Top 10 Beaches in Greece
Greece has roughly 16,000 kilometres of coastline and more than 2,000 inhabited and uninhabited islands, making it one of the most beach-rich countries in the world. The variety is extraordinary: white pumice cliffs on Milos, pink-tinged sand on Crete, pebbled emerald coves on the Ionian Islands, and ancient sea caves carved into limestone on Thassos. Whether you arrive by ferry from Piraeus, charter a sailing boat out of Rhodes, or drive the winding coastal roads of the Peloponnese, finding a beach that feels genuinely remote is still possible even in high summer. The ten beaches below represent the breadth of what the country offers, from the famous to the quietly spectacular.
1. Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia
Myrtos is consistently ranked among the most photographed beaches in the Mediterranean, and from the clifftop viewing platform above it, the reason is immediately obvious. The beach stretches about 800 metres along the base of a steep limestone cirque on Kefalonia's northwest coast, its waters cycling through shades of turquoise and deep cobalt depending on the angle of the sun. The pebbles here are brilliant white, ground from the surrounding cliffs, and the descent road is vertiginous. A small car park at the top fills early in July and August; arriving before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. rewards visitors with far fewer crowds.
2. Navagio Beach, Zakynthos
Navagio — the Shipwreck Beach — sits inside a sheer limestone cove on the northwest coast of Zakynthos and is accessible only by boat. The rusting hulk of the MV Panagiotis, a freighter that ran aground in October 1980, lies half-buried in fine white sand against a backdrop of 200-metre white cliffs. Boat trips leave from the port of Porto Vromi and take around 20 minutes. The cove faces northwest, so morning light is flat and afternoon sun strikes the wreck directly. Day-tripper boats can make the water crowded in July and August; spring and September visits are dramatically quieter.
3. Elafonissi Beach, Crete
Elafonissi is a tidal island at the southwestern tip of Crete, about 75 kilometres southwest of Chania, joined to the mainland by a shallow sandy bar that visitors wade across in knee-deep water. The sand here has a faint pink cast from crushed shells and coral fragments, and the lagoon between island and shore is shallow enough for young children. The beach stretches nearly two kilometres and faces west, making it exceptional for sunsets. It lies within a protected Natura 2000 zone, so facilities are deliberately limited. The drive from Chania takes about 90 minutes on switchback mountain roads.
4. Sarakiniko Beach, Milos
Sarakiniko sits on the northern coast of Milos and looks unlike any other beach in Greece. The surrounding landscape is formed from white volcanic ash eroded into smooth lunar formations — gullies, arches, and flat platforms that jut over the sea. The small beach between these formations is sandy and sheltered, and the pale rock around it absorbs heat intensely in summer. Milos is accessible by ferry from Piraeus, a journey of roughly five to six hours, or by a short flight from Athens. Open the map to find the boat landing points and the walking path down from the main road.
5. Balos Lagoon, Crete
Balos sits at the western tip of the Gramvousa Peninsula in northwestern Crete. The lagoon is triple-sided: a long curved spit of pale sand encloses shallow, almost luminescent water on two sides, while the Gramvousa island sits offshore to the north. The sand has a pink tinge similar to Elafonissi but is considerably finer. Access is by boat from Kissamos port, a journey of about 90 minutes each way, or by a 3.5-kilometre dirt road followed by a 20-minute walk down a rocky path. The lagoon's shallow water warms quickly and is ideal for wading and snorkelling the surrounding rock formations.
6. Lalaria Beach, Skiathos
Lalaria lies on the northern tip of Skiathos, accessible only by boat from Skiathos Town. The beach is formed from smooth, perfectly round grey-white pebbles and is backed by towering limestone cliffs pierced by three natural sea arches. The water takes on a striking blue-green colour against the pale cliffs. Boat excursions from Skiathos Town typically combine Lalaria with stops at the sea caves of Skotini and Galazia, making it a half-day trip. Strong northerly winds in July and August occasionally make the approach sea-state rough enough to cancel boat departures.
7. Porto Katsiki, Lefkada
Porto Katsiki occupies a deep cove on the southwestern tip of Lefkada, backed by white limestone cliffs streaked with ochre. The access road descends to a car park and then a long staircase cut into the cliff face — around 100 steps — leads down to the beach. The water is clear blue and the pebble-and-sand beach is narrow, maybe 30 metres wide, but the cliff walls create a theatrical amphitheatre effect. Lefkada is the only major Ionian island reachable by car, connected to the Greek mainland by a floating bridge near Leucas, making it an easy day trip.
8. Voidokilia Beach, Messinia
Voidokilia in the Peloponnese's Messinia region is one of the few perfect horseshoe beaches in Greece, its almost circular bay forming a near-geometrically perfect semicircle of pale sand. It lies within the Gialova Lagoon nature reserve, where wintering flamingos appear between November and March. The beach is backed by sand dunes, a rarity in the Aegean, and the ruins of a Mycenaean tholos tomb sit on the headland above. Access is on foot from the Gialova village car park, about 15 minutes' walk. Swimming is exceptional here: the enclosed bay creates genuinely calm water even when the open Ionian is choppy.
9. Simos Beach, Elafonisos
Simos is a double beach on the small island of Elafonisos in the southern Peloponnese — two sweeping arcs of pale sand separated by a narrow dune-topped spit, each facing a different direction so one is always sheltered. The water in the sheltered inner beach is shallow and milky-pale, turning deep blue farther out. Elafonisos is reached by a three-minute car ferry from Pounta on the Peloponnese mainland. The island has a small village, a handful of tavernas serving fresh fish, and very few hotels, which keeps the atmosphere genuinely relaxed even in August.
10. Seychelles Beach, Ikaria
Seychelles Beach on Ikaria's northeastern tip requires about two kilometres of walking on a rocky footpath from the nearest road, which is precisely why it retains a wildness that more accessible Greek beaches have lost. The cove is formed from enormous smooth boulders and clear green-blue water, sheltered from the prevailing north winds. Ikaria is best known internationally for its longevity statistics — its inhabitants live disproportionately long lives — and the island's unhurried rhythm extends to its beaches. The ferry from Piraeus takes roughly eight hours; the island also has a small airport with connections from Athens.
Find Every Beach on the Interactive Map
Greece has hundreds of exceptional beaches beyond these ten. Open the map to explore the full coastline — filter by island, sand type, facilities, or accessibility to find beaches that suit your specific dates and travel plans. The map layers in ferry connections and seasonal access information, making it especially useful for planning multi-island routes where timing the ferries to less-visited places matters as much as choosing the beaches themselves.