For those of you looking for more of an outdoorsy adventure in Santorini, the Imerovigli to Oia Trail is definitely for you. Although the trail is often described as starting in Fira, you don’t get the feel of a proper hiking trail until you pass Imerovigli – the first section between Fira and Imerovigli consists more of an urban walk (but a very beautiful one with stunning vistas all around). The trail from Imegovigli to Oia is a wonderful and free hiking trail, without too much elevation gain, and that offers nonstop stunning views of the caldera and of Oia in the distance. You’ll cross beautiful desertic and volcanic landscapes, in addition to the occasional beautiful white-washed church. Below we present our Santorini Hiking Guide on the Imerovigli (Fira) to Oia trail, to help you get the most out of your time in Santorini. We will also briefly cover the Fira to Imerovigli and Skaros Rock trails, which are covered more extensively in separate guides.
Disclosure: This page (The Imerovigli (Fira) to Oia Caldera Trail: A Santorini Hiking Guide) may contain product affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. More details can be found on our disclosure and policies page.
You might also be interested in these pages:
Best Things to See and Do in Santorini
Santorini Itinerary Ideas (1 to 5 days)
Santorini Travel Guide: Things to Know Before You Go
Where to Stay on Santorini
How to Get Around Santorini
Orientation – Where is Imerovigli (Fira) to Oia Trail
The trail follows the western edge of Santorini, along the caldera cliff (but don’t worry, the trail is never really close to the edge if you are afraid of heights). If you try searching the walk on Google Maps it will propose shortcuts along various roads, which completely voids the point. If you click on the image below, it will open an itinerary that we tweaked to stay on the proper hiking trail. We also present an All Trails map of the trail further below.
Although you can hike the trail as an out-and-back, most people only do it one-way as it is just over 8 km (and over 10km if you start in Fira). Generally, people will hike towards Oia from Imegovigli, which takes them on average between 1h45 and 2h30, depending on their pace and the number of photo-ops, and will then take the bus back to Fira (under €2 (2024)). If Imerovigli is the final destination, you can either take a second bus to get there from Fira or walk (35-40 minutes).
Finally, another option worth mentioning is the possibility of joining a group hiking tour. One of the benefits of these tours is that they include hotel pick-up and drop-off, which removes some of the transportation hassles if you are not based in Imerovigli or Fira.
How to get to the trailhead?
If you are based elsewhere on the island, then you have a few options for reaching the trailhead in Imerovigli:
By car: There are several parking spots around Imerovigli and this large lot is free and always has room.
If you haven’t booked your rental vehicle yet, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Santorini.
By bus: If coming from Fira, it’s a short 5-minute bus ride. From elsewhere, you will first have to connect with Fira with another bus – all Santorini bus timetables can be found here. Most bus rides take between 10 and 25 minutes to get to Fira, depending on the start point.
It’s also important to know that tickets are only sold on the bus and they take cash only. All tickets are one-way only and typically cost about €2 or less for an adult (2024), depending on the destination and start point.
By walking: If you don’t mind the additional distance, you can easily reach the trailhead via the Fira-Imerovigli trail.
By private transfer: Taxis aren’t a great option on Santorini – there are roughly only 40 taxis that operate on the island, meaning it can be very difficult to find one at times. Your best option is to pre-book and private transfer, either via Welcome Pickups or from one of the following services:
Trail Details and Map
Distance: 8.2 km
Route Type: One-way
Elevation gain: -310 m (cumulative elevation gain: 200 m)
Start point: Imerovigli
AllTrails rating: (4.8, 552 ratings (2024))
Access fee: free
Not an AllTrails member yet? We highly recommend signing up for either their free or paid membership plans. The free plan allows you to find new trails and plan routes but it can only be used while hiking if you have access to mobile data. The paid membership plan (AllTrails+) allows you to download trail maps for offline use and provides live progress updates and off-route notifications.
If you are still uncertain – you should know that the All Trails mobile application was voted the 2023 iPhone App of the Year by Apple.
Hiking Packing List
All Trails subscription – This comes in really handy for areas with little or no cell reception, as the annual subscription allows you to download trail maps for offline use.
External Battery – If you are using your phone to track your progress along the trail or to help with navigation, you certainly don’t want your phone to die on you. That’s especially true in the unlikely event that you might get hurt or need assistance.
Hiking poles – These can be particularly useful in steep trails or muddy/boggy trail conditions.
Trail Description and Summary
The “unofficial trailhead” is located at a T-intersection with other trails in Imerovigli: go north to Oia, south to Fira, and west to Skaros Rock. If you are based in Fira, the two simplest ways to make it to the trailhead in Imerovigli are either to walk from Fira along the Caldera trail, which adds about 35-45 minutes to the time estimates stated for the Imerovigli-Oia portion of the trail, or to take the 5-minute bus ride from the Fira bus station.
Once you start heading towards Oia, it’s almost impossible to get lost as the trail just follows the natural curve of the caldera. There are a few instances where you will come across forks in the path, but each time the trail to Oia is well indicated. There’s also a very short section of 200m or so, where you will have to walk along the side of the road around the halfway mark of the trail.
Although you will have lost just over 300m in elevation by the time you make it to Oia, you will have climbed some small hills along the way (see the All Trails elevation graph above), totalling about 200m in elevation – so in reality you will have descended a total of 500m once you factor in the climbs.
