the best 2.5 hours we spent in Santorini... But we were moving fast. Others have told me it took them 3-4 hours. Take your time and go at your own pace.

Check out the side streets. Once in town, pop in and out of the side streets on the left-hand side to get your iconic Oia photograph. *Look out for a jewelry shop/silver jewelry shop/silver jeweler (I can't remember...) to get shots like mine.

Go down into the Bay. Those stairs are daunting, but there are good shots down there!