Sunset restaurant recommendations for Oia (Santorini) and getting there by public bus

[mikeerdas]

Will be in Santorini soon and looking for a nice, romantic spot for dinner in Oia to watch the sunset. Also wondering what public bus will take us from Fira to Oia and back. Love Greek food (but not seafood of any kind). Not looking for an expensive, high-end place. Something simple but with great classic greek food and outstanding views.

 

From what I can tell from reading the forums, Oia seems to be the preferred spot for viewing sunsets. But would also be interested in restaurant recommendations in Fira if, for some reason, we found ourselves there around dinner instead. This will be mid-May. Around what time does the sun set in Santorini and would Oia be crowded enough that we'd have to make a dinner reservation?

 

We generally love Pastichio. And super thick and garlicky tsatsziki (that's a must). Seems most tsatziki stateside here in the U.S. is cut with sour cream, thin, and short on garlic. Also love the hot (not cold) variety of stuffed grape leaves and other types of dolmades. As well as baklava made with fresh filo, drenched in honey. Just perfect.

 

So would what public bus would take us to Oia, what does the bus cost, and how frequent do the buses run? We don't want to rent a car and I've always hated taxis (never know if I'm being price-gouged, don't like negotiating prices with drivers, etc). Although we'd consider a taxi if fares were regulated and someone could give me the run-down on that. Is it low-key or a shady business?

 

Would also be interested in information on taking public buses around Santorini. And possibly Corfu as well. Perhaps better for another thread, but if anyone reading this has recommendations for restaurants in Corfu and Mykonos, please share. :-)

 

We're looking forward to eating in Greece almost as much as the beauty. Having a list of a few restaurants to choose from will help. On a past cruise to Greece, we somehow ended-up eating entirely on the cruise ship itself at the two Greek ports. Don't want to ever make that mistake again.

[paul929207]

The Fira bus station is on the otherside (from the cable car) of the cathedral. Signs on the buses for the destinations. Oia was 1.5 Euros or so per person each way. Seems in was about a 30 minute ride. Beautiful scenery. For Oia, bus leaves from where you get dropped off. You can pay on the bus. No need to pre-purchase ticket. It is good to have exact change.

[marazul]

Will be in Santorini soon and looking for a nice, romantic spot for dinner in Oia to watch the sunset. Also wondering what public bus will take us from Fira to Oia and back. Love Greek food (but not seafood of any kind). Not looking for an expensive, high-end place. Something simple but with great classic greek food and outstanding views.

 

From what I can tell from reading the forums, Oia seems to be the preferred spot for viewing sunsets. But would also be interested in restaurant recommendations in Fira if, for some reason, we found ourselves there around dinner instead. This will be mid-May. Around what time does the sun set in Santorini and would Oia be crowded enough that we'd have to make a dinner reservation?

 

We generally love Pastichio. And super thick and garlicky tsatsziki (that's a must). Seems most tsatziki stateside here in the U.S. is cut with sour cream, thin, and short on garlic. Also love the hot (not cold) variety of stuffed grape leaves and other types of dolmades. As well as baklava made with fresh filo, drenched in honey. Just perfect.

 

So would what public bus would take us to Oia, what does the bus cost, and how frequent do the buses run? We don't want to rent a car and I've always hated taxis (never know if I'm being price-gouged, don't like negotiating prices with drivers, etc). Although we'd consider a taxi if fares were regulated and someone could give me the run-down on that. Is it low-key or a shady business?

 

Would also be interested in information on taking public buses around Santorini. And possibly Corfu as well. Perhaps better for another thread, but if anyone reading this has recommendations for restaurants in Corfu and Mykonos, please share. :-)

 

We're looking forward to eating in Greece almost as much as the beauty. Having a list of a few restaurants to choose from will help. On a past cruise to Greece, we somehow ended-up eating entirely on the cruise ship itself at the two Greek ports. Don't want to ever make that mistake again.

 

 

We love 1800 in Oia. Look it up. Fabulous food. You eat on the rooftop terrace. Reserve. http://www.oia-1800.com/

You can also go to the windmill at the end of the street in Oia for the sunset and then go to 1800 for dinner. Depends on how much time you have ashore.

