A plan for Firá

The city derives its name from an alternative pronunciation of "Thira", the ancient name of the island itself. Fira became prominent in the late 1700s, as reduced piracy in the Aegean allowed islanders to move further out from existing castles, and eventually became Santorini's administrative centre. Until recent times, its port was the island's main connection to the world.

Every day during the summer, Fira is bustling as cruise ships from all over the Mediterranean come and go. When the rest of the island mostly closes up for the winter season, Fira remains open and active, though much quieter.

Museums

1 Museum of Prehistoric Thira, Τ.Κ. 84700, ☏ +30 22860 23217, fax: +30 22860 23217, amthi@culture.gr. 08:30-15:30 daily, closed Tuesdays. The story of Akrotiri and other Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements is vividly told through a collection of colorful and artistically-detailed artefacts. Don't miss the collection of vibrant wall murals recovered from Akrotiri. €10. Free entrance on 6 Mar, 18 Apr, 18 May, and the European Heritage Days (last weekend of September). (updated Dec 2025)

2 Folklore Museum, ☏ +30 698 704 8274. Mon 10:00-17:00. Museum about the evolution of lifestyle and living on the Santorini archipelago, with displays featuring artisan crafting, a cobbler, blacksmith, distillery, winery, and even a mine underground. All lifestyles from cave houses to modern day typical white dwellings are covered. A guided tour is a necessity to get the most out of a visit, which takes about 45 minutes. €5. (updated Apr 2022)

3 Archaeological Museum of Thera. Tue-Sun 08:00-15:00. It houses artefacts from Proto-Cycladic culture of the 3rd millennium BC, and continues on to the Classical period. Full €2, reduced €1. (updated Apr 2019)

4 Megaro Gyzi Museum, ☏ +30 2286 023077, info@megarogyzi.gr. May - Oct. An ethnographic museum with a collection of maps, landscapes, engravings, and dresses of the Cycladic Islands from the 15th to the 19th century. It is 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 painting and photographs of Santorini. (updated Apr 2022)

5 Roger Tourte Exposition, ☏ +30 2286 023016. 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 work consists of watercoloured scenes of all the major Cycladic Islands along with maps drawn by the artist. Most of the scenes show the authentic islands before they became tourist attractions. The exposition area is in tunnels underground, and are pleasantly cool during hot summer days. (updated Apr 2022)

Watch a sunset from the caldera rim, ideally while enjoying dinner or a drink.

Go to the Old Port if you didn't come in that way; see #By boat above. There is almost nothing to do at the Old Port except to take a boat or take a couple of pictures, but the ride down and up can be fun.

1 The White Door Theatro, ☏ +30 2286021770, info@whitedoorsantorini.com. Theatre famous for its play The Greek Wedding, a comedy set in 1940s Greece. (updated Apr 2022)

2 Santorini Zen Spa, ☏ +30 6985824393, santorinizenspa.com@gmail.com. 09:00 - 20:00 daily. Massage and relaxation. (updated Apr 2022)

3 Kokkalo, 25 Martiou Street, ☏ +30 2286025407, reservation@kokkalosantorini.com. 14:00 - 00:00 daily. Restaurant offering cooking courses to teach yourself how to cook Greek cuisine the traditional way. (updated Apr 2022)

Walks and hikes

Agiou Mina Street. This street goes along the crater rim through Fira, from the south part of town to the cable car. It provides the stunning 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. Just be careful of the donkey poop! (updated Dec 2025)

Fira - Oia Hike. By far the most spectacular hike on Thira is the 11 km trail along the crater rim to Oia. It offers some breathtaking views over the caldera, and the other islands of the archipelago. At a moderate walking pace, the hike takes about 3 hours. The trail starts northward from Agiou Mina Street and is well-marked; you'll see a few "To Oia" signs before leaving 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. Free. (updated Apr 2022)

In the early evening the passengers of the cruise ships return to their vessels and cafes become much more relaxed.

1 Nikolas, Erythrou Stavrou (straight up the pedestrian mall (Danezi) and take the first right), ☏ +30 2286024869. A local eatery preserving traditional Hellenic cuisine. The staff is efficient in explaining the Greek menu board and provide suggestions if necessary. Service is a departure from the overly warm receptions with most tourist traps as it is quick, efficient, and sufficiently friendly. Must tries include the Horiatiki (Greek) salad, moussaka, beef stew. Ask for "horta", a plate of simple boiled greenery ordered by the locals and not on the menu as it is both time-consuming and difficult to prepare on a mass-scale. Though the dish may not look overly appetizing when it arrives at the table, sprinkle on some fresh lemon juice from the provided wedge and add some salt to bring the traditional veggie dish alive. Appetizer €4, mains €8-14.

2 To Ouzeri (at the Fabrika shopping centre, next to the Cathedral), ☏ +30 22860 21566. 13:00 - 22:00 daily. George and Iordana, the owners, welcome warmly all their guests. You will find a great variety of traditional Greek dishes using the local products of Santorini, Greek salad, green salad with Chorotyri, Mousaka, Ouzo meatballs, Soutzoukakia.

3 Parea (two blocks from Theotokopoulou square on M. Danezi street), ☏ +30 2286 025444. Offers a wide range of cheap, tasty food including salads, sandwiches, moussaka, a variety of gyros, pizza, spaghetti, omelets, and both savory and dessert crepes. Great for travelers on a budget and the service is relatively prompt by comparison to many of the other restaurants in Fira. Gyros are €1.70, Greek salads are €4.50. They also deliver from 10:00 - 24:00.

4 Falafeland, ☏ +30 2286036359, Falafeland2016@hotmail.com. noon - 21:30 daily. Falafel and healthy food with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. (updated Apr 2022)

5 Romantica, ☏ +30 2286 022862. 11:00 - 01:00. Seafood restaurant in a romantic setting, great for couples. (updated Apr 2022)

1 Two Brothers Bar. An internationally famed watering hole, catering to the tourist party crowd. (updated Dec 2025)

2 The Highlander. A Scottish bar. Happy Hour from 21:00-22:30 (updated Dec 2025)

3 Koo. Cool nightclub to hang out after drinking at the other bars and to close out the night. (updated Dec 2025)

4 Anhydrous Winery, ☏ +30 22860 23140, info@anhydrouswinery.com. 11:00 - 20:00 daily. Winery, restaurant, and spa. Fun note: "anhydrous" is a Greek word that means "does not contain water"! (updated Apr 2022)

5 MarinEra, Υπαπαντής, ☏ +30 2286 025026, info@marinera.gr. 12:00 - 22:00 daily. Cocktail bar. (updated Apr 2022)

6 Nektar Lounge, ☏ +30 2286 024047. Cafe and bar with a fantastic view over the caldera. (updated Apr 2022)

The limited space on the caldera ridge has led to a very condensed city layout with many narrow streets that are only accessible by foot, motorcycle, or donkey. Exploring the city by foot is the most convenient, because of the many steep paths and steps, and also the most rewarding because the centre is dotted by souvenir shops and art galleries. There are only a few streets suitable for motorised vehicles, and almost no parking opportunities.

To the north, Fira flows into the quieter village of Firostefani, with a little more charm than the highly-commercialized city centre. To the south is an inland "suburb" of Karterados. There's no views here, so it is cheaper and has a more "locals" feel.

By quad bike

A great way to get around the (small) island is by hiring a quad bike (ATV) from numerous agencies in the town. It is a better value than taxis and more fun than a bus.