The Magic of Sunset in Oia

Oia – The Santorini Village Synonymous with Magical Sunsets:

Oia is only a small village in the north-western tip of Santorini, but its beautiful setting and magical sunsets have made it one of the most photographed places in Greece!  Many travel images of Greece and sunset shots of Santorini are taken from Oia. Yes, Oia is the Santorini village that has become synonymous with the sunsets.

Like many travellers, I have seen spectacular sunsets in various travel destinations around the world. But what makes the Oia sunset special is its romantic setting. The silhouette of the windmills, the beautiful architecture of the whitewashed traditional houses with their blue trimmings, the churches with their blue domes and the excitement of the crowd all combine to make Oia’s sunset magical.

Sunset in Oia

Each evening at about 18:30 streams of visitors can be seen rushing to the tip of the village to secure their vantage point. Some gather in the old fortress area which is the remains of a watch tower which the Venetians built as a lookout for pirate ships. Some are comfortably seated on the verandas of cafés and restaurants enjoying a sunset drink, while others just jam in along the narrow streets facing the sea.

Some of the smarter people join sunset cruises and you can see the beautiful timber sail boats racing around the bay area to secure their positions.

Watching the people watching the sunset is just as enjoyable. Cameras are flashing all around the cliff-edge and couples are asking strangers to take a photo of them against Oia’s famous sunset.

In September, the sun sets at about 19:00 in Oia but in the peak of summer it is a little later. And just as the sun dips into the horizon the crowds quickly disperse into the shops or the many eateries in Oia or they just hang around in the village square to enjoy what else is happening there.

When the last glow of the sun disappears in the horizon, we retreat to the terrace of our traditional house to enjoy a sunset drink and the beautiful caldera views and discuss which restaurant to try for the evening. This is life!

Map of Santorini:

Things to do in Athens

Click here to get a free PDF of this post

Your Turn: Do you have any advice you would like to share? What tips would you like to add? Please comment below.