Fira to Oia is one of the best walks I’ve done – classic Greek island scenery from start to finish. Think white abodes against the deep blue Mediterranean sky and sea as you walk along the rim of the caldera. This was about as much fun an amateur photographer could have. To top it off, we had a good lunch in Oia.

We were here for a day, one of the stops on our Mediterranean cruise. With the dilemma that we only had limited time and wanted to do something that would allow us to enjoy the fine weather and amazing scenery, we decided to start early on this three and a half hour walk (at a leisurely pace with lots of photo stops) that would take us from Fira to Oia, in time to rendezvous with my mom for lunch.

This walk is around 10km (6 miles). It’s not particularly difficult, there’s one gradual uphill climb and one relatively steep downhill section as we neared Oia. However, it’s not a walk you want to do on a hot day since there is no shade. We were here in May with the temperature around 20 degrees celsius. A few degrees cooler would probably have been ideal.

You can do the walk in reverse, but as we docked near Fira, it was more logical for us to walk towards Oia. It’s also an easy walk to follow direction wise – there aren’t too many spots where you’d get lost. The walk starts near the funicular in Fira – just follow the signs to Imerovigli. My mom joined us for the start of the walk where it mainly consists of paved paths and steps as it winds through homes. There are some great views of Fira near Imerovigli. The paved paths do get replaced by a dirt path eventually as you walk further out of town. Those with weak knees and ankles may want to do as my mom did, and take a taxi or bus from Imerovigli to Oia.

Santorini is an island, essentially the remnant of a submerged ancient volcano. Its towns are all perched along the rim of the volcano’s caldera. Oia is at its northernmost point while Fira is in the middle and the main hub for the island. With its volcanic origins, the soil is largely black – hence the dark hues of its cliffs. As we left Fira’s fringe, the buildings gradually dissipate to make way for wild flowers and rocks.

There a great lookout point just before the descent into Oia. The walk down is quite steep and you’re essentially rambling through what appears to be someone’s vegetable patch. It can be a touch slippery so a decent pair of walking shoes or sandals with a good grip are recommended.

We had lunch at Roka in Oia (website: http://roka.gr). It’s not on the main stretch of Oia and took a little bit of meandering to find but well worth it. After walking around a bit more after lunch, we took a taxi back to Fira to get back to our ship – everyone was keen to get into the jacuzzi on board. I’d love to come back and spend a week here and just do this walk again at sunset.