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List of the best beaches in Greece and the Greek islands

The beaches of Greece are varied and bueautiful. You can always find what you looking for. In some areas the beaches are sandy with tamarisk or pine trees with clear aqua marine and sallow waters, the sand can be golden, white like many beaches in the Ionian islands , even black like the sandy beaches of the volcanic islands of Santorini and Nisyros other areas the beaches are pebbles and rocky with deeper shelving waters, teaming with marine life, ideal for scuba diving and snorkeling as well as fishing and finally many beaches are a combination of sand and pebbles.

You can find beaches all over Greece that are secluded and little known, or beaches that are well organized with umbrellas ,sun beds ,diving platforms and water sport facilities as well with facilities for disabled people. Many beaches of Greece have been awarded with the Blue Flag. Nudist beaches in Greece you will find in many Geek islands and coastal resorts, some of the most famous are in the islands of Mykonos ,Paros, Antiparos ,Leros, Santorini, Crete and almost everywhere in the Greek islands you can find a small cove to swim and bathe nude. You can find information about where to find blue flag awarded beaches of Greece and other countries at the website blueflag org

CRETE
CYCLADES
CHALKIDIKI BEACHES
DODECANESE
EAST AEGEAN ISLANDS
IONIAN ISLANDS
PELOPONNESE BEACHES
SARONIC ISLANDS
SPORADES

BEACHES IN CRETE

 

Georgioupolis beach Crete

elafonisosThree rivers run into the sea at Georgioupolis which lies about 21 kilometres west of Rethymnon and 39 kilometres east of Chania, and flat sand stretches east from the village for almost seven kilometres.
The main river runs into a small harbour where derelict boat hulks lie rusting. A second cuts through the middle of the long sandy beach and a third reaches the sea at a small cove to the west.

The resort is pleasantly shady thanks to massive eucalyptus trees and high curtains of bamboo that sprout at every turn.
The flat beach is exposed to the northern winds but the sand is good and fine, if flat and featureless as it snakes off into the distance. The best of the beach is at the western end where a long stone walkway reaches out to a tiny chapel perched on the rocks.
Marshy flats lie behind the sands, an ideal habitat for birds, turtles and that mosquitoes that once gave the village an unhealthy reputation. Some hotels and apartment owners still boast of anti-mosquito netting.

 

Elafonissi beach

It is difficult to choose one of the enchanting beaches of the island of Crete, the largest of all the Greek islands, but one of the most beautiful is undoubtedly Elafonissi . It is actually a small island in the southwest of Crete, but it is so close that at low tide it can be easily reached on foot. Fine white sand with pink shades, shallow and crystalline waters, Elafonissi is a real pearl and will enchant you. Don’t miss the magical moment of sunset.

Platanias beach

platanias beach cretePlatanias has a long sandy beach, flat and featureless and backed by low dunes and a busy main road.The beach is clean and sandy and there are plenty of sunbeds and watersports. Visitors are never far from a taverna or bar, most of which advertise wide-screen TVs and karaoke nights.

The Blue Flag section is near the main Platanias village. Further west the beach turns to shingle backed by banks of bamboo and there are quieter spots away from the crowds.

The road behind is lined with tavernas, rental outfits and souvenir shops and traders selling pottery and cheap leather goods.

The old village of Platanias perches quietly up on the hillside and is visited by the Platanias tourist train, a god bet for those heading to the nearby Limnoupoli water park.

 

Balos beach Crete

BALOS BEACH CRETE

Far off the beaten track, the striking spike of islets at Gramvousa, once the haunt of pirates, is now a favourite target of day-trippers. Spectacular sand bars and shallow waters stretch out to the islet from the beach at Balos where there sits the ruins of a large Venetian fortress, built in 1582 but destroyed six years later when lightning set off a gunpowder store. The castle was rebuilt in 1630 and garrisoned by English and French soldiers in 1828. Today only the ruins remain. It is possible to walk out to the island across the sandbanks on quiet days, though this should never be attempted when the wind is up. Wild and uninhabited, Balos beach is best visited by boat as it has few facilities and the road is poor. Its sheer beauty attracts visitors in numbers although they must now pay to see it. The local authorities in Kissamos have imposed a small charge to cover beach maintenance costs.

