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-   -   Best beaches in Greece (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/best-beaches-in-greece-1642223/)

Megane Dec 25th, 2017 05:33 AM

Best beaches in Greece
 
Hi everyone,

I thought it would be fun and interesting to know what other people think are the places in Greece with the best beaches.

Not the name of one beach, but either an island or a region of the mainland that you feel has the best combination of the most beautiful and the most secluded beaches in all of Greece.


Megane

neckervd Dec 25th, 2017 07:04 AM

May be you will have a look at https://www.greeka.com/greek-islands-guides.htm

Megane Dec 25th, 2017 07:11 AM

Thanks for the link. Very informative.

However, my question is based on what other travellers here on this forum have experienced for themselves.

HappyTrvlr Dec 25th, 2017 08:57 AM

Crete and the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Not Santorini.

Bedar Dec 25th, 2017 09:01 AM

Crete and Rhodes.

Heimdall Dec 25th, 2017 09:06 AM

Messenia and Laconia in the southern Peloponnese.

clausar Dec 25th, 2017 11:42 AM

Sivota in Epirus ( not the same named village in Lefkas)

ToujoursVoyager Dec 25th, 2017 06:47 PM

Koufonisia

neckervd Dec 26th, 2017 02:18 AM

"However, my question is based on what other travellers here on this forum have experienced for themselves"

I have been to more than 50 Greek Islands. Everyone has it's pros and it's contras, from lots of chairs, umbrellas, loud restaurants and water sports up to no human beings at all (even in high season), from sandy ground and shallow waters up to big pebbles and big surf, from natural shade under trees up to no shade at all and stormy winds which make it impossible to open an umbrella....

a list would get much too long!

stanbr Dec 27th, 2017 07:42 AM

Milos is surrounded by beaches with many different rock and colours. We never actually fond any with chairs we were pretty much on our own for sitting on the sand/rock.

Take a look
Milos 2011 http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632109429236/
Milos 2013 http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7634779985764/

lancer11 Dec 29th, 2017 07:07 PM

Crete and Mykonos

Heimdall Dec 29th, 2017 10:56 PM

You’ve had lots of replies, and everyone has a different idea of what are the best beaches. Some people like long sandy beaches with sun beds and bars, while others like small, secluded sandy coves with just enough room to spread your towel. My idea of paradise is the latter, and you can find them just about anywhere in Greece.

Megane Jan 1st, 2018 07:55 AM

What we love are beaches with turquoise coloured water.

Secluded, sandy beaches are more interesting and most of the time, more beautiful, but larger, soft sand beaches with sun beds and restaurants can be fun and enjoyable as well, but the turquoise colour of the water is so important to us.

Megane Jan 2nd, 2018 05:41 PM

So, the region/island with the most smaller, golden sand and turquoise coloured water beaches is ___________?

travelerjan Jan 2nd, 2018 06:31 PM

The turquoise water is everywhere, but not always... I have often stood on a hillside looking down at the sea, and have seen a cove with several different shades of water, from deep navy, to aquamarine, to turquoise, to green ... you cannot guarantee a single-shade ALL the time in a given spot. All I know is that Greece has the MOST beautiful shades of water of anywhere I've swum, and that includes the Caribbean.

The Cyclades Island group has SO many islands with attractive beaches ... but if what you are doing is trying to choose for a 2018 vacation, you need to tell us when you plan to go.... sometimes wonderful beaches can be a mob scene and an awful disappointment if you insist on going from Early July to Late August, when all the islands are almost overwhelmed by the masses of European holiday-makers ... if you truly want the best beach experience in the GReek isles, plan y our visit for late May thru mid-june, or September.

Megane Jan 3rd, 2018 03:23 AM

Hi travelerjan,

Thanks for responding.

We will be travelling in July, so we have thought about leaving the islands for another time and maybe travel by car through the Peloponnese or through the northeast part of Greece, Macedonia, both of which may not be overrun with tourists.

Any thoughts? Do these areas have the kind of beaches we are looking for?

Thanks

Heimdall Jan 3rd, 2018 03:34 AM

As I wrote earlier, Messenia and Laconia in the southern Peloponnese have some of the best beaches in Greece, and they don't have the wind problem you will find on some islands that time of year. On the other hand, it will probably be hotter.

Have a look at this website for some ideas:
http://www.peloponnese.eu/peloponnese-beaches

travelerjan Jan 3rd, 2018 07:15 AM

The Peloponnese is a good choice, although that area also will have an abundance of tourists, but you can avoid some of the package-holiday "hives", and other areas will be mostly greek vacationers. There are many many lovely beaches, and I'll just suggest a couple:

• NAFPLIO Area -- Any time of year, this place on a peninsula on bay of Argos is considered THE most beautiful Old Town in Greece (golden Venetian architecture) and most romantic ... if you reserve early (llike, now), you can snag a front-balcony room in Old Town at Hotel Agamemnon, just about only hotel directly on the bay. The "town beach" is totally pebbly but gorgeous water, and the walk there (around foot of peninsula) is sublime. Check out this superb and non-commercial website - http://www.visitnafplio.com/ - and click ALL links. It also describes all nearby beaches but nearest sandy one (Tolo) will be mobbed in July ... I suggest a secret sanctuary about a mile beyond -- Kastraki, also called Asine. An ancient ruin overlooks a tiny pebbly cove with ONE taverna, where you can change in restroom, enjoy a swim, then dine at sunset (they keep fresh fish in an ice-filled cabinet -- each "drawer" is a different price). BTW, pack "water shoes" for your trip .. it enables you to enjoy MANY beaches, not just the pure-sand ones.

• WEST COAST - This is my Secret Eden... I've been known to take a 5-hour bus ride (on comfy seat-reserved intercity bus) to get there. Just outside Pilos a tiny village of Gialova (only about 5 blocks long, 10 tavernas 3 hotels?)near many ruins, sights & amazing nature reserve. Hotel Zoe (website says "resort" but no, its really a wonderful family hotel)http://www.zoeresort.com/ ... ask for room in front building w. canopied balcony, looking thru small palm grove to the sea. Miles of sandy beach with turquoise waters stretch to north, with NO other hotels (so far), in palm shade basket chairs where polite older Brits read Trollope novels) dinners in the grove under lantern shine... Reserve now and say Janet from Philly sent you. You'll thank me.

anniesweetiepie Jan 25th, 2018 04:52 AM

Hello!

Milos (Cyclades) , Mt Pelion (Thessaly, opposite the Sporades), Lefkada (Ionian Sea), Astypalea (Dodecanese), Mani (Peloponesse) :) <3

My favorites on each one:
Milos: Paleochori, Kleftiko, Tsigrado, Firiplaka, Papafragas
Mt Pelion: Plaka in Agios Ioannis, Papa Nero in Agios Ioannis, Milopotamos in Tsagarada, Fakistra in Tsagarada
Lefkada: Milos, Agiofilli, Porto Katsiki
Astypalea: Plakes, the beaches on the islands on Koutsomitis and Kounoupes, Tzanaki, Blue Limanaki, Psili Ammos

johnmenovo Feb 20th, 2018 03:28 AM

Crete definitely ! Second option would be Milos


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