Oia (Greece)

Oia (Greek: Οία, sometimes also spelled Ia) is the northernmost town on Thira, the largest island in the Santorini archipelago, which is part of the Cyclades islands about 200 km south of the Greek mainland. Oia is the town that comes to mind for most people when they hear Santorini and even Greek islands in general: steep volcanic cliffs with picturesque white houses, churches with deep blue roofs, and iconic windmills that appear lost in time. Oia's narrow streets scattered with arts and gift shops draw over 2 million tourists from abroad every year.

History
The recorded history of Oia dates back to the 13th century, when the Duchy of Naxos was established by the Venetians and feudal rule was instituted on Santorini. Apanomeria, known with the local inhabitants as Agios Nikolaos castle, was one of the 5 local citadels and the ruins of its residential keep is the oldest part of modern Oia. The Ottoman Empire took over control in 1579, and the name Apanomeria found general acceptance until it was changed to present day Oia in the mid 19th century.

At the end of the 19th century, peace brought prosperity. Oia's harbour, Amoudi Bay, developed as an important centre for maritime trade, a position boosted by the declining importance of Venice as a Mediterranean trading hub. It was part of many trading routes, from Alexandria to as far as Russia. By the turn of the 19th century, the fleet consisted of 130 sailing ships and a wharf was set up in Amoudi Bay. Agriculture on Santorini produced wines of excellent quality which were exported to mainland Europe.

The economic boom came to an end with the arrival of steam power, which made sailing ships redundant. Oia lost trade to Piraeus and Laurium, and the resulting exodus led to a decline in population which in turn hurt the agricultural sector. A shift to finishing industry brought relief, but by the early 20th century this also started to decline due to overfishing. The World Wars brought economic depression and further emigration to the Greek mainland.

The earthquake of 9 July 1956 with a magnitude of 7.8 dealt the finishing blow to Oia. The strongest aftershock had a magnitude of 7.2, with an epicentre just off the coast north of Oia. Nearly the entire town was levelled, and population fell to an all time low of only 306 inhabitants in the 1977 census. It remained largely abandoned for 2 decades.

Redevelopment
The bold decision was made to rebuild the village from the ground up as a tourist attraction. The surviving churches and castle ruins were restored, and infrastructure was developed. Utilities such as electricity and telecommunications cables were laid underground which helped to create a "picture perfect" village. Modern Oia is nearly entirely an artificial town, comparable to Disneyland: it largely consists of tourist accommodation, restaurants, bars, and shops. Oia attracts huge crowds of tourists looking for the "perfect" photograph, and is immensely popular as a honeymoon destination particularly with wealthy Indian and Chinese couples flocking to Oia to have their wedding pictures taken. Unsurprisingly, Oia's narrow streets are lined with jewellery shops, exclusive boutiques, and overpriced souvenirs made in China can be found at the corner of every street.

Get in
Easily reachable by bus from the central bus station in Fira. The road to Oia is not for the faint hearted! The bus fare is very inexpensive--not more than €3 per person.

Taxi from port in Thira costs around €20 per group; €25 if you don't want driver to take people from other groups into the car. A taxi from the airport will set you back.

Road between Fira and Oia is meandering -- keep in mind if you choose between taxi and a rented car when you arrive exhausted after a ferry.

The most rewarding way into town in to walk the footpath along the caldera from Fira. It will take awhile as there some stairs to climb (especially in the way back), but the view is worth it.

Get around
Motorised vehicles are banned from the town, and the only way to get around is by foot. Even garbage is taken away by donkeys. Donkeys can be rented on the staircase connecting Armeni bay to Oia. However, walking gives the most freedom to look around and enjoy the scenery. During the touristic season, which starts in April and ends in October, the town often becomes so crowded with tourists that congestion occurs in the narrow streets. Don't even try to push a bicycle through during the summer months! Fortunately, Oia is rather small so traversing the town only takes half an hour by foot.

See
Oia is a very picturesque town. Spend at least half a day exploring the town by meandering up and down paths and staircases. Along the way you'll see interesting architecture and breathtaking views of the caldera.

