Greek Beaches: 10 Magnificent Spots from Myrtos and Balos to Naxos

Hellas has thousands of islands and kilometre after kilometre of coast, and choosing a favourite beach is a pleasant argument Greeks never finish. This selection of ten covers the classics and a few quieter names: Ionian cliffs above white pebbles, a Cretan lagoon, the pine-fringed peninsulas of Halkidiki, the dunes of Elafonisos and the Cycladic and Dodecanese islands of Naxos, Mykonos and Astypalaia.

1. Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia

Myrtos is the postcard of the Ionian Sea: an arc of dazzling white pebbles roughly a mile and a half long, set between the slopes of Agia Dynati and Kalon Oros (901 m) in the Pylaros area of north-west Kefalonia. It has been voted the best beach in Greece a dozen times, and film fans know it as the setting of the mine-explosion scene in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.

Getting there: a steep, winding road of about 2 km with hairpin bends drops from the village of Divarata, where the tavernas sit at the top. In high summer the Municipality of Pylaros runs a bus from the harbour at Agia Efimia. The large white cobbles become finer towards the waterline, so water shoes help. Our Myrtos guide has more.

2. Balos Lagoon, Crete

At the north-western tip of Crete, in the regional unit of Chania, the Gramvousa peninsula shelters the shallow Balos lagoon between the Cretan coast and the islet of Imeri Gramvousa. The water shifts from pale turquoise to deep blue over white sand, and Cape Tigani, the “frying pan”, juts into the lagoon. On Imeri Gramvousa stands a Venetian fort built in 1579–1584 against the Ottomans, later a refuge for Cretan insurgents; to the north are the ruins of ancient Agnion and its temple of Apollo.

Tip: the lagoon is shallow and exposed, so bring shade, water and sun protection, and check current access arrangements when you book in Chania or Kissamos.

3. Halkidiki

South-east of Thessaloniki, Halkidiki reaches into the northern Aegean with three fingers. Kassandra is the lowest, rising only to 350 m; Sithonia climbs to 817 m at Mount Itamos; and Athos, crowned by its 2,033 m peak, is the self-governing monastic community of the Holy Mountain. Halkidiki is also Aristotle’s country: the philosopher was born at ancient Stageira.

Getting there: the A24 motorway links Thessaloniki and its Makedonia Airport with Nea Moudania and Kallithea, so a beach afternoon is easy even on a short city break.

4. Simos Beach, Elafonisos

Elafonisos is a small island of about 19 km² between the southern Peloponnese and Kythira, off Cape Malea. Simos is really a pair of beaches, Megali Ammos and Sarakiniko, back to back across a narrow neck of land, with fine, almost white sand, shallow clear water, white dunes and junipers. The area is protected under Natura 2000 for plants such as the sea daffodil. Just off the opposite coast lies Pavlopetri, a sunken town of the early 3rd millennium BC.

Getting there: KTEL buses run from Sparta or Neapoli to Pounta, where a short ferry crosses to the island. Fewer than 350 people live here in winter, but in July and August more than 3,000 visitors a day arrive. See the official Elafonisos introduction, and remember that Elafonisos is not Elafonisi beach in Crete.

5. Porto Katsiki, Lefkada

About 35 km from Lefkada town, near the village of Athani, Porto Katsiki lies at the foot of a tall, concave white cliff. The name means “goat port”: before the road and stairway were built, so the story goes, only goats could reach it. Today a stairway leads down from the clifftop car park, and summer day boats, especially from Nidri, anchor offshore. Arrive before late morning for space on the sand and the best colour in the water.

6. Assos, Kefalonia

Thirty-six kilometres north of Argostoli, the village of Assos curls around a small harbour on Kefalonia’s west coast, with a pebble beach, pastel houses and a pine-covered headland. That headland carries Assos Castle, built in 1593–1595 by the Italian engineer Marino Gentilini when Assos became the Venetian capital of northern Kefalonia; it is one of the largest castles in Greece. Combine it with Myrtos, a short drive south: both are covered in the Kefalonia destination guide.

7. Astypalaia

Astypalaia sits in the south-eastern Aegean, officially part of the Dodecanese but Cycladic in look. The island is 18 km long, nearly cut in two at Stenó, where the land narrows to about 126 metres. Its capital, Chora, climbs a hill crowned by the castle of the Venetian Querini family, who held the island until 1522. The coast is rocky, with many small pebble coves; Plakes, shown here, is one of them. Only about 1,400 people live here, and since 2023 the island has been a testbed for electric, shared transport.

Getting there: ferries from Piraeus and other Dodecanese islands use the harbour at Agios Andreas, and flights to Athens leave from the airport near Maltezana.

8. Agios Sostis, Mykonos

Mykonos is famous for party beaches on its south coast, but Agios Sostis, on the north side of the island, is its quiet counterpoint. Above the gulf, Kiki’s Tavern serves grilled fish and meat; it takes no reservations, and the queue is part of the ritual. Its north-facing bay is exposed to the summer meltemi wind, so check the forecast before you go.

9. Naxos

Naxos is the largest island of the Cyclades, at 430 km², and its Mount Zeus (1,001 m) is the highest peak in the group. Most of the best sand lines the west coast south of Chora: Agios Georgios on the edge of town, then Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, Plaka, Mikri Vigla, Kastraki and Aliko. Steady winds make Naxos one of the Aegean’s favourite places for windsurfing and kitesurfing. It is also the island of myth where Theseus left Ariadne and Dionysus found her. Our Naxos guide covers the villages inland.

10. Ammoudi Beach, Plakias, Crete

On Crete’s south coast, about 32 km south of Rethymno and 4 km east of Plakias, Ammoudi is a bay of thick white sand and bright green-turquoise water, reached by a paved road from the village of Lefkogia. Tamarisk trees give shade, there are sunbeds, tavernas and a dive centre, and the smaller neighbouring cove of Ammoudaki is a popular naturist beach. Damnoni beach is only about 600 metres to the west. The name is also spelled Amoudi, so search with “Plakias” to find the right place.

Planning a Greek beach holiday

• June and September give warm water with far fewer people than July and August.
• Ionian or Aegean? The Ionian islands (Kefalonia, Lefkada) are greener; the Aegean islands are drier and windier in summer.
• Read the wind. On a windy day, pick a beach on the sheltered side of the island.

For more ideas, see our clear-water beach guide.

Related reading

• Ten Greek Beach Settings: Islands, Coastlines and Clear-Water Views
• Cavo Tagoo Mykonos: Design, Pool Views and Room Choices
• Scorpios Mykonos: Beach, Food, Music and a Designed Setting
• Bill&Coo Mykonos: The Setting behind the Suite Photographs
• Mykonos: Town Lanes, Windmills and Time Beyond the Beach
• Mystique in Oia: A Caldera Stay on Santorini
• Myrtos: The Most Picturesque Beach in Hellas
• Naxos: The Largest Island of the Cyclades

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