Fira or Oia – Where to Stay

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Fira vs Oia – Summary

  • Fira is the island’s capital and the livelier village of the two with much more nightlife and shopping.
  • Oia is the more lavish town with charming restaurants and upscale shopping.
  • Both Oia and Fira offer some high-quality eateries along with some average options, though I would give a slight edge to Oia for the superior caliber of fine dining establishments, while Fira presents more casual dining alternatives.
  • Both Oia and Fira have great caldera views – very different perspectives, but I couldn’t say one was superior to the other.
  • Both Oia and Fira have pleasant sunset perspectives (though the finest are in Imerovigli). In Fira, most lodgings on the caldera provide a fairly direct sight of the sunset over the caldera. In Oia, most hotels don’t have a straight view of the sunset, and you need to depart your hotel and take a brief walk to see the sun sink into the water. Hotels in Oia with sunset perspectives don`t face the caldera.
  • Tours like walking circuits around Santorini, boat trips, and wine tours depart from both Oia and Fira (most tours include hotel collection) so it doesn’t matter where you’re lodging.
  • Easier to explore the island from: Being based in Fira makes accessing the southern areas of the island less difficult and faster. This is more significant if using the bus network as Fira functions as the central hub for all routes on the island, meaning passengers traveling by bus from Oia to the beaches will need to switch vehicles in Fira (a minor hassle). However, if renting a vehicle the difference is not as notable.
  • Leasing a vehicle: Marginally simpler in Fira since direct bus transport is offered from the port or airport to the Fira bus station, then a brief walk to many vehicle rental locations. Choosing up the car at the airport is advised, in which case the selected city of accommodation is irrelevant.
  • Closer proximity to the airport and ferry terminal: Located approximately 10 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes from the ferry terminal by vehicle, Fira provides direct shuttle service to both transportation hubs. Oia is about 30 minutes away from the airport and ferry terminal when traveling by automobile. Riders relying on public buses would need to transfer at Fira, extending the total travel time closer to one hour.
  • Fira is about 15 minutes closer to the beaches than Oia. While this small difference may not matter as much if renting a car, it could make a bigger impact when relying on buses for transportation.
  • ATMs can easily be found in both Fira and Oia. Both towns have grocery markets, while Fira additionally has an actual grocery store. If you need to do laundry, Fira offers better options.

Fira vs Oia – A Comparison

a large body of water with a mountain rangea large body of water with mountainsa large body of water surrounded by mountainsa large body of water with palm treesa mountain range with a bird perched on topa large boat floating on top of a large body of watera large body of water with mountainsa house with a view of the ocean and mountainsa row of boats sitting next to each other on a beacha herd of animals standing on top of a beacha crowd of people walking down a streeta white surfboard sitting on top of a cement walla sign that is on the side of a walla row of wooden boxes sitting on top of a wooden polea mountain range with a view of the oceana blue and white boat sitting on top of a body of waterpeople walking along the shoreline of a beacha person riding a board on top of a body of watera large group of people sitting in front of a fountaina small boat floating on top of a large body of watera store with a bunch of signs on ita hotel room with tables, chairs and umbrellasa kitchen filled with lots of bottles and bottles of alcohola sunset view of a beach with boats in the distancea large body of water with boats in the distancepeople walking down a streeta store front with a large windowa white refrigerator covered in stickers next to a walla person walking a horse down a streeta man riding on the back of a brown horse

Fira in Pictures

a large building with a view of the oceanboats floating on top of a large body of watera large body of water with mountainsa large group of people walking down a beacha large room with a large clock on the wallpeople walking down a street with umbrellasa crowd of people standing on the side of a roada crowd of people are gathered around a busa city street filled with lots of street signsa boat floating on top of a body of watera row of stairs leading up to a stone walla large group of people riding on top of a mountaina horse pulling a cart down a streeta row of boats sitting on top of a docka table that has a plate of food on ita man standing at a table in front of a restauranta sandwich and a drink on a tablea large group of people sitting on top of a buildinga large white boat sitting on top of a beach

Oia in Pictures

a white and blue church with a clock on ita view from the top of a mountain overlooking the oceana large body of water surrounded by mountainsa view from the top of a mountain overlooking the oceana mountain range with a lighthouse on top of ita house on a hill overlooking a large body of watera crowd of people standing on top of a body of waterboats floating on top of a rocky hillsideboats floating on top of a body of watera person walking on a sidewalk near a body of waterpeople standing in front of a large white buildinga street scene with people walking down the streeta row of refrigerators on the side of a streeta table that has some food on ita wooden table topped with lots of wooden chairsa crowd of people standing in front of a buildinga crowd of people walking down a streetmotorcycles are parked in a row on the beacha double decker bus driving down a streeta man that is sitting on the side of a roada row of houses in a rural area

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Welcome to my travel website! I’m Mary Howard, an American who has been exploring the world full-time for 8 years.

Together with my husband, Intan, we often find ourselves in our second home, Bali, but our adventures take us to exciting destinations all over the globe.

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