Ammoudi Bay, the port under Oia
Ammoudi sits at sea level under Oia, at the foot of a stepped path published as 300 steps. It has a road. Fira Old Port does not, which is the whole reason boats run between them.
Ammoudi is the old fishing port of Oia, at the foot of the caldera cliff and about 300 steps below the village. It holds a row of fish tavernas at the water's edge, a rock platform used for swimming, and the boats that cross to Thirassia. Our water taxi lands here.
Ammoudi is the sea-level version of Oia. The village is on the rim; the bay is red rock, coloured boat sheds and tables set close enough to the water to feel the spray.
The three ways between Oia and Ammoudi
| Way down and up | Time | The honest downside |
|---|---|---|
| The stepped path | About 300 steps. Roughly 20 to 30 minutes down. Longer coming back up. | Near-vertical in places, shared with mules, no shade. The climb in August heat is what people underestimate. |
| The road, by taxi or transfer | A few minutes by vehicle. | Taxis are scarce at sunset, when everyone wants one in the same twenty minutes. A ride up is commonly quoted at around €10. |
| A mule | Similar to walking it. | Travel publishers increasingly discourage the mule ride on welfare grounds. We do not book them. |
Quayside parking is informal and fills early in season. If you are coming down for a table at sunset, settle how you are getting back up before you sit down.
What is actually in the bay
The tavernas. A row of fish restaurants along the quay, tables set at the water’s edge. In season the sunset sitting is the one everybody wants.
The swimming rock. Past the last taverna a dirt path runs round the cliff for about five minutes to a rock platform with deep, clear water, and a ladder toward the islet and its chapel of Agios Nikolaos. The rock is sharp.
The cliff. The face above the bay is the red-brown oxidised section of the caldera wall. White village on red rock is the picture people mean when they say Oia.
The Thirassia boats. Caiques cross to Korfos on Thirassia in about twenty minutes, three or four times a day in season.
Why boats land here
Fira Old Port has no road. Ammoudi has one. That single difference is the whole argument for the water route on a cruise-ship morning: you land at sea level and a vehicle can reach you.
The crossing runs north along the caldera wall, under Firostefani, Imerovigli and Skaros Rock. Our water taxi is a private boat for up to eight, priced by route. The Old Port to Ammoudi run has its own page.
Tell us where you need to be and when
Send the date, the time and the number of people. If you are on a ship, send the all-aboard time too. We reply with a price and a straight yes or no.
Call the harbour office+30 698 977 1888
Common questions
How do you get down to Ammoudi Bay?
On foot down about 300 steps from the western end of Oia, which takes 20 to 30 minutes, or by road in a taxi. No bus goes down there. Coming back up in August at nine in the evening is what catches people out.
Is there a water taxi back from Ammoudi to Fira?
There is no scheduled return. The shared boats in this market run one way, Old Port to Ammoudi, and nothing timetabled comes back. A return leg has to be a private boat booked as a whole. Tell us the hour you want to leave.
Where do the Thirasia boats leave from?
From the Ammoudi quay. Passenger boats and caiques cross to Korfos on Thirassia in about twenty minutes, three or four sailings a day in season. Thirassia is directly across the strait, which surprises people expecting a longer trip.
Can you swim at Ammoudi Bay?
Yes, but not off a beach. The swimming is from a rock platform about five minutes past the last taverna, where the water is deep and people jump in from the ledges. The rock is sharp underfoot, so wear something on your feet.
Santorini Boat Tour - Water Taxi is a catamaran cruise and water taxi operator based in Fira, Santorini.
Updated August 2026