Blue domes and sugar-cube houses
Holidays to Oia take you to perhaps the most iconic town on the beautiful island of Santorini. It’s located on the north west coast, giving you some of the best sunsets which can be seen from its position on the top of a volcanic crater. Whitewashed buildings creep up the hill, giving you fantastic views of the sea and the pretty town itself. There are even a few idyllic windmills and churches dotted around, ideal if you want to immerse yourself in iconic images of the island.
If your idea of a holiday is spending days on golden sandy beaches, there are plenty of options within a 30-minute drive away. Choose from lively beach bars where you can listen to chilled music as it mingles with the sounds of the waves and order cocktails and refreshments straight to your lounger. Alternatively, there are little coves where you’ll find a secluded spot, or beaches offering watersports such as sailing and jet skiing.
Oia is quite possibly one of the most photographed places in Greece, its landscapes are so beautiful that wealthy ship captains were known to call this little village home. If you want to marvel at the iconic Oia sunset, make your way to a good spot early, as the village does tend to fill up. The restaurants at the caldera’s edge are firm favourites and have the best views. So, if you want to enjoy some traditional Greek cuisine as the sun goes down make sure you’re there a couple of hours in advance.
During the day you may want to take a stroll down to Amoudi Bay, the descent is around 200 steps, but when you see the bay, you’ll know it’s worth the walk. The bay is home to Amoudi Harbour, so you can look forward to plenty of seafood in the tavernas, using only the freshest caught fish. The bay is steeped in picturesque red cliffs and boulders – a beautiful backdrop to your evening meal.
Every one of our hotels is handpicked and personally visited by our team
Flight time from the UK to Santorini is around 3 hours 45 minutes.
If you're planning a trip to Santorini (JTR) from the UK, the following airports have direct flights:
Birmingham (BHX), Bristol (BRS), Cardiff (CWL), East Midlands (EMA), Edinburgh (EDI), Leeds Bradford (LBA), Liverpool (LPL), London Gatwick (LGW), London Heathrow (LHR), London Luton (LTN), London Stansted (STN), Manchester (MAN) and Newcastle (NCL).
Transfer time from Santorini airport to Oia is approximately 30 minutes.
Like most Greek islands, Santorini’s long summer months stretch from April through to September or October. The dry, sunny spring months are warm enough for beach-going and sightseeing, and average highs top 30°C in July and August.
Currently visas are not required for UK citizens travelling to Greece.
In Greece, a service charge will be included in the bill at restaurants and bars. Much like the UK, an additional tip is not required, although is appreciated for particularly good service. It is common to round off the amount when paying cash, particularly with wait staff and taxi drivers.
The official language of Greece is Greek. English is widely spoken, too, so getting by is easy.