Greece has thousands of islands and thousands of beaches. Which beaches in Greece are worth visiting? Which beaches in Greece are the most unique?
Sarakiniko Beach, Milos
Sarakiniko Beach is an ideal spot for relaxation, but not with the same scenery as other beaches in Greece. It looks like something on another planet, like the surface of the moon. Visitors come from all over the island, which is found in the Cyclades and is a less-touristy sister island to Santorini. The beach is reached from the town of Adamas and is 5 kilometers from the island capital, Plaka. During high season, you can either go by bus, car, or ATV.
The beach is not organized and doesn’t have facilities. You will be alone with nature, so you should take a water bottle and food with you. Be careful of the sea urchins, which you don’t want to step on when getting in or out of the water.
Elafonisi, Crete
This beach consists of a small islet full of white and pink sandy beaches. The beach is almost a mile long and there is much to explore: a number of small coves, sandy beaches, and interesting rock formations. You can also get to the Elafonissi island on foot because the waters are shallow.
The island received its name from the Greek word ‘elafi’ meaning ‘deer’, because people discovered that you can easily get to the island on foot, like a deer that walked to it. The island is a Natura 2000 protected zone. The pink color is actually caused by the many broken shea shells it contains.
Vai Palm Beach, Crete
At Crete’s Eastern tip, you will find yourself at Vai’s palm forest. Vai has a colony of 5000 trees of the Phoenix Theophrastus variety that are located very close to the water’s edge. A few smaller clusters of this tree are found in the Canary Islands, but the Vai palm forest is the most impressive collection of these palm trees in Europe.
The beach at Vai is ideal for families and swimmers because it is protected from wind. It makes you feel like you are in an exotic location in the Caribbean or in the tropics. The Vai palm forest was made famous in a commercial which featured a coconut dessert covered in chocolate and claimed that Vai palm forest was a place where you could find “the taste of paradise.” The second palm tree forest in Crete is in Preveli.
Voidokilia Beach, Peloponnese
North of Pylos is the famous Voidokilia beach, which is a heaven on earth. It is unique because it is shaped like the Greek letter Omega and features white sand, warm blue water, and some green vegetation. This is a wildlife area and also historically is the location of Nestor’s cave. Voidokilia is a popular beach for families because unlike some of the beaches of the Greek islands, Voidokilia is quieter.
Porto Katsiki, Lefkada
Porto Katsiki is the most famous beach in Lefkada, and for a good reason. It has been called “an obligatory experience”. With its turquoise waters, soft white sand, and towering cliffs, Porto Katsiki is paradise on earth. To get there, you need to make a steep descent down the cliffside but worry not: the effort is well worth it.
Xigia Beach, Zakynthos
Xigia Beach is in the northeast of Zakynthos. You can get there only by car, and the beach is mostly made of pebbles. The unique part of Xigia Beach is that the water here has a lot of sulfur. When you swim, you can even see it in the water. Most people associate sulfur with the smell, but it is great for the skin and leaves you feeling smooth and clean.
The water is pleasant and is a little bit cooler than other parts of the island, because of the cliffs. It’s like a natural sulfur bath, so you should definitely add it to your list of beaches to visit on Zakynthos.
Gavdos Beach, Gavdos
Gavdos is a triangular island that is the southernmost tip of Europe, being south of Crete and closer to Africa than to Athens. Gavdos is usually reached by boat from the ports of Paleochora or Sfakia. This is supposedly the island in Greek mythology where Calypso held Odysseus captive for 7 years.
Nowadays, only 100 permanent residents live there. It is a haven for naturalists, migratory birds, and Caretta-Caretta turtles. The lighthouse, which also has a cafe and museum, is a popular site for tourists.
Red Beach, Santorini
The beaches of Santorini come in a variety of colors. Red Beach, White Beach, and Black Beach are some of the best-known attractions. The colorful array is a result of hardened lava. The current color depends on the layer of rock which is open to the air.
For example, Red Beach indicates that there is a lot of iron in the area, which was deposited by the iron-rich lava. White Beach is next to Red Beach and is only reachable by boat. The grey volcanic grains of sand make a strong contrast compared to the blue of the Mediterranean. Black Beach is just one of the black sand beaches on Santorini, and it was also created during the eruption.
