Best Beaches in Athens
Best Beaches in Athens.The Athenian Riviera reaches for around 30 miles of the Saronic Gulf, from the capital’s port of Piraeus to famend Cape Sounion, redolent with Greek mythology and the southernmost point of this incredible peninsula.
This lengthy stretch of palm-lined coast is dotted with hotels close to the metropolis however opens up beyond the Athenian suburbs into a sun-baked direction dotted with tiny coves and great beaches, all kissed via the Mediterranean blue of the Aegean Sea.
As a rule, the in addition one drives from the capital, the higher the beaches, but the fewer centers on offer. Follow this journey south to find the great seashores in Athens and also you’re sure to discover a stretch of sand along the manner with your call on it.
Kalamaki Beach, Kalamaki
Back inside the 1950s, the coastal suburbs closest to Athens had been remote villages with laid-returned beaches. As the capital sprawled outwards, its progress simplest halted through the Aegean Sea, their reputation as a place to hang around by means of the sea commenced to decline.
The Olympic Games of 2004 modified all that, as this stretch of coast changed into spruced up to house both athletes and visitors. Now, Kalamaki is one of the maximum popular beaches close to Athens, within easy reach of the metropolis middle.
Home to both public and private beaches, it has several beach bars and a small waterpark. For people with an hobby in navy history, a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery is a few minutes’ walk away.
Glyfada Beach, Glyfada
Stretching from the Greek mountain of Hymettus to the coast, Glyfada is Athens’ largest and most rich southern suburb. A long stretch of superb seashores is divided by using numerous yacht-crammed marinas and a traditional fishing port wherein the every day catch remains landed from brightly colored boats.
The sand levels from easy to pebbles right here but the gently shelving waters make it ideal for the ones much less assured within the water. The town’s close by square is domestic to a host of cafés and restaurants selling some of the quality food in Athens, and high-quit fashion designer stores for those seeking to healthy their seashore day with a few retail therapy.
Voula Beach, Voula
Voula Beach is only some hundred yards or so down the coast from Glyfada but 1,000,000 miles away from its brasher neighbor thanks to it being a in large part residential suburb with fewer stores and offerings.
Formerly a part of a campsite, the metropolis’s loose beach is now domestic to sun loungers and more than one cafés, plus exceptional views over a small islet called Ydrousa (additionally acknowledged by locals as “donkey island”).
You’ll see a rocky outcrop on the west side of the seaside. Swim around it and there’s every other small cove, even though this spot is apparel-non-compulsory.
Mikro & Megalo Kavouri, Kavouri
Kavouri is any other first-rate lodge on the Athenian Riviera which, because it’s set go into reverse the principle coastal motorway, can experience more tranquil than others on this stretch.
Set in opposition to a backdrop of pine trees on one side of a peninsula, there are major beaches right here: Mikro (small) and Megalo (huge) Kavouri. Both have umbrellas and solar loungers for hire, while the pines provide welcome more color within the height of summer season.
Of the two, Mikro is the extra own family-friendly, having fine sands, shallow waters and a selection of cafés and eating places. Megalo Kavouri is a little wilder, with some rocky areas that jut into the water that make for amazing snorkeling.
Vouliagmeni Beach, Vouliagmeni
Across the opposite aspect of the identical peninsula of Kavouri lies the high-quit motel of Vouliagmeni, the lengthy-status preference of the capital’s glitterati and one of the greatest Athens seashores.
Set on its personal peninsula known as Laimos (neck), this inn town is domestic to some of the first-class beaches in Greece, with plush rental blocks and upscale villas. The foremost seashore sits on an nearly best crescent of sand, and is split among non-public and public operations, both coated with row upon row of seashore umbrellas and loungers.
The public beach also gives sports activities centers and dining options, at the same time as a brief stroll away are the ruins of the Temple of Apollo Zoster which dates from the Archaic Greek duration (800-480BC).
Almost at sea level, the Greek ruins can flood in iciness but are without difficulty viewable in the summer time months.
Best Beaches in Athens
Limanakia, Vouliagmeni
As the coastal highway keeps to wind its manner to Cape Sounion and built-up Vouliagmeni fades into the gap, it curves around a series of coves called the Limanakia (small ports), favored swimming spots of locals and in-the-recognize worldwide site visitors in Greece.
None of these have a seaside as such, but alternatively a series of rocky herbal structures from which to dive into deep, emerald-green waters. Access is via pathways placed next to two bus stops some hundred yards apart.
At Limanakia A, the direction results in Lefteris, a groovy beach cling-out that’s been here because the 1960s and gives wood structures over the rocks for the ones searching out somewhere comfier to lay down their towels.
Limanakia B ends in some other cove with a greater liberal experience thanks to it being apparel-elective and additionally a favourite of Athens’ LGBTQIA+ network.
Varkiza Beach, Varkiza
Varkiza is the ultimate of the actual Athenian coastal suburbs, round 15 miles from the metropolis middle and earlier than the coast avenue genuinely opens up.
Its seaside is some other nice arc of faded white sand this is break up into two fundamental sections: a public seashore with a small beachside taverna, and a private area with umbrellas, solar loungers, a children’ playground, and sports courts, as well as a few excessive-quit buying opportunities.
If time lets in publish-swim, Varkiza is a adorable little town to explore, supplying high-quality purchasing and fascinating cafés, some with ocean perspectives.
Althea Beach, Agia Marina
There’s a real again-to-fundamentals feel about this beautiful, small seaside just off the Athens to Sounion coastal dual carriageway, inconspicuously set in the back of a car park. Mediterranean pines line the gentle sand for some welcome coloration, however apart from that there are no other facilities, so make sure to take anything you would possibly need to your excursion.