CYCLADES

The most well organised tourist beaches are in Mykonos, you can swim at the famous Paradise beach, Elia beach, Agios Stefanos beach ,Ornos and Platys gialos.In Andros, swim in the beach of Batsi.

In Santorini in the Cyclades islands is Perissa beach which is very pleasant but can get busy. If you prefer a quieter experience there are plenty of smaller beaches that are just as beautiful. Vlyhada beach and Katharos beach are very good. In Santorini there is also a nudist beach at Kolumbo.

On Sifnos, one of the nicest beaches is Platys yalos . Other good beaches are at Agia Marina and Vathy.
In Ios, the beach of Mylopotas.

Agrari beach Mykonos

AGRARI-BEACH-MYKONOSLocated in a hidden cove west of Super Paradise and to the east of Elia beach that has somehow managed to avoid the massive exploitation of its neighbours.
One reason may be the nerve jangling approach down a boulder-strewn ravine and another, the lack of any public transport.
Those looking to escape the Mykonos crowds may find Agrari beach just the ticket as it rarely gets crowded.
There are no noisy beach bars belting out disco music (yet), just a single beach cantina and one restaurant. Small and rather exposed, Agrari has a small stream running across it.
Access is by car or by boat from Platys Yialos and, while the lack of crowds and noise adds appeal, its busier neighbour at Elia is just a short clifftop walk over the headland and has a bus service.

Amyti beach Naxos

The beach at Amyti, or Amytis, lies below two reservoirs that supply water to Naxos Town. An idyllic spot with fine, soft sand, it offers the best bathing on this part of the coast, though the meltemi can bring the waves crashing in.
Amyti is close enough to Naxos Town to be a popular target for day trippers and a good asphalt road threads through the beautiful Engares region to a dirt track of about 3km.
A beach cantina sometimes opens in the summer but otherwise there are no facilities. Nearby is the fortified monastery of Ypsilos.

Red Beach, Santorini

A little atypical in the panorama of Greek beaches of fine white sand, Red Beach betrays the volcanic origin of the island of Santorini: as you can guess from the name, it is a beach of reddish sand, bordered by steep cliffs of the same color. It is an equipped beach but being small and generally very crowded it may be difficult to find an umbrella, so it is advisable to arrive early.

Perissa beach Santorini

Perissa Beach

The mountain at Profitis Ilias looks down on the long, black sands of Perissa and the pretty seaside setting has attracted holiday developers in force.
Apartments have sprung up in ramshackle fashion but are set well back from the beach, which saves the scenery but can result in a tiring trek to the sands which stretch south for around five kilometres.
The black shingle and sand gets very hot and a shade-free midday can be more barbecue than beach. The large headland to the north also keeps Perissa well sheltered from any wind.

Perissa beach shelves steeply into the sea and slippery slabs along the shore make it less than ideal for children . However it has all the usual tourist facilities and a wide selection of watersports.
There is a large campsite here, an excellent bakery and several mini-markets. Eucalyptus groves provide some shade in the resort centre.
Perissa is also a popular day trip target for those based in beachless Fira. There is a waterpark nearby but visitors report little more than a pool and a couple of slides.

Tsigrado, Milos

Reaching Tsigrado , the most beautiful beach on the island of Milos, is very difficult (if you don’t have a boat you will have to descend vertiginous ladders along a gorge between the rocks) but this inconvenience certainly adds charm to a beach that is wonderful in itself. Wild and remote, Tisgrade is a small, crescent-shaped sandy bay set between dramatic cliffs and lapped by a crystal clear sea.

Liopesi beach Andros

Just south of the main port of Gavrio are a several small bays easily accessible from the main road that runs behind them.
Most are little more than small rocky inlets with a few scruffy patches of gritty sand but they still make attractive spots for those who prefer quiet getaway places.
One of the more interesting is at Liopesi which is blessed with a distinctive and much photographed rock formation.
There are nearby coves to explore and the picturesque setting features heavily in many of the island’s tourist brochures.

