Confused as to which area to stay in, Oia or Fira. what would be the difference between the two? if most of the restaurants and nightlife is in Fira, is it a hassle to go from Oia to Fira every night?<BR><BR>lastly, any hotels you can rave about in either area (Fira or Oia). Budget per night is $150- $250 US dollars..... but will go higher if someplace is extraordinary.<BR>any personal experiences of the ultimate &quot;dream place&quot;?<BR>

There are some very good restaurants in Oia, too, but Fira is &quot;busier&quot;! If you don't have a car and don't want to take a taxi, then going to Fira every night might become a hassle. If you're young and single, you might prefer Fira, but IMO, Oia is more romantic, and it has its share of shops, bars, etc.

The bus to Oia took about 20 min one way. Oia is beautiful for pictures, but seemed quiet and all I saw were American tourists. I was there off season. If off season, I'd say stay in Fira, more lively and interesting. For me, I liked Firastephani, just past Fira. You can walk there from Fira along the caldera. The town after that is Imerovigli, but I didn't look around there.

Yes, it is a bit of a hassle goikng from Oia to Fira.<BR><BR>Oia is famous for its sunsets. But I didn't get it. We joined the masses of other tourists goint there and jamming the couple of terrace bars and open spots to see the sun set. Every other night we watched it from our own little terrace at the Loucas Hotel in Fira -- even more spectaular as it also provided a beautiful silouhette of the caldera. I felt that the idea of sunset in Oia is simply a result of a very successful publicist's campaign.<BR><BR>And don't worry about the noise or crowds of Fira. Many of the hotels are built cascading down the side of the cliff facing the caldera and you feel just as remote as in Oia.

We stayed at Atlantis Villas in Oia. We had the deluxe suites and it would equate to approx $250 or so U.S. per night. Loved it. We're a couple and wanted a quiet place to stay but found enough to do in Oia during the day. Best restaurant - rated - 1800 in Oia. Great food. Highly recommend you stay around there unless you are young and want to party all night vs enjoy your patio overlooking the Sea sipping wine. Good Luck.

we spent 4 days in Oia in October and LOVED it! There were plenty of restaurants to pick from and it's great to just wander around. We rented a car one day and took taxis another to go around the island. If you like being around lots of people and want major nightlife, go to Fira. If you like peace and quiet but still plenty of shops and restaurants, go to Oia. IMO, Oia is much more quaint and personable. Fira is busier and more touristy. If you go in the off season (Nov-April?) Fira might be better because many places will be closed. If we ever go back, we will stay in Oia again, no doubt about it.

I think the above two posters have missed a major point. Everything they say about Oia is also true in Fira. You can stay on your private patio in Fira as well and quietly sip wine if you want, never being aware that just a block or two behind and above you is a lot of nightlife and tourists. It seems just as remote there. But on the other hand if you want to venture out at night, it is also right there in Fira.

Just wanted to add that I got my postcard-perfect Oia pictures in the afternoon, not at sunset.

IMO, the atmosphere in Oia is very different from that of Fira. I didn't particularly like Fira. It was too busy, too crowded, had too many pushy aggressive salespeople and in general it didn't seem as friendly. Oia was much more laid back and friendly, IMO, and still had plenty of shops and restaurants.

I agree with the comments about &quot;pushy and crowded&quot;. Oia far surpasses Fira. Again, if you like crowds and excitement, go to Fira. If you want quiet, Oia's the place.

I would stay in neither - &amp; choose Imerovigli, Perissa or Kamari. the bus service is frequent , excellent &amp; cheap &amp; runs really late . Oia &amp; Fira are just rip off places &amp; you pay over the odd for the view.

But since it is the view that sets Santorina apart, I personally don't mind paying for the view. I'd feel ripped off staying on Santorini and not being on the caldera and having that view. Some things are worth extra money. That view is one of them.

Fira and Oia/Ia are basically the same. White whashed houses, little lanes, and views of the caldera and the sunset.<BR><BR>Fira is just has more: more shops, more restaurants, more nightlife, more people. It also has 2 museums to Oia/Ia's none. But you really can travel easily between the two cities (and the whole island) by bus or taxi.<BR><BR>Honestly, I thought the view and the caldera were over rated. If you're going there for relaxation and beaches, then stay in Kamari or Perissa. If you're going for relaxation and views stay in Ia/Oia, Imerovigli, Firostephani, or Fira.<BR><BR>This new site: www.greece101.com has some good photos and slideshows of the place if that'll help you decide.

Greg thinks the view and the caldera are overrated?? What?? I think he must have zero sense of aesthetics.<BR><BR>I personally love Oia, and it is easy enough to take a taxi or bus in to Fira during the day to explore (about $7?). Do not miss the great archaeological museum in Fira. One thing that I preferred about Oia was the &quot;quality&quot; of the shops. I'm not a big shopper, but there seemed to be a noticeable difference; Fira had quite a bit more of the usual touristy souvenir shops, while Oia also had places that were a bit more unique... more art-gallery type places, ceramics and pottery, unusual hand-crafted jewelry, etc.<BR><BR>Two hotels I can highly recommend in Oia: Atlantis Villas (also recommended by Byron above), and a bit closer to the shops and restaurants in Oia is my favorite, Fanari Villas. I could definitely rave about this place (as you requested!) and sent several friends there who also loved it. Check out their website: www.fanarivillas.gr The thing that is different about Sanotirini is that it's 10 times more beautiful than the pictures (as opposed to most places not living up to the pictures).<BR><BR>Both Atlantis and Fanari are within your budget. (You can get a really great room for $200 and above in Oia.) Have a great trip!

Me and my husband (late 20s) stayed in Oia in September 2002. The views are amazing (although I agree with a previous poster about the sunset being a little bit of a publicity stunt). Doesn't matter, though. The view by day, sitting on the veranda, eating breakfast or lunch, overlooking the ocean--was like nothing else. So relaxing. We stayed in Canaves Oia 1, which was amazing--about 200/night and more than we've ever paid before but well worth it. Very clean, wonderful service and we had our own apartment with kitchen, etc. I heard Canaves II is even better). There are nice shops to browse in in Oia, but not as much as in Fira (although, yes, the salespeople are less pushy than in Fira). We also took a sailboat trip to the volcano and a donkey ride. We were spending our &quot;busy&quot; days on a different island, so the four days in Santorini were all about unwinding. If you're only visiting Santorini and want some night life, I would not recommend staying in Oia. For us, it was a hassle to take the bus to Fira and we only did it one time so we could see the town. <BR>Have a wonderful trip!

Just returned from Santorini today, stayed in Fira as it was the off season, but took a short 8 dollar taxi to Oia. Next trip will stay in Oia, it is like Venice with a view! If you like picturesque everywhere, stay in Oia, if you like lots of shopping and nightlife, stay in Fira.