Where to Stay in Santorini: Fira vs Oia vs Finikia (I Stayed In All 3)

The biggest misconception about Santorini is that it’s one place. A cluster of whitewashed buildings with blue-domed churches clinging to steep cliffs that drop dramatically into the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea.

That’s the image people have, but you’ll realize soon enough when planning a trip there, that Santorini is quite a large island and that postcard view is not limited to one spot.

So Fira or Oia? The main hub of Santorini or front-row sunset views over the Caldera? Or somewhere inland that’s overlooked and less crowded? After talking to friends and looking at so many amazing hotels, we decided to spend a few days in each locations to find out.

I’ll say this. Santorini lives up to the hype. Location matters, but not the way you think.

We visited at the beginning of October, when the peak summer season has started to wane. I think it made all the difference since we were able to get better prices on both accommodations and activities, but more importantly, we avoided the worst of the crowds.

Tip: If you are planning your travels between June – September, I highly recommend booking your accommodations well in advance. We were quite lucky to find random availability for the places where we stayed since we were flexible. If they happen to still be available during your search, just book it. Trust me. 

Stay In Fira For An Active Holiday

We started our Santorini trip in Fira after taking the ferry from Heraklion in Crete. We arrived at 7 am, so it allowed us to wander the slightly emptier streets before the cruise crowd arrived.

Fira is the capital and hub of Santorini, so it’s the best overall base if you’re actively moving around the island.

There’s accommodations for every budget here from backpacking hostels to luxurious cliffside suites.

This is the best place on the island to catch a bus to pretty much anywhere. If you’re heading to the beaches on the south coast or seeing the sunset in Oia, Fira is an ideal starting point.

It also happens to be where the caldera trail starts, so if you’re planning on doing the iconic walk from Fira to Oia, you’ll be right at the beginning. The hike takes you through the smaller towns and streets and passing iconic spots like the Three Bells of Fira.

When it comes to food and nightlife, Fira has the best range. Cliffside dining, juicy souvlaki joints, local cafes, and plenty of bars. If your Greek Holiday includes music and cocktails, you should spend at least a couple of nights in Fira.

We already ended our trip in Fira, since it would be easier to get to the airport in the morning. After a week of relaxing, we wanted to have one night of just being in the middle of things.

Where We Stayed: Pelican Hotel and Villa Galaxy

Our plan was to use Fira as a convenient place to stay the first and last night, so we saved our budget for our stays in Oia and Finikia. There were some drool-worth hotels like the You and Me Suites, but we went with the more modest Pelican Hotel for our first night and Villa Galaxy for our last night.

Both were reasonably priced. Pelican was rather basic when we compare it with other stays, but it was clean and close to the main square in Fira. Villa Galaxy was really good value since there was a hot tub, which was great for the slightly chilly evening.

Splurge For Oia To Get The Iconic Postcard Stay

Oia, pronounced ‘E-AH,’ is that iconic spot you always see on social media. Yes, it’s crowded, and yes, it’s touristy, but it’s also undeniably breathtaking. The town as much as the sunset.

Our first visit to Oia was just before sunset, arriving to a large welcoming street paved in smooth white marble, polished by the thousands of daily footsteps, and flanked by whitewashed walls and boutique shops adorned with hanging bourgainvillea. We chose to just wander instead of fighting for a sunset spot, since we were returning to stay the following night.

Where We Stayed: Sophia Castle View

We stayed at Sophia Castle View with the requisite private plunge pool for a front-row seat to the famous sunset over the caldera. Checked that off my bucket list.

Here’s the thing, everyone comes to Oia for the sunset, which in turns makes it one of the unappealing time to be in Oia. The already narrow and winding walkways are packed with people jockeying for that postcard shot. At every iconic location, there’s a winding line of people waiting to take the same photograph.

Access To The Best View In Santorini

One of the unexpected highlights was a surprise offered by our host. Since the hotel is part of a small group of properties, he brought us to a private rooftop terrace in a gated off area. We had uninterrupted views of the iconic blue domes and church rooftops with the caldera in the background.

It was hands-down one of the best photo spots in all of Oia, and we had it to ourselves just before sunset.

Afterwards, we slipped back to our place to enjoy the bottle of chilled local wine, left for us, from our terrace. We were tucked away, but below us, the massive swell of people lining up for the same view. It was one of those moments, you know.

The room itself was a cave-style suite carved into the cliff, complete with a cozy kitchen nook we didn’t use but adored for its charm. Our bedroom was spacious and filled with light, and the window opened directly out to our plunge pool overlooking the caldera.

Oia Without The Crowds

When the crowd is gone, Oia is lovely. Early mornings were magical. We’d wander through the quiet alleys and stop by a random cafe with a view for our morning coffee and pastry. After dinner strolls to the windmills were equally serene. Every stone, doorway, and flower feels like it’s been deliberately placed there.