A series of in part submerged rocks at the northern cease of the seaside and a sandbar main out from the adjacent peninsula each make for extra proper snorkeling.
Galazia Akti Beach, Agios Dimitrios
The seashore on the small settlement of Agios Dimitrios breaks incredibly with conference with locals calling it Galazia Akti (mild blue seashore), as opposed to taking the conventional route of naming it after the metropolis.
Turning off the coastal toll road, a palm-lined avenue results in this seashore, a long stretch of satisfactory sand with multiple seashore bars providing loungers and umbrellas at both end of the seaside. At its more northern point, the sand first turns to shingle, accompanied through a few small rocky outcrops which can be really worth exploring each on land or inside the water.
Lagonisi Beach, Lagonisi
Once a quiet coastal fishing village, the inn of Lagonisi is one of the jewels of the Athenian River. It takes its call “Jack Rabbit Island” from the large rocky peninsula that juts out into the ocean right here and is occupied by using a luxury resort.
The southern facet of the peninsula is domestic to the city’s seaside, a long stretch of faded sand lined with several seaside bars, and the sublime Lagonisi Sailing Club.
Mavro Lithari Beach, Saronida
The metropolis of Saronida is fringed by means of a cluster of small seashores, all specially sand, with the standard progressively shelving seas visible alongside most of the Athenian Riviera.
Saronida Beach 1 and Saronida 2 are both first-class sufficient however have little inside the manner of shade or facilities, so preserve heading south for the exceptional of the beaches here.
Set far sufficient off the principle motorway, Mavro Lithari is quiet, with more than one desirable seaside bars, as well as an ouzeri serving seafood and the famed Greek spirit, ouzo. (Be careful not to confuse the public seaside here with a personal one a little further south owned with the aid of a lodge and also called Mavro Lithari.)
Agios Nikolaos, Anavyssos
The seashore at Agios Nikolaos is one of the maximum uncommon at the Athenian Riviera. Set off the main coast road within the hotel of Anavyssos, the seaside lies on a sandbar that results in a small rocky island covered in shrubs and Mediterranean pine.
Visitors can take a dip on both aspect of the sandbar, despite the fact that the western facet has the exceptional sands, as well as a seaside bar known as Nuevo Loca with all the standard centers.
It’s really worth taking a short hike onto the island to look the stone-constructed church from which the island takes its name, as well as some of the boats of the neighborhood sailing membership that is also based totally here.
Anavyssos & Palaia Fokaia beaches, Anavyssos
East of Agios Nikolaos island lies a wide, natural bay that is domestic to two of the Riviera’s best summer season inns: Anavyssos and Palaia Fokaia. The pleasant sands that line the bay form a great arc, punctuated most effective via a crusing club and a small fishing harbor at the Palaia Fokaia cease of the seashore.
Along the manner, there are several prepared seashore bars from which to hire loungers and umbrellas, plus some of cafés and a family-run fish restaurant, Vasilis, positioned right on the beach.
Thymari Beach, Thymari
The beaches of Anavyssos and Palaia Fokaia may be busy at the peak of summer season. Luckily if there are no spots left to region a towel, the subsequent hotel of Thymari is less than two miles away and has 3 beaches of its personal.
Named after the wild thyme that after grew abundantly right here, this small city retains a more traditional experience compared to its northerly buddies—and that’s true of its beaches, too.
Backed by a combination of regular Mediterranean scrub inclusive of trees, olive, and pine trees, the sands are first-class, the sea heat and shallow, and the perspectives out over the Saronic Gulf quite marvelous.
The northernmost of the three beaches is home to a small beach bar referred to as The Island, named after Arsida, a small islet that can be visible across the bay.
Cape Sounion Beach, Sounion
As the coastal road techniques the most southern tip of the Athenian Riviera, the seashores get smaller and rockier because the Sounion peninsula unfolds. There are many to choose from, in particular if you have at least three days in Athens to explore, all with their very own deserves and all with distinctive and often confusingly overlapping names.
The exceptional of them is the formally diagnosed Paralia Souniou (Beach of Sounion). Backed by way of extra shrub-crammed land, it has a very good stretch of sand and is domestic to a laid-again beach bar.
Best of all, although, are the perspectives up the hill to the Temple of Poseidon, one of the maximum stunning and stylish temples that Greece is known for.
It’s from this headland that Athenian King Aegeus is said to have leaped to his demise when he idea his son Theseus had died on the arms of the Cretan Minotaur, a legendary and dangerous creature, half of-man and 1/2 bull.
The loss of life of Aegeus is said to be what gave the Aegean Sea its call, and the sunsets over the temple are a number of the most famend in Greece.
Schinias Beach, Marathon
From Sounion, a succession of seashores head north at the jap aspect of the Athenian Peninsula with the ones around Porto Rafti and Nea Makri all noteworthy, although maximum of them are quite a long way for a day experience from Athens.
One virtually well worth the attempt is the lovely seashore at Schinia in the countrywide park of the identical name, around 50 mins’ power from the metropolis center. A long stretch of high-quality pale-yellow sand subsidized by way of Mediterranean pines, the seashore appears to stretch on for mile upon mile, making it sense exceedingly far off outside of excessive summer season.
The pristine surroundings (there’s nothing in any respect business right here) are little changed from the days of 490BC whilst Persian ships accrued here in advance of the Battle of Marathon.
For those with an hobby in Greek history, in addition to the famed 26.2-mile race which originated from the testimonies of that conflict, the Marathon Run Museum is a short pressure (or run) away.