[mikeerdas]

We love 1800 in Oia. Look it up. Fabulous food. You eat on the rooftop terrace. Reserve. http://www.oia-1800.com/

You can also go to the windmill at the end of the street in Oia for the sunset and then go to 1800 for dinner. Depends on how much time you have ashore.

 

Thanks Paul and Marazul. We have plenty of time ashore. Ship arrives at 1:30pm; although from what others have told me on CC, since my wife and I won't be doing any ship excursions, it may take until 2:30pm or so until we're allowed to tender off. Our ship, the Norwegian Jade, doesn't depart until 10pm though. Marazul, we'll check out the web site.

 

Do others have restaurant recommendations for Oia (Fira too)? Must be lots to choose from. I've always trusted CC to come up with some great options.

 

Also, is there a winery within walking distance in Oia? If not, is there a winery reachable via public bus? We're potentially interested in visiting one Greek winery on our Norwegian Jade Corfu/Santorini/Mykonos/Katakolon trip--if it's convenient to get to by walking or public bus. We're not renting a car or taking taxis.

[mikeerdas]

We love 1800 in Oia. Look it up. Fabulous food. You eat on the rooftop terrace. Reserve. http://www.oia-1800.com/

You can also go to the windmill at the end of the street in Oia for the sunset and then go to 1800 for dinner. Depends on how much time you have ashore.

 

Looks beautiful, but more of a gourmet place (being featured in Bon Apetit magazine). Also no menus listed online so I assume it's out of budget. Further, we don't dress-up for dinner and so don't want to feel out of place where there's an upscale atmosphere.

 

What I'm looking for is more of a basic Taverna-style restaurant but with similar views. Can anyone recommend one? Something basic to mid-range in terms of price.

 

Since dining in Oia seems to be perhaps *the* quintessential Santorini experience, I'm hoping others can share their recommendations and experiences. Or would it be better to start combining through TripAdvisor if there is a listing for Oia?

[marazul]

There are a number of restaurants and tavernas in both towns. The better the view, the higher the price. We always found it best to walk around and read the menus, see how many locals are eating there, look at the food on the tables, etc. That's part of the fun. You might want to watch the sunset and then look for a place to eat. Or scout the tavernas and get set for the sunset. You don't say when you are going, but check the time of sunset on that date: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=3279 It could affect your getting back to the ship on time and whether you watch the sunset from Fira or Oia.

 

The sunset at Oia is over the sea and you have the windmill at the end of the street on the line of sight. The sunset over Fira is more over the caldera. Both beautiful.

 

A great local specialty in Santorini are the tomato fritters (tomato keftedes). Don't miss them. And a word of warning - fish is very, very expensive. Calamari and octopus are not.

 

And order a liter or half liter of red or white wine with your meal. That's how you get the house wine at the best prices. If you order the white, you will be getting very nice Santorini wines. (This also applies to any taverna in Greece. They will always show you the wine menu, but order the liter of red or white.)

[mikeerdas]

Thanks for all the advice and explanations Marazul. Greatly appreciated. Wow, looks like sunset will be close to 8:30pm in mid-May when we'll be there. Not what I expected (thought it would be earlier), so thanks for posting that link! Do the times listed indicate the sun will have set completely by then? Or would that be when the sun begins to set? Also, I'm not sure how quickly the sun would set at that latitude. In some parts of the world (e.g. near the equator) it can be quite fast from start to finish.

 

Our ship departs at 10pm and we typically we'd want to be back on-board absolutely no later than 9pm. My typical comfort level is more like getting back aboard 1.5 to 2 hours before set sail. So the logistics may not work out as planned. Would you recommend dining in Fira instead? Giving us a lot more time to return to the ship.

 

If we do dine in Oia, will do as suggested for the wine. We don't eat seafood, so worries on price there. Tomato fritters sound great! Always nice to be able to try a local specialty.

 

There are a number of restaurants and tavernas in both towns. The better the view, the higher the price. We always found it best to walk around and read the menus, see how many locals are eating there, look at the food on the tables, etc. That's part of the fun. You might want to watch the sunset and then look for a place to eat.

