The hike “officially” starts at the Atlantis Hotel in Fira. Part of the fun of this hike is exploring the towns along the way, so feel free to leave the official walking path if you see something interesting and lets get lost to the narrow streets of the towns together!

Once we arrive in Fira, we’ll head north towards Imerovigli. Our next stop is Firostefani, which is an extension of Fira, and you may not even realize you’re entering a second village. The walk to Firostefani is uphill, but it’s worth it for the stunning views.

While in Firostefani, we’ll visit the Three Bells of Thira at Agios Theodoros, which is also known as the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church. You can see the viewpoint from a parking lot to the east of the church.

After exploring Firostefani, we’ll continue uphill to Imerovigli. There are several pedestrian paths to choose from, so we can either follow the trail markers or explore on our own. We’ll also see another beautiful blue dome church, called Anastasi Church, which we can detour to for a higher viewpoint.

Once we’ve finished exploring Imerovigli, we’ll continue walking north towards Oia. The path through Imerovigli can feel like a maze, but as long as we’re heading north, we’re on the right track.

The trail through Imerovigli converges just beyond Avalon Resort and Spa, and we’ll follow it past numerous resorts and hotels until we get to Saint Marcos and Profitis Ilias Church. From there, we’ll walk downhill for a bit before briefly walking along the shoulder of the road. The trail resumes just past a small café/snack bar.

The next section is the most challenging part of the walk, as it’s a steady, uphill climb on a rocky, dirt trail. However, once we reach the top, we’ll start the best part of the walk: the descent into Oia. As we walk downhill, we’ll come across Panagia Church, where you can take in the beautiful view.

We’ll continue walking along the caldera into Oia, passing numerous upscale hotels. Once we reach the far western part of Oia, we’ll see the iconic blue domes and windmills. If you’re up for it, we can even continue all the way to Ammoudi Bay for cliff jumping or a fresh fish dinner at one of the local restaurants.