The composition of the trail path will change several times throughout the journey, from concrete and gravel, to stones and sand. So proper footwear is recommended as your footing will change regularly. That being said, the path surface is fairly even and flat for the most part.
Trail Part 1: The Three Churches
This first section of the Imerogivlgi-Oai trail was probably our favorite as the views to your left are just superb. Eventually, towards the end of this section, you will come across some lovely white-washed churches with a beautiful desertic and volcanic background.
As you leave Imerovigli behind, you will start to go downhill while you pass several luxury resort-type hotels on one side and stunning caldera views on the other. You will also have great views of Oia in the distance at this point.
You will also start to see in the distance the first two churches. The one on the left is the San Antonio Greek Orthodox church (not shown in the pictures below), which requires a short detour off the main trail to visit. To stay on the main trail, keep right at the intersection and start climbing towards the second church, Saint Mark Holy Orthodox Chapel (pictured below).
Just a few meters further beyond the Saint Mark Chapel, you will start to see the beautiful Church of the Prophet Elias appear at the top of the first hill.
Trail Part 2: The Valley Between the Two Hills
After leaving the third church behind, you’ll start to descend the trail’s first hill and pass a few additional luxury resorts.
It’s also in this area that you have to walk a short section along the side of the road. Go left and stay on the left-hand side of the road. The path is wide enough so that you should feel safe next to the incoming car traffic (though it’s not a particularly busy stretch of road).
There is also a snack shop along this section, which can be great to provide refreshments. However, it is generally not open early in the morning or in the off-season. But it is open during your hike, you might appreciate the break, and perhaps more importantly, the shade.
As you leave the roadside and regain the proper trail, the path starts to ascend the second hill, where The Assumption of the Virgin Mary Holy Chapel awaits you at the top. If you are getting tired at this point, you can take some comfort in knowing that this is the final climb of the trail – after this, everything is downhill or flat.
From there you’ll have beautiful views in both directions: Oia in front of you and Imerovigli and Skaros Rock behind you.
Trail Part 3: The Descent Towards Oia
From the chapel, you will descend a few switchbacks on a rocky section of the trail until it flattens and straightens out, at which point you will start crossing hotels and resorts.
Eventually, the trail will merge with Oia’s main road, from which you can begin your Oia Exploration.
(Bonus) Trail Part 4: Ammoudi Bay
If you still have some energy after the trail hiking and Oia exploration, you can climb down (and back up after) the 278 steps to Ammoudi Bay. The staircase begins near Oia castle.
Ammoudi Bay, historically an old fishing port, now mostly caters to tourists with several restaurants with outdoor patios right on the water. Expect at least 20 minutes to make it to Ammoudi Bay from the top of the staircase and back (not counting time spent exploring and sightseeing).
Once at the bottom, you can walk another 300m along a coastal trail through rocky terrain to reach Ammoudi beach, which isn’t a beach per se but rather a place people go to jump into the water off short rocky cliffs.
When is the Best Time to do this Trail?
Ideally, you won’t want to do this hike midday as there is nowhere to hide from the sun. So we recommend starting this hike as early as you can in the day.
Also, if you plan on visiting Oia after the hike, getting there early is a great option if you want to beat the crowds as much as possible. We did the hike from 6:30-8:30 am, and then wandered around Oia for a few hours until it started getting too busy (this was in mid-September).
Alternatively, if you want to combine this hike with some sunset viewing from Oia, you could start the hike in the late afternoon – but it will definitely be hotter and you’ll have to time it right to arrive in time for the sunset. You should know, however, that the sunset viewing spots get very crowded in Oia, which is why it’s not one of our favorite spots to enjoy the sunset.
Connecting Trails
Skaros Rock Trail
If you recall earlier we mentioned the trailhead in Imerovigli is connected to two other trails, one of which is the trail to Skaros Rock. Although the trail to Skaros Rock is not particularly long, it’s still somewhat challenging given the number of steps you will have to go down (and later come back up to get back to Imerovigli). Most people tend to complete the Skaros Rock section of the trail in under an hour (including the return).
For more information on this hike, check out our Santorini Hiking Guide on the Skaros Rock trail.
Imerovigli to Fira Trail
This is the other part of the Fira to Oia trail, one that has a completely different vibe and feel from the Imerovigli to Oia section, as it follows the caldera in a built-up section of the island with lots of hotels, restaurants, and churches. That being said, the views are still stunning and many actually prefer this section to the more adventurous trail that leads to Oia. The trail can be walked in about 35-45 (without stops) and is mostly downhill if starting in Imerovigli.
For more information on this hike, check out our Santorini Hiking Guide on the Imerovigli to Fira Walk.
Preparing a trip to Santorini?
You might also be interested in these pages:
Best Things to See and Do in Santorini
Santorini Itinerary Ideas (1 to 5 days)
Santorini Travel Guide: Things to Know Before You Go
Where to Stay on Santorini
How to Get Around Santorini
Preparing a trip to Greece?
You might be interested in these Greece pages:
Top Things to See and Do in Greece
Two-Week Greece Itinerary (including Mykonos and Santorini)
Greece Travel Guide: Things to Know Before You Go
How to Travel Around Greece
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Rick Steeves Greece
Lonely Planet Greece
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.
e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
—–
Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Santorini Hiking Guide on the Imerovigli (Fira) to Oia Caldera Trail and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to Santorini.
—–
You might also be interested in these related pages:
