Stand on Agiou Mina Street where it runs along the crater rim and the whole caldera opens in front of you, from Cape Akrotiri in the south to Cape Ag. Nikolaos in the north, with Nea Kameni sitting in the middle of the water. Below the whitewashed houses the cliff drops away, and the zigzag footpath and the cable car connect the town to its Old Port.
Fira suits travellers who want museums and churches in the morning and a caldera view at dinner, and who are willing to walk a little for both. This guide covers the museums, religious architecture, walks, boat trips and performances the sources describe, with practical notes on timing and what to pair with what.
Top things to do in Fira
1. Watch the sunset from the caldera rim
The rim of the caldera is where Fira shows its view: the long caldera stretching from southern Cape Akrotiri to northern Cape Ag. Nikolaos, the volcanic island Nea Kameni at the centre, and Thirassia Island beyond. The sources recommend watching the sunset from here, ideally while enjoying dinner or a drink.
Plan your evening around it rather than squeezing it in after something else, and pick a spot on the rim with a clear line of sight to the west.
2. Walk Agiou Mina Street
This street runs along the crater rim through Fira, from the south part of town to the cable car, and provides the views of Fira that you came to see. You can walk either north or south, but walking north has the advantage that the main part of Fira is in front of you.
Watch your step: the sources warn about donkey poop along the way.
3. Hike the Fira - Oia trail
The 11 km trail along the crater rim to Oia is described as by far the most spectacular hike on Thira, with views over the caldera and the other islands of the archipelago. At a moderate walking pace it takes about three hours. The trail starts northward from Agiou Mina Street and is well-marked, with a few "To Oia" signs before you leave town.
Going from Fira to Oia is more uphill, with a climb of over 300 m, so the reverse direction is considered a bit easier. The hike is free. Hikers on this coastal path pass the Three Bells of Fira along the way.
4. Museum of Prehistoric Thira
The story of Akrotiri and other Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements is told through a collection of colourful, artistically detailed artefacts. Do not miss the collection of vibrant wall murals recovered from Akrotiri. The museum is at the southeast corner of the White Orthodox Cathedral of Ypapanti, on the site of an earlier church destroyed in the 1956 Amorgos earthquake.
It is open 08:30-15:30 daily and closed Tuesdays; entry is €10, with free entrance on 6 Mar, 18 Apr, 18 May and the European Heritage Days (last weekend of September). Go in the morning, since it closes mid-afternoon.
5. Three Bells of Fira (Catholic Church of the Dormition)
This church is known for its three bells, blue dome and views, and the sources describe it as one of the most photographed places on the island. The current church was built in 1757 and has been expanded and refurbished since, including repairs after earthquake damage in 1958. It is free and accessible at all hours.
Combine it with the Fira - Oia hike, which passes the church on its way out of town.
6. Nea Kameni
The barren "New Burnt Island" is the summit of the current volcano in the centre of the caldera, and it is only a 10 minute boat journey from Fira Old Port, with daily boat tours from numerous tour agencies. A 1 km hiking trail over uneven gravel leads to active sulphur vents and the 130 m summit.
There are no supplies, shade or toilets on the island, so come well prepared and bring plenty of water; proper hiking shoes are a necessity. Entry is €5.
7. Old Port
Go to the Old Port if you did not arrive that way. There is almost nothing to do there except take a boat or take a couple of pictures, but the ride down and up can be fun. Access to Fira is mainly by roads on its eastern side, climbing from the port via the zigzag footpath on foot or on donkeys, or by riding the steep cable car from its lower terminal by the port.
Treat the port as a transport hub and a viewpoint rather than a destination in itself, and pair it with a boat trip.
8. Archaeological Museum of Thera
This museum houses artefacts from the Proto-Cycladic culture of the 3rd millennium BC through to the Classical period. It sits 30 metres east of the cable car entrance, which makes it easy to fold into a walk along the rim.
It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 08:00-15:00, with full entry €2 and reduced entry €1. Come before lunch, as it closes in the early afternoon.
