La Vida Laura

In truth, I feel a bit like I gave Fira short shrift; I did not spend much time there, just a few short hours. Mostly, I think that’s due to the fact that I was eager to head back to my idyllic hotel in Imerovigli (and, let’s be real, to the comforts of my private hot tub). However, despite my own negligence, I do think Fira is worthy of consideration in any Santorini itinerary.

I spent a sunny, low-key afternoon in Fira. After hiking over from Imerovigli, I found myself right in the thick of it, deposited into Fira’s bougainvillea-drenched lanes. I popped into a bunch of little shops – plenty of good souvenir buying opportunities to be found here! – and just generally wandered before settling down for lunch at Dionysos in Atlantis, a nice little restaurant with a huge shaded terrace.

After lunch, I continued meandering through town. Fira has a lot of tiny, covered lanes – it felt a bit like a maze (in a good way). I stopped into a few churches and, of course, made a point to grab an ice cream. It’s always time for ice cream on the Greek isles, even in late October!

The Bottom Line: Fira is the commercial center of Santorini, and there’s plenty there to explore on a daytrip. While I found the town of Oia much more conventionally charming, Fira is still pretty darn gorgeous and well worth a stop, even if only for an afternoon.