Oia

Published: August 12, 2026 · Updated: August 12, 2026

Oia is the village at the northern tip of Santorini, stacked on the caldera rim in white and blue, and the most photographed sunset in Greece. It was rebuilt after the 1956 earthquake that destroyed much of it.

Oia — TomasEE CC BY 3.0 Source

Overview

The village was a captains’ town, and the larger houses along the rim belonged to nineteenth-century shipowners; the cave houses cut into the cliff below were their crews’. Most are now hotels. The 1956 quake levelled a great deal, and the reconstruction kept the vernacular form, which is why the place looks older than it is.

Highlights

For sunset, take the castle ruins early or watch from the path towards Ammoudi instead — the crowd on the main terrace is heavy from an hour before. The 300 steps down to Ammoudi Bay are the best walk on the island. Come out of season if you can: in August the main lane moves at a shuffle.

Location