Koumbara beach Ios

On the headland south of Yialos lies Koumpara, or Koubara, an area of small coves and sandy beaches. The main beach is long at about 300 metres and sandy with tavernas and room nearby.
Koumbara’s main attraction is the clutch of small coves dotted all around the headland. The odd rock outcrop makes it great for snorkelling and the secluded coves make it popular with naturists.
Koumbara is walkable from Yialos, it takes about 30 minutes, but a regular bus leaves Ormos Yialos on the hour.

Amorgos Agia Anna beach

agia-anna-amorgosAn unmissable destination for diving and cinema lovers, Agia Anna on the island of Amorgos is the location that director Luc Besson chose for his film Le Grand Blue, freely inspired by the challenge between freediving champions Jacques Mayol and Enzo Maiorca.

It is a pebble beach not far from the main town of the island, bathed by a sea of ​​a wonderful blue color.  Τhe beach took its name from the church of Agia Anna that stands pale white on the edge of the rock.
The beach is small, it is crowded at noon in the summer. It has no umbrellas and has very shady spots.
The traffic with Chora is dense – although those who love hiking may prefer to reach Agia Anna from the path that starts in Kato Geitonia. The journey is about an hour.

 

Psili Ammos, Serifos

serifos

One of the most beautiful beaches in the Aegean is Psili Ammos , located along the southeast coast of the small island of Serifos.

It is a suggestive beach of clear sand bathed by crystal clear blue waters; some small trees offer some shelter from the sun.

Despite being the most famous and the most crowded beach in Serifos, it is still a much quieter beach than those of the more touristy islands.

 

CHALKIDIKI BEACHES

 

Nea Kallikratia beach

nea-kalikratia-beachThe first beach resort area reached out of Thessaloniki is Nea Kallikratia, about 35km south of the airport on the far north-west coast of Kassandra.

Nea Kallikratia is a huge holiday resort with several good beaches nearby, most notably Vargia beach which hoists the Blue Flag. Golden sand at Nea Kallikratia seems to stretch on forever.

The Nea Kallikratia town beach is packed with holidaymakers and day trippers but there are less crowded spots to be found further along the coast, most of them easy to reach.

The longest stretch of sand is the Geoponica-Mykoniatika, depending on which end you arrive, and also carries a Blue Flag. There is about 1km of golden sand on a 30m deep beach, backed by summer apartments and pine woods beyond them. The beach is a favourite with young people.

Nea Kallikratia itself has plenty of shopping and a very busy nightlife. There is a cinema, several parks, cafes, bars and restaurants.

The Azure beach is about 800m of sand in the central part of Nea Kallikratia near the main public square. This is very much a ‘town beach’ with all the usual tourist facilities and a pleasant public park nearby.

Lefki beach Sithonia

lefki-beachThe beach with white sand, crystal clear waters and ornate rocks, is located in Sithonia, at the second leg of Halkidiki, specifically on the island of Diaporos, opposite Vourvourou.

The beach was given the name White (Lefki) , because of the white sand that adorns it, but it is also known as Hawaii, a name given by the locals, as it has nothing to envy from the blue waters of the coast of Hawaii.

The inhabitants of Halkidiki and those who are nearby, surely know the “hidden treasure” of Northern Greece. But, those who are thinking of visiting Halkidiki, should not miss to visit the beach of Lefki, because the landscape is enchanting.

Paliouri beach Kassandra

The southern end of the Kassandra peninsula is relatively uninteresting. There are small coves to be found but swimming can be dangerous in the strong currents around the cape.

paliouri-beachDown the east coast the last resort of note is Paliouri where there is a small sand and stone beach backed by pine woods. There is no village as such, just a hotel complex, a couple of shops and a few villas.

Paliouri is noted for its honey and olive oil and it’s very good walking country too with many tracks and roads through those parts of the forest that have survived the recent fires.

Paliouri beach has good sand and it is shallow for a long way out, so it’s good for children. There are several small coves along this stretch of the coast for those that prefer solitude. To the north is a small pebble beach. It banks steeply into the sea though and it is notorious for sea urchins.

South, towards Cape Kanistro, are the tiny picturesque villages of Xinas and Agios Nikolaos, with small secluded bays, and the popular golden sand beach of  Hrouso with a major campsite nearby.