Keith Tew Photography

Name: Keith Tew Photography
Address: Wilson, NC, US
Telephone: +12522927219
Rating: 4.5

Oia (pronounced eee ahh), is located at the northwestern tip of the Greek island of Santorini. Oia is probably best known for its beautiful blue domes and golden sunsets. A quiet village carved into the cliffs of a collapsed caldera, Oia offers some spectacular views of the Aegean and the Greek Orthodox churches that line the rim. Architecture here is influenced by the resources available. Because Santorini is the remnant of a volcano, there is little to no wood on the island for construction. Stone, sand, and volcanic ash are utilized to build brick, stone, and mortar structures. Many homes are carved into the volcanic rock and ash and topped with domed roofs, because little or no wood is needed for this type of construction. Southeast of Oia is the coastal village of Perissa, best known for its black sand beaches. The sand is more of a finely tumbled black gravel than sand. It is pleasant to walk on except for the heat. On warm days, you'll want your cabana a few steps from the water or plan on bringing a pair of water shoes so you won't blister your soles. If you arrived at Santorini by sea, you'll likely start or end your visit in the capital city of Fira. Fira is the largest and most modern of the villages on Santorini and offers a high speed cable car transport from the port below the city. If you would rather save the modest fee for the cable car, you can take the stairs. 588 stairs are carved into the cliff face of the caldera and served as the only route from the old port to the capital above until the cable car was built in the 1980's. The climb is steep, but there are places to stop along the way and you can also rent a donkey for the ride up if you wish. There are museums, shops, restaurants and hotels in Fira, and it is situated roughly in the center of the island making it a good base to operate from when exploring Santorini.