9. Folklore Museum
Displays here cover the evolution of lifestyle and living on the Santorini archipelago, featuring artisan crafting, a cobbler, blacksmith, distillery, winery and even a mine underground, with lifestyles from cave houses to modern white dwellings. A guided tour is a necessity to get the most out of a visit, and takes about 45 minutes.
It is open Monday 10:00-17:00 and entry is €5. Build the tour into your Monday rather than dropping in without one.
10. Megaro Gyzi Museum
This ethnographic museum holds a collection of maps, landscapes, engravings and dresses of the Cycladic Islands from the 15th to the 19th century, housed in the Megaro Gyzi mansion dated to the 17th century. It also features an exhibition of old manuscripts from the 16th to the 19th century, as well as paintings and photographs of Santorini.
It is open May to October, so check the season before you plan around it.
11. Roger Tourte Exposition
An exhibition of work by French artist J.R. Tourte, who moved to Greece before the outbreak of the Second World War and toured the Cyclades until his death in 1972. His watercoloured scenes of the major Cycladic Islands, along with maps drawn by the artist, mostly show the islands before they became tourist attractions.
The exposition area is in tunnels underground and is pleasantly cool during hot summer days, which makes it a good midday stop.
12. Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral
Built in 1827, this cathedral is traditionally styled with an outside courtyard space and a decorated interior. It was heavily damaged by the 1956 earthquake but subsequently restored to its former glory. Entry is free.
It sits close to the Museum of Prehistoric Thira, so pair the two in a single walk.
13. Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
This is the parish of the Roman Catholic Church in Fira, serving as the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Santorini founded in 1204. The baroque church in blue-gray and cream colours was built in 1823 and restored in 1970 after the earthquake of 1956.
It is a short stop rather than a long visit; combine it with the other churches in town.
14. Dominican Convent
Founded in 1595, this is the oldest Catholic nunnery in Greece, though the current building dates from 1864. The church was consecrated in 1825 as the Church of the Virgin of the Rosary, was severely damaged during the 1956 earthquake and was subsequently repaired. The sanctuary behind the altar holds the icon of Our Lady of the Rosary with St. Dominic and St. Catherine, flanked by statues of St. Joseph.
Visit as part of a circuit of Fira's religious architecture rather than as a standalone outing.
15. Palea Kameni
The youngest island of the archipelago, "Old Burnt Island" has a single inhabitant, a goat herder and keeper on the island. The points of interest on this small barren island are a church and a hot spring tucked in a small bay that is a common swimming hole for caldera boat cruises.
Reach it on one of the caldera boat cruises, and combine it with Nea Kameni in the same outing.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Museum of Prehistoric Thira when it opens at 08:30, then walk to the nearby Archaeological Museum of Thera before it closes at 15:00. Continue on to the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist.
Afternoon: Walk Agiou Mina Street along the crater rim towards the cable car, watching for donkey poop, and take the steep cable car down to the Old Port for the ride and a couple of pictures. If you have the energy and the time, the Fira - Oia hike starts northward from Agiou Mina Street and passes the Three Bells of Fira.
Evening: Watch the sunset from the caldera rim, ideally while enjoying dinner or a drink.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Museum of Prehistoric Thira open, and when is entry free?
It is open 08:30-15:30 daily and closed Tuesdays. Entry is €10, with free entrance on 6 Mar, 18 Apr, 18 May and the European Heritage Days (last weekend of September).
How do you get between Fira and its port?
Access to Fira is mainly by roads on its eastern side, climbing from its port via the zigzag footpath on foot or on donkeys, or by riding the steep cable car from its lower terminal by the port.
How long does the Fira - Oia hike take, and which direction is easier?
At a moderate walking pace the 11 km trail takes about three hours. Going from Fira to Oia is more uphill, with a climb of over 300 m, so the reverse direction is considered a bit easier.
What should you bring to Nea Kameni?
There are no supplies, shade or toilets on the island, so come well prepared and bring plenty of water. Proper hiking shoes are a necessity for the 1 km trail over uneven gravel.
Use these notes to set your days in order, and start planning your walk along the rim.