Summer Is Coming: 4 of the Best Beaches in Greece
Summer is approaching, which means that Greece’s beach season is just around the corner. Whether you’re traveling with kids or looking to party with your friends, Greece’s islands and coastlines offer a vacation that will fit what you’re looking for. Beach season in the Mediterranean tends to run from April to October, peaking in July and August.
Here are some of Greece’s top beach destinations.
Family-friendly
The best beaches in Greece for families with young children typically have wide shorelines with extensive shallow, calm waters where children can play safely for hours.
Naxos: While the beaches are stunning, this island’s other amenities make it especially attractive for families. The island isn’t crowded with all-inclusive resorts, which gives the shoreline a less touristy atmosphere. Naxos is also walkable, so you won’t need to worry about renting a vehicle, bringing car seats, or finding other safe transportation to the beach. Businesses catering to tourists are child-friendly, and you won’t run into “adults-only” restaurants or hotels here. In fact, you’re more likely to find servers and hotel employees who go out of the way to interact with your children and make your family feel welcome.
Agios St. George, which is a few minutes’ walk from Naxos Town hotels, is the best beach on the island for children. The water is warm and shallow, and you’ll likely see local families there as well. Nearby Agios Prokopios is more famous due to its crystal-clear water and amazing views, but the water here is colder and the ocean floor drops off close to the shoreline. In addition, Agios Prokopios is a 15-minute shuttle ride (for a fee of a few euros per person) from Naxos Town.
Swimming
Faragas Beach: This shoreline on the island of Paros is a little off the beaten path, but for travelers who enjoy ocean swimming, the trip is well worth it. The beach is nestled in a small cove and is known for its soft, golden sand and clear, turquoise water. The sea is generally calm and shallow here, so you can walk in for a good distance before swimming. Faragas Beach also is a popular place to snorkel and paddleboard.
Visitors can rent beach umbrellas and chairs for the day, and the Faragas Beach Bar, which is right on the beach, serves food, cocktails, smoothies, and juices — and also offers live music. Be sure to arrive before noon during the high season to grab a good spot on the beach.
Water Sports
Kalafatis Beach: This 550-meter-long beach on Mykonos is a haven for everything from water skiing to scuba diving to wakeboarding. It’s about 12 kilometers from Mykonos Town, and you can get there by public bus from the Old Port bus station. The brisk breeze that always seems to blow here is a boon for water sports enthusiasts. You can rent equipment, including snorkeling gear and paddleboards, at the local water sports center and take diving and windsurfing lessons at local schools.
Kalafatis Beach is also a great place to get away from the crowds that converge on Mykonos in the summer. It’s one of the quieter beaches on the island, and you can settle in for the day with a rental lounge chair and umbrella on either end of the beach. If you have your own beach gear, head to the middle section of Kalafatis. In addition, the beach is outfitted with restrooms, showers, windshields, and a playground, and mini-markets and restaurants are nearby.
Partying
Paradise Beach: Greece is renowned for its nightlife, which kicks up a notch in the summer as tourists flock to beaches with a lively reputation. Mykonos is one of the top go-to destinations, and Paradise Beach is the epicenter of the island’s summer social scene.
Part beach and part open-air club, Paradise Beach is six kilometers south of Mykonos Town, and visitors can take a bus there. It draws a young crowd, and open-air clubbing starts about 4 p.m. in the summers. In August, international DJs host all-night events every night at Cavo Paradiso. The beach is lined with bars and restaurants, some that are world famous (such as the Tropicana Beach Bar), and the partying only intensifies as the daylight fades.
Paradise Beach is just one of many options, however. You’ll also find party scenes at Paraga Beach, located on the way to Paradise Beach from Mykonos Town; Psarou Beach; and Super Paradise Beach, which is reachable by water shuttle. Be aware that the last boat back from Super Paradise Beach is in the early evening, so plan for afternoon parties here.
If you want to get in some sun and swimming before the evening parties begin, Mykonos’ beaches are lined with lounge chairs and umbrellas, and some have seaside food and drink service from local bars. However you spend your time on Mykonos, it’s a great place to meet people from all over the globe and get a taste of one of the world’s best party scenes.