 

A great local specialty in Santorini are the tomato fritters (tomato keftedes). Don't miss them. And a word of warning - fish is very, very expensive. Calamari and octopus are not.

 

And order a liter or half liter of red or white wine with your meal. That's how you get the house wine at the best prices. If you order the white, you will be getting very nice Santorini wines. (This also applies to any taverna in Greece. They will always show you the wine menu, but order the liter of red or white.)

 

You don't say when you are going, but check the time of sunset on that date:

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=3279

[marazul]

The whole sunset experience lasts about 20 minutes. The times given are for the sun below the horizon. Given your time frame, I would watch from Fira. People line the street/path all along the rim of the caldera, sit on the stone walls and watch. There are several tavernas along that walk. Get there early and find a place to eat. Then watch the sunset from your table or the street. Also, a lot of good tavernas in the town, just away from the view. You could eat early and then go watch the sunset. In either case, you can make your way down to the tenders by 9. (I assume you tender in Fira.)

[mikeerdas]

The whole sunset experience lasts about 20 minutes. The times given are for the sun below the horizon. Given your time frame, I would watch from Fira. People line the street/path all along the rim of the caldera, sit on the stone walls and watch. There are several tavernas along that walk. Get there early and find a place to eat. Then watch the sunset from your table or the street. Also, a lot of good tavernas in the town, just away from the view. You could eat early and then go watch the sunset. In either case, you can make your way down to the tenders by 9. (I assume you tender in Fira.)

 

Excellent, thanks. You just saved me a whole lot of potential grief. If you or anyone else has specific Taverna recommendations along that street / path, please post. Would be nice to have a few names in case I'm too tired and hungry to decide and find one on my own.

 

Will definitely get there early and relax. Yep, we tender in Fira as far as I know. Unless someone out there knows otherwise (Norwegian Jade).

 

Is Oia still well worthwhile as a destination for wandering around earlier as part of the Santorini experience?

 

On a thread where one poster asked, if there was only one activity you could do while on Santorini, what would that be, several folks mentioned doing the walk from Oia to Fira along the coast. Sounded wonderful until I saw that it was around 6 miles! Might be a bit too much.

 

For anyone reading who's done that walk from Oia to Fira, what's the elevation change / terrain like? Is it very uneven, is it going down slope at all from Oia to Fira, etc? Or is it flat?

[marazul]

Yes, go to Oia. It is beautiful. Skip the walk, it is mostly flat but too long for the time you have ashore. The walk is a good couple of hours. Great if you are staying there a few days. But you may not tender until 2:30 and, if you walk up the donkey path, it could be 3 by the time you get up to Fira and the bus station to Oia.

 

When you get back to Fira go to the cathedral and the museum next to it (near the bus station). Small and interesting with many pieces from Akrotiri. It will not take you very long to visit both. Check the opening times (google) and you might decide to stop there for half hour before going to Oia instead of on the way back.

 

I just remembered a good tavern, Nikolas. It is away from the view in a small street with lots of restaurants, etc.

 

Have a great time.

[mikeerdas]

Thanks again Marazul. Watched some YouTube videos of the walk between Fira and Oia and it's absolutely gorgeous. Love the small churches along the way. Looks like a very special experience I wish I didn't have to miss--I see how this could easily be a Santorini highlight for many. But like you say, I'd have to carefully consider the logistics. Wish there was a cheap excursion that would quickly get me to Oia, which I could bail out of and do the one-way walk along the caldera back to Fira--since I know that's where I'll want and need to be for dinner.

 

Thanks for the tavern recommendation and your other suggestions. I know my wife and I will have a fantastic time no matter what individual choices we end up making.

 

Yes, go to Oia. It is beautiful. Skip the walk, it is mostly flat but too long for the time you have ashore. The walk is a good couple of hours. Great if you are staying there a few days. But you may not tender until 2:30 and, if you walk up the donkey path, it could be 3 by the time you get up to Fira and the bus station to Oia.

 

When you get back to Fira go to the cathedral and the museum next to it (near the bus station). Small and interesting with many pieces from Akrotiri. It will not take you very long to visit both. Check the opening times (google) and you might decide to stop there for half hour before going to Oia instead of on the way back.

