Oia in Santorini is a cultural monument and one of the most famous destinations in the world. It is situated on the north-west coast of the island, 11 km away from Fira, the capital of the island. Oia is also called “Pano Meria” by the local residents, which in Greek means the “upper side”.

This picturesque village attracts thousands of visitors every year from all over the world. People of many different cultures come together, in order to admire this amazing location. Houses built on the steep cliffs of Santorini, narrow alleys with view of the volcano and of course, the famous sunsets. Those are the aspects of Oia well-known around the world.

Oia is also famous as the village of artists. Therefore, you will see many galleries here. Due to this fact, artists from every corner of the world visit Oia. You will stump on many people drawing paintings of Caldera and of the sunset.

There is one aspect that makes Oia little bit different from other villages built on Santorini cliffs. That is its architecture. On both sides of the village (west side and east side) there are beautiful 19th century mansions, built by ship captains and traders. Of course, it is not easy to distinct them today, as many houses were built during recent years. In fact, because Oia is a cultural monument protected by legislation, all the structures must maintain the traditional architecture.

You will find everything needed to spend pleasant vacation in our village. Oia is quite developed and tourism infrastructure is amazing. There are traditional taverns and luxury restaurants serving delicious dishes and offering amazing view of the volcano or of the sunset. You will find many boutique shops with art, jewellery stores and gift shops. There are also amazing restaurants among alleys of Oia. In Onar Villas we inform our guests which are the best in our opinion.

We would like to point out that on the northwest tip of Oia there are ruins of venetian castle. It was built by Argyri family and today it is the number one spot to admire the famous sunset. As it attracts probably all the visitors of Oia, we suggest you get there early to get the best spot inside of the small castle.

Below the cliffs of Oia and the castle, you will find a small port called Ammoudi. From there you will take luxurious sailboats for a daily cruise. If you like to participate in one, you can inform our reception and we will organize everything on your behalf. In Ammoudi you will also find amazing fish restaurants. Dishes here are delicious and the seafood is delivered by fishermen of Ammoudi on a daily basis.

If you don’t have your own mean of transport like car or a scooter, there is a bus stop right above Onar Villas. The bus will take you to Fira and from there you can continue by a different bus towards the south coast of Santorini.