Santorini (Thira), an unique crescent-shaped island set in the Aegean Sea and this beautiful place is almost everyone's dream destination for a honeymoon or holiday.
There are quite a number of activities to do during your stay in this island; and the popular one is to take a scenic hike along the caldera of Santorini island. The hiking distance is around 10km, and usually it takes about 3 to 5 hrs depending on your pace and how many times you stop to rest and take photos. Most of the people start the trail from Fira, through the village of Firostefani and Imerovigli, and end off at Oia where you can catch a sunset and twilight with a picturesque view.
From Fira to Firostefani (1km)
You may start your hike at the landmark, Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral. From there, you can take a nearby staircase down to the street of Agiou Mina, and follow the rim of caldera where you can catch some panoramic views of Aegean Sea. By walking north, you will pass by the Donkey Ride Station and as you continue to walk, you will see The Catholic church of St. Stylianos on the road where you are about to enter Firostefani village.  |
| Church in Fira |
 |
| Fira |
 |
| Cafe with a view in Fira |
 |
| Donkeys in Fira |
 |
| Nea Kameni Island |
 |
| Fira from far |
 |
| Catholic Church of Saint Stylianos, Fira |
 |
| Catholic Church of Saint Stylianos |
 |
| Staircase to Firostefani |
From Firostefani to Imerovigli (1km)The crowd is lesser in Firostefani as compare to Fira, hence it is quite relax to stroll along this village. If you are observant enough, you will find a picturesque wooden boat on the roof of Belvedere Hotel Santorini. And just a few steps away, you will see a well decorated cafe at Hotel Galini where you can make a stop for some drinks or delicious ice creams before you move on to Imerovigli village.  |
| Agios Theodori church at Firostefani |
 |
| Donkey Statue |
 |
| Wooden Boat |
 |
| Rooftop Table and Chairs |
 |
| Wall Decoration |
 |
| Bell Tower in Firostefani |
From South to North in Imerovigli (2.2km) The distance of Imerovigli village from south to north is around 2.2km. Most of the houses in this village are white in color with Cycladic architectural styles. Around the halfway mark, there is a staircase on the rim of the caldera which will lead you to Skaros Rock, a famous site in Santorini.  |
| Walkway along Imerovigli village |
 |
| Hotel with a breathtaking view |
 |
| Walkway to the Skaros Rock |
 |
| A Little Church in Imerovigli |
 |
| Skaros Rock |
 |
| White Washed Houses |
 |
| Rooftop with a view |
 |
| White Washed House in Imerovigli |
From Imerovigli to Oia (6km)As you exit Imerovigli village, the number of white washed houses will get lesser and lesser. Shortly, you will arrived at Ekklisia Profitis Ilias, a blue and white chapel on the slope. As you continue to walk, the trail will go downward; slightly slippery as there are many small stones and rocks on the ground. But it is still considered easy to walk along and also offers some amazing views of the beautiful scenery. When you reached the bottom, you will find yourself at the door of Aeneon Villas. At this point of time, you have to walk long the main road for a couple of minutes until you see a drink stall by the roadside, do take a break here to have some drinks. Just a few steps away from the drink stall, keep left and you will go back into the hiking trail.  |
| Walking toward Oia |
|
 |
| Stop for a Breathtaking view |
 |
| East side of the Santorini |
 |
| Ekklisia Profitis Ilias |
 |
| Beautiful landscape |
 |
| Slippery down slope |
 |
| Aenaon Villas |
When you get back into the hiking trail, you will find yourself walking through the beautiful landscape. After some walking along the up and down terrain, you will see a little chapel of Stavró. As you continue to walk toward Oia, you will come to another chapel, Profitis Ilias. At this moment, you know that you are not far away from Oia. |
| walking through the beautiful landscape |
 |
| Nature and Animal |
 |
| Crescent shaped Santorini |
 |
| Stop for a Picture |
 |
| the chapel of Stavrós against the sun |
 |
| the chapel of Stavrós |
 |
| the route between chapel of Stavros and Profitis Ilias |
 |
| Profitis Ilias with a seaview |
 |
| Profitis Ilias |
 |
| a few steps from Oia |
As you enter the picturesque town of Oia, you will be welcomed by the rows of hotels, villas, shops and restaurants. You may now stroll through the crowd to get to your ending point, Oia Castle, for the beautiful sunset and twilight.  |
| Entering Oia |
 |
| Cat enjoying the walk |
 |
| Ekklisia Agios Onoufrios |
 |
| Oia |
 |
| Church in Oia |
 |
| Oia at Golden Hour |
For those who want to enjoy the best view of Santorini, I strongly recommend you to take up this scenic hike along the caldera from Fira to Oia.
The best season for hiking in Santorini is from March to May and September to October as the temperature is mild. Do consider to start the hike around 3pm from Fira and end off at Oia around sunset timing. Although it is going to be an easy hike, do wear comfort shoes for a better walking experience.Location: Santorini, Greece
Hike Distance: 10.2km
Year Visited: 2015 (April)
Written by: Q.J. Photography by: Q.J. & K.K.