Eat

 * Ammoudi Bay Tavernas. There are three tavernas (side by side--difficult to distinguish between) in Ammoudi bay serving fresh grilled seafood. This is possibly the best place for enjoying dinner and a sunset in Ia. The food is okay, albeit a little overpriced. Alternately, you can enjoy an even better view of the sunset if you walk past the tavernas and continue on towards the swimming area. Along the path, where you have a clear view of Ammoudi Bay and the direction the sun sets, is an ideal place for snapping great sunset pics. But, if you don't mind paying a premium for a seafood dinner, the tavernas are quite charming.
 * Try the famous Souvlaki and Singing competition near the Church (on the right, down the steps, through the door) every Sunday night at 21:00 organised by Stelios. Entry is €10. Songs by famous Greek singers, such as "Sexy Back" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go", are sung all through the night with endless amounts of souvlaki being served up.
 * Ammoudi Bay Tavernas. There are three tavernas (side by side--difficult to distinguish between) in Ammoudi bay serving fresh grilled seafood. This is possibly the best place for enjoying dinner and a sunset in Ia. The food is okay, albeit a little overpriced. Alternately, you can enjoy an even better view of the sunset if you walk past the tavernas and continue on towards the swimming area. Along the path, where you have a clear view of Ammoudi Bay and the direction the sun sets, is an ideal place for snapping great sunset pics. But, if you don't mind paying a premium for a seafood dinner, the tavernas are quite charming.
 * Try the famous Souvlaki and Singing competition near the Church (on the right, down the steps, through the door) every Sunday night at 21:00 organised by Stelios. Entry is €10. Songs by famous Greek singers, such as "Sexy Back" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go", are sung all through the night with endless amounts of souvlaki being served up.
 * Ammoudi Bay Tavernas. There are three tavernas (side by side--difficult to distinguish between) in Ammoudi bay serving fresh grilled seafood. This is possibly the best place for enjoying dinner and a sunset in Ia. The food is okay, albeit a little overpriced. Alternately, you can enjoy an even better view of the sunset if you walk past the tavernas and continue on towards the swimming area. Along the path, where you have a clear view of Ammoudi Bay and the direction the sun sets, is an ideal place for snapping great sunset pics. But, if you don't mind paying a premium for a seafood dinner, the tavernas are quite charming.
 * Try the famous Souvlaki and Singing competition near the Church (on the right, down the steps, through the door) every Sunday night at 21:00 organised by Stelios. Entry is €10. Songs by famous Greek singers, such as "Sexy Back" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go", are sung all through the night with endless amounts of souvlaki being served up.
 * Try the famous Souvlaki and Singing competition near the Church (on the right, down the steps, through the door) every Sunday night at 21:00 organised by Stelios. Entry is €10. Songs by famous Greek singers, such as "Sexy Back" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go", are sung all through the night with endless amounts of souvlaki being served up.

Drink
A number of vineyards on Santorini produce great wines. Sample the local wines when possible!

Sleep
The village has a variety of accommodation options. Cave style houses updated with modern features, cliff side houses that form a small hotel, mansions once owned by sea captains converted to luxury suites - are some of the unique features. Points to consider are if the accommodation faces to the sea, caldera and volcano; available terrace for breakfast or lounging, private terrace or shared; windows - as some of the cave houses may have small viewpoints; the location on the cliff as the stairs can be steep and not suited for everyone; and the regular factors: air conditioning, bathroom arrangement, bed style and comfort, services, etc. The protected village architecture and the cliffs restrict the building of swimming pools so there are very few offered on the caldera side. There's a public pool-bar offering views towards the sunset side of the island. If the accommodation has a terrace with the view to the sea, caldera and volcano then you won't miss the pool as gazing over the sea is the point here.

Stay safe
Being a tourist attraction, Oia is a safe destination for travel.

The town's layout makes it ideal for pickpockets, however: during the tourist season, the narrow streets are packed with tourists and body contact is not uncommon, which makes it easy for thieves to lift valuables out of the pockets of unsuspecting travellers. The street layout also makes for an ideal escape route, as pickpockets can easily vanish in the labyrinth of narrow passages and steep steps. It is recommended to leave valuables home or wear them under your shirt in a neck pouch. Do not rely on hip pouches, they are an easy target in crowded areas. Never leave electronics such as cameras unattended.

Stay healthy
As everywhere else on Santorini, tap water is not safe to drink in Oia, despite its new EU-sponsored. Bottles of water can be purchased in every mini market, and most hotels will offer complimentary bottles of water to their guests when booking a room.

Go next
At the northern tip of Thira, the options are to return southward with Finikia on a walking distance away from Oia. Vourvoulos and modern capital Fira can be reached by bus, which departs at the. Instead of taking the bus, though, consider hiking from Oia to Fira: the trail follows the caldera, and is considered the most spectacular hike on the Santorini archipelago.

Alternatively, take a ferry to one of the other islands of the Santorini archipelago. Therasia is only 20 minutes away from Oia by ferry.