Being in Oia also made it easy to access Amoudi Bay, where we embarked for our morning catamaran cruise and returned for a tavern dinner by the water. If you’ve ever dreamed of staying in a postcard, Oia is it.

Travel Tip: We booked this luxury morning cruise the day we checked out. It returned at 2:30 pm and they dropped us off at our next accommodation in Finikia just in time for check-in. It saved us the trouble of having to arrange transportation ourselves. 

Escape The Crowd And Stay In Finikia

Here’s where Santorini surprised us. Just a 30 minute walk from Oia is Finikia, where we spent several nights away from the crowd. This was where we have the relaxing part of our holiday.

The slightly out of the way location of Finikia wasn’t even a problem, despite us not renting a car. We were picked up and dropped off for both our catamaran cruises, which saved us a couple of bus rides getting to and from Finikia.

We walked to Oia one evening and it was a great way to digest after our lovely meal at Lefkes. It’s one of those hidden authentic places you would probably never experience unless you were staying in Finikia.

And we did. We stayed at two different properties here and honestly, both offered incredible value for what you get, compared to Oia and even Fira.

Where We Stayed: Sophia Boutique Hotel

First up was Sophia Boutique Hotel. Our room had a beautiful minimalist design with a lofted bedroom and a door leading to a private plunge pool.

The hotel had a big pool with sun beds and loungers where we lost track of time while working the tan. The space was tucked away from the main road with a view of the water and the tranquil atmosphere was the opposite of what we experienced in Oia and Fira.

Where We Stayed: Elysian Retreat

Then came Elysian Retreat and easily the most beautiful place of our entire trip to Greece. This unassuming place stepped it up with its desert oasis tones and vibes. There was a large pool looking out towards the fields to the water. But it was hard to decide whether to tan here since we also had our own pool.

And not a small plunge pool just for the photos, but a full-on, proper pool with a little alcove surrounded by the desert grass. Our terrace had a fireplace and enough seats to host a large of friends.

Sunset here in Finikia was already special away from the crowds of Oia and Fira, but with our unique private space, it was one of the highlights of the entire trip.

Sunrise was equally beautiful and breakfast was brought to our terrace so we could eat in our robes while  enjoying the morning quiet. All of this luxury for less than what we paid in Oia.

Travel Tip: After checking out, we were able to stay and use the pool until our afternoon pick-up time for the most amazing sunset cruise. Afterwards, they dropped us off at our hotel in Fira for our last night before we left Santorini. Once again, it saved us the trouble of having to arrange our own transportation or double back. Try to time your sailing trips with check-outs. 

East Side Of Santorini: Perissa and Kamari

We didn’t stay in Perissa or Kamari, but they’re worth mentioning for a different type of traveler. These towns are located on the eastern side of the island, where you’ll find Santorini’s actual beaches. There’s more of a laid-back, family-friendly vibe from what I gathered.

These areas don’t offer the iconic caldera views, but you get easy beach access, fewer crowds, and a more affordable price range. I’d say Perissa or Kamari is good if you’re looking for a classic Mediterranean beach holiday without the busyness of Oia or Fira.

That said, there are better Greek islands if the beach is your priority. We came from Crete, where the coastlines near Chania and Rethymno were stunning and far more suited to a beach trip. In our case, two luxury catamaran cruises around Santorini gave us all the swimming and sunbathing we needed, without needing to bus it down to one of the beaches.

Is Imerovigli Worth Staying At?

We were seriously considering Imerovigli as an alternative to Fira, since it was only about a 30-40 minute walk or a 8 minute drive from Fira.

The appeal for Imerovigli is that you’re partway between Fira and Oia, so you escape the crowds of both, while having a spectacular view of the caldera for sunset. You’ll find more privacy here than a lot of the cliffside hotels in the other two towns.

We had bookmarked Altana Heritage Suites and Cocoon Suites.

Getting around by public transportation requires heading back to Fira first.

We ultimately decided against it because we were not planning to rent a car this trip (maybe we should have since I later found some car rental here for as low as $15 a day).

Final Thoughts

Santorini is one of those rare popular places that actually lives up to the hype – if you go in with the right expectations. The iconic caldera views, the cave hotels, and the dramatic sunsets are all real. But so are the crowds, the overpriced meals, and the heat if you’re traveling in the summer months.

Location matters and I’m glad we had a chance to spend a few nights each in Fira, Oia, and Finikia. We were able to experience several different hotels and not have to agonize over choosing one. Each had its charm as well as the locations themselves.

Like I said earlier, if you are active and on a budget, consider Fira. Otherwise, opt for Oia or Finikia. Or do all three like I did. Honestly, that might be the best way to experience Santorini.

Updated on August 21, 2025