 

I just remembered a good tavern, Nikolas. It is away from the view in a small street with lots of restaurants, etc.

 

Have a great time.

[paul929207]

We did not eat in Oia, but in other areas, we just wander along checking the menus until one appeals to both of us.

 

There is really just one street.

[mikeerdas]

Seeing that it's a 3 to 4 hour hike one way, the logistics seem pretty grim for us to do the complete walk. Is it possible to do a portion of the walk, taking a bus the rest of the way back to either Fira or Oia? Any good mid-way point where you could walk off the trail and to a bus stop?

 

It would be better to do some of the hike rather than none of it. For me, this would be a hugely fun and memorable thing to do.

 

Do some portions of the hike have more interesting things to see, e.g. the little churches and chapels, etc? Looks like a real gem. But we have only so many hours in port. Possibly a good topic for a separate thread unless there's a simple answer, e.g. no, that there's no way to do approximately half of the hike and take a bus back. Seems worth asking about though.

[marazul]

Is it possible to do a portion of the walk, taking a bus the rest of the way back to either Fira or Oia? Any good mid-way point where you could walk off the trail and to a bus stop?

 

 

You could take the bus from Oia to Imerovigli, just 2 km short of Fira. I think it also stops at other places along the way. But can't give you details on the buses. Whenever we stayed in Santorini we rented a car. Did walk some of the trail and it is beautiful.

Check this site: http://www.greektravel.com/greekislands/santorini/

[marazul]

Suggestion. Google "Santorini public buses." Lots of info + timetables.

[Waihekean]

To OP,

 

We had a cheap and cheerful excursion, but this was from Celebrity. First off the ship, by tender to the old port, up by bus and then to a winery with the most stunning views you can imagine. After wine tasting and mezes we drove to Oia. Unfortunately we only got an hour there, but it was gorgious. From there we were dropped at the Fira Cathedral and then the cable car down.

 

I do not think that you will have to do the walk from Oia to Fira. I would just concentrate on the main trail in Oia, as there is so much to see (1 hour was nothing!) and many fantastic views, including the well know church picture.

 

Many of us are waiting if the speedboat to Oia is coming back. Someone has started a thread about it that it is back, but so far it is all pretty vague and not proven to be genuine as yet.

[kikki21]

I've been to Santorini for a week's holiday but stayed in Kamari and then I came back for a day on a cruise.

I did my own thing on the cruise and got the local bus to Oia from Fira, it takes about half an hour or so and the buses seemed quite regular, every half an hour at the time of year I was there (October)

I had a coffee and cake in Oia but can't remember the name of the place but Oia is good for shopping, walking round and admiring the views under your own steam. An hour is not enough.

 

Then simply take the bus back to Fira.... the winery which is famous on Santorini is Santos.

 

I also walked the Caldera path from Fira to Imerovigli which was a good walk on a fairly even path, can't remember how long we walked for but it was a fair distance.

 

Just out of Fira on the Caldera path, you will find the Flame Taverna, it's basic and no frills (look it up on Trip Advisor) but the food was good. Ate there both times I visited Fira on holiday and also for a drink on the cruise day.

[mikeerdas]

Suggestion. Google "Santorini public buses." Lots of info + timetables.

 

This seems to be the public bus timetable including Fira to Oia, Oia to Fira:

 

http://www.ktel-santorini.gr/summer_timetable/use/summer_timetable/admin/index_output.php#

[mikeerdas]

On our cruise, we ultimately decided to do a single excursion--on Santorini. Norwegian Jade's Charming Oia and Winery tour (winery was Santo Winery--great views).

 

Due to time constraints, we did in fact eat in Fira, not Oia. Up the stairs and near a church, right near where the tour dropped us off, we found a restaurant named Sphinx. It was mentioned in one of several guidebook chapters we had with us for Santorini--can't remember if it was Rick Steves or Frommer's.

 

Prices seemed reasonable. Food was great. Views were fabulous. I had a moussaka (great taste, nice presentation) and my wife had dolmades. I'd recommend it to others. Have photos to post but CruiseCritic doesn't seem to allow uploading.