Fira City | Santorini | The Hanging Settlement above the Caldera
Updated: Sep 15
Author
George Papadellis | SG Head
Fira is the capital of Santorini island, a town built at 400 meters height on the western edge of the 18 Km long Santorini caldera. The view from the city to the caldera is gorgeous, one can actually see the southern Cape Akrotiri, the northern cape Aghios Nikolaos, and the volcanic islands Nea Kameni and Thirassia. Watching the sunset from Fira Santorini is a unique experience, especially in October and November when the sun sinks behind Nea Kameni.
Photo by: 23676713 © Orlando Jose De Castro Junior | Dreamstime.com
How to Access Fira
Access to the white-washed-houses with the blue painted doors is feasible by roads at its east, or by a footpath or by the Fira cable car from its port. The footpath is kind of difficult if you are not fit and also for kids. In this case, the Fira cable car is the best solution.
Photo by: © Ad Meskens / Wikimedia Commons, Santorini 002, cropped by Shiny Greece, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fira Greece is the cultural and commercial centre of the island, so one can find Fira bus station and taxi station, banks, pharmacies, shops, public services. Hotels, cafes, restaurants, bars and night clubs are numerous.
Fira Santorini Restaurants
Some of the best Fira restaurants are Naoussa, Nikolas, Argo and Ladokolla.
Fira Cafes
Some of the best cafes are Confetti Dessert Boutique, Iriana, La Scala, Enigma, Aroma and Eggomio.
Fira Bars & Night Clubs
Some of the best bars and night clubs are MoMix, Two Brothers, Casablanca Soul, Highlander, Tango and Koo.
Fira Santorini Hotels
Some of the best Fira hotels are Angel Luxury Suites, Aressana Spa Hotel & Suites, Lilium Santorini, Dream Island, Cosmopolitan Suites, Astro Palace and the Majestic.
Photo by: 87469360 © Budyanskaya1979 | Dreamstime.com
Things to do in Fira
Among all things to do in Fira, very interesting is to visit the Central Square, the Archaeological Museum of Thera, the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, the Orthodox Cathedral, the Catholic Cathedral, the Three Bells of Fira, the Gizi Megaro, the Saint Ioannis Church, the Saint Minas Church, the Lignos Folklore Muserum and the Santozeum. At the bottom of the cliffs below Fira there is the old port Ormos, where there are restaurants and shops. Reaching Ormos is feasible either on foot or with the cable car.
