The Best Beaches of Greece

Determining what are the "best" beaches of Greece is obviously a subjective affair. Our family travels to Greece every summer and we never let a day go by without visiting a beach. We like going to different beaches every time because we have found that each one has something unique to offer.

Some beaches are well organized and offer many luxuries, while others are very secluded and isolated. Some offer clear water, some perfectly soft sand, while others are framed by incredible landscape. The national Greek tourist organization has its own "top-ten beaches" list based on the voting of its web site visitors, and many beaches of Greece sport the Blue flag which symbolizes cleanliness and quality (although we have noticed that a "blue flag" does not always signify quality).

In deciding what the best beaches of Greece are, I use here our first-hand experience. This means that we know there are many more fantastic beaches we have yet to discover, so we keep going back to Greece year after year. In general to appear in this list, a beach must be extra-special. It must be a place that we would travel around the world just to swim in its waters and to lay on its sand. You will probably notice that the beaches we chose for our top-five, are all a bit "out of the way".

Top-Five Best Beaches of Greece

1. Sarakiniko (in Elafonisos Island, Peloponnese)
   What a great experience we had at Sarakiniko beach. Simos beach is right around the corner and just as great of a beach! For such a tiny island, Elafonisos at the Southern end of Peloponnese offers three of the best beaches of Greece (Panagia beach is the third one), and just about the best looking water in the world.
2. Egremnoi (Lefkada)
   

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   One of the best kept secrets of Greece. Beautiful scenery, crystal clear turquoise water, and soft white coarse sand make this beach one of the best to visit. Its out-of-the-way location on the West coast of Lefkada, and the thousand make-shift concrete steps down (and then up), separate the huge crowds from this beach. Excellent by all measures.
3. Myrtos (Kefalonia)
   Myrtos was voted as the best beach of Greece a few years ago, and for good reason. Fantastic water and bright-white pebbles, nested among steep cliffs on the west coast of Kefalonia.
4. Erimoupolis (Crete)
   At the very northern tip of Eastern Crete, Erimoupolis stole our heart during our visit to this part of Greece. Nested between rugged rocks and an ancient cemetery, Erimoupolis is named after the "abandoned town" of Itanos, the ruins of which you have to pass on your way to the beach. Although the beach gets too crowded during the weekends, it is a joy to visit during weekdays.
5. Myrtidiotissa (Corfu)
   The road to Myrtidiotissa is a real hazard for any car, so travelers have to park high up the hill near the monastery of Myrtidiotissa, and then walk down about a kilometer of dirt road. The water is crystal-clear, and the strip of soft brown sand is sheltered by tall cliffs on all sides. This small beach tends to feel overcrowded during full season, but a real pleasure early in the summer.

More beaches of Greece...