Greece exudes beauty, history, and culture, and each of the islands has something unique to offer to visitors. Many visitors come to the Greek islands to enjoy the extraordinary beaches. Most of the beaches present different settings and landscapes. Travelers have varied considerations for what is appealing and the travel choice may depend on the beaches characteristics.
Most Popular Beaches in the Greek Islands
If one wants to go to the islands that have it all, including great beaches, active nightlife, and many activities, Mykonos and Santorini are the best bet for travelers.
Mykonos is a Must See Beach
Visitor would find it quite challenging to not find a beach on this island that they enjoyed. This island has a plethora of beaches to choose from that will satisfy all tastes. Paradise beach, Super Paradise beach, and Elia beach are for those that want loud music and a party crowd. Beaches such as Kalo Livadi, Kalafatis beach, and Ornos offer a much more tranquil atmosphere with still plenty of bars and restaurants.
Santorini is a Classic Greek Island
This island is a must see for travelers. The beaches are covered with colorful sand due to volcanic rock. The most popular beach is the Red Beach, which is named because of the color of the sand. In the most touristy area of the island are the beaches, Perissa and Kamari and the quieter beach, Monolithos. All of these beaches have fine black sand and plenty of bars, restaurants, and water sports.
Nude Beaches for Those Adventurous Types
Nude sunbathing is something travelers may want to experience. While there are many beaches that allow bathers to be nude, some are known to be more nude-friendly than others. It is important to be respectful, wear sunscreen, and do not stay in the sun too long.
While the entire island of Skiathos is not open to unclothed sunbathers, sandy Banana Beach allows nudity. The smallest two of the three beaches, Nameless Banana and Small Banana are more nude-friendly than Big Banana, which is the oldest of the three naturist beaches.
Filaki Beach, on the island of Crete, is adjacent to Hotel Vritomartis, the only “official” nudist resort on the island. Filaki beach is still accessible to people that are not staying at the resort.
Best Beaches for Nightlife
Paradise Beach is probably the most happening spot for nightlife on Mykonos, if not all of the Greek Islands. A tourist will not find a quiet atmosphere among the late night partying that occurs here. Nudity is commonplace as well as drinking until the early morning hours. This is the place a visitor is most likely to run into celebrities.
Ios is an island between Mykonos and Santorini. The island is well-known for its night life, which is why it attracts a younger crowd. Mylopotas is a sandy beach and the busiest on the island with plenty of bars restaurants along with more crowds.
Best Beaches for Family
Acharavi, Corfu provides a suitable atmosphere for families. The water off the beach is shallow, which is beneficial for families with children. There is also a water park, called Hydropolis in town. Also, located in the middle of Corfu is one of Europe’s largest water parks, Aqualand.
Skala Eressos is a seaside village on the island ofLesvos. The town is family-friendly and there is little or no motor vehicles, which provides a safe area for children to play on the beaches. There is also a lake loaded with hundreds of turtles that children can feed. The spring-fed lake also contains frogs, fish, and birds.
Best Beaches for Seclusion
If a traveler is looking to get away from crowds and find seclusion, there are a couple beaches that are quiet and do not offer the frills of the popular beaches.
The island of Anafi is part of the Cyclades and is not overrun by tourists. It is a quiet, undisturbed island that does not have much shopping or nightlife. It is a place to get away from it all and relax on breathtaking beaches. Anafi can only be reached by boat and there is a limited amount of accommodations.
Kythira has a little more activity than Anafi, but still offers the peacefulness one may desire. The more developed and less rocky beaches are on the east side of the island, which include small villages and coves. Agia Pelagia, a quaint beach with fine, golden sand, is probably the most popular beach on the island.
Julie McElroy - Freelance travel writer with published articles about places all over the world, including Italy, Colorado, Japan, Germany, and Spain.
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