Sun, Sand, and Serenity: Greece’s Top Sea Vacation Destinations for 2023

Greece: A Unique Beach Destination

When it comes to beach vacations, Greece is one of the most unique places in the world. In fact, this sunny country has so many places, beaches, islands, and destinations that not even a Greek may be able to remember them all by name.

The Hellenic Peninsula and its Islands

The Hellenic peninsula is in the middle of the eastern Mediterranean. It is between the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea. Its islands dot these two seas like pieces that have fallen into the water, making beautiful places to spend a holiday. It’s impossible to list all the places in a short piece, but we can give you some options.

The Ionian Islands

As you head east from Italy, the first island you’ll see is Corfu (Kérkyra), which is right in front of the port of Igoumenitsa on the coast of Epirus. Preveza, on the other hand, is on the mainland further south.

In this area, besides Corfu, there are the Ionian Islands of Paxos, Lefkada, Ithaki (Ithaca), and the beautiful islands of Kefalonia, Cerigo, and Zante (or Zakynthos). Zante is especially well-known for the poem “In Zakynthos” by Ugo Foscolo and for its beaches, such as the beautiful and photogenic shipwreck beach.

The Coast of the Peloponnese

Alongside these islands is the coast of the Peloponnese, which is also full of seaside resorts: starting from Corinth and going counterclockwise around it, we find the towns of Kiaton, Kamari, Dervenion, and Diakopton, which have mostly pebble beaches, before we get to Patras. South-west of the famous port is the beach town of Paralia. Andravida and Pirgos, which are further south, are also great places to spend a vacation by the sea. Kyparissia, Gargalianoj, Pilos, and Methoni are four more places on the coast of the Peloponnese.

From this point on, the Peloponnese is made up of three straight peninsulas that look like three fingers pointing out into the Mediterranean: Cape Akritas, Cape Matapan, and Cape Maleas. Messiniakos and Lakonikos are two large gulfs that are divided by the peninsula of Mani. Other interesting places are Koroni, Kalamata, Kardamyli, Kita, and Kotronas. The island of Elafonissos (called Cervi in Italian) is in the middle of the Peloponnese and Kithiro (called Cerigo in Italian), and it has some of the most beautiful beaches in Greece, like the wonderful Simos beach.

Coastal Cities and Islands in the Aegean Sea

Monemvasia, a city on the coast of the Aegean Sea that looks out over the water, is worth a visit. Other nice Greek seaside spots are between Leonidion and Nauplia, which is known for its Venetian castle. On the next peninsula are the towns of Porto Cheli, Ermioni, and Galatas. The islands of Spetses, Hydra, and Poros are in front of this peninsula. The next part is the big Saronic Gulf, which is where most Athenians like to go on vacation.

Here are the islands of Aegina and Salamina, as well as the port of Piraeus, which is a great place to start getting to the beautiful Cyclades Islands, which are home to some of the most popular tourist spots in the Mediterranean. In strict alphabetical order, some of the best-known islands are Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos, Folegandros, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kithnos, Koufonisia, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Serifos, Sifnos, Syros, and Tinos, for a total of 220 islands and groups.

Crete and the Dodecanese Islands

South of the Cyclades, the island of Crete, which is the biggest of Greece’s islands, takes up most of the Mediterranean. Crete has a long shape and is covered with mountains that rise more than 2,000 meters above sea level. It has a wide range of scenery, including beautiful beaches and important architectural and historical sites. Chania, Lassithi, and Rethymno are also great places to visit besides the city, Heraklion.

The Dodecanese Islands are to the north-east of Crete. There are 163 islands in this group, but only 26 of them are inhabited. Rhodes and Kos are the most popular tourist destinations, but Karpathos, Lipsi, Astypalaia, Kalymnos, Symi, Tilos, Patmos, and Leros are also popular. A little farther away, a few miles off the coast of Turkey to the east, is the small island of Kastellorizo, which is famous for being the setting for Gabriele Salvatores’ movie Mediterraneo.

The North-Eastern Aegean Islands and the Sporades

As we go up the Aegean Sea, we find two different groups of islands. The north-eastern Aegean islands line up in front of the Turkish coasts, while the Sporades Islands are close to the Greek shores. The Cyclades have popular visitor spots like Samos and Icaria, as well as well-known islands like Lesvos, Chios, and Thassos. The Sporades, on the other hand, have well-known islands like Skiros, Alonissos, Skopelos, and the lively Skiathos, the island with the best nightlife.

Evia, Pelion, Macedonia, and Thrace

The big island of Evia is to the south of the Sporades, and to the north-west is a beautiful peninsula with beaches and seaside resorts. This is Pelion, which is known for having the best beaches in Thessaly and the city of Volos. Macedonia and Thrace are close to the coast of the Aegean Sea to the north. The first one starts on the coastal slopes of Mount Olympus. After going through Thessaloniki and the beaches of Paralia, it leads to the wild stretch of the Chalkidiki peninsula, which is made up of beautiful limestone peninsulas with overhanging rocks and turquoise water. The peninsula of Mount Athos is the most well-known of the three. It is the center of Orthodox church life. Around Kavala are the last places to stay on the coast of Macedonia. The best beaches in Thrace are near Lagos and Alexandroupolis.

Seaside Resorts and Best Beaches in Greece

After giving you this overview of the sea of Greece, we’ll give you some scores, though they’re not complete, of the most beautiful seaside resorts and best beaches in Greece, both on the islands and on the mainland. Everyone has their own favorite place to go, and with thousands of islands and beaches to choose from, there are bound to be a lot that we can’t even think of. We try, though, even if it’s just to give you ideas for your next trip. For more information and guides to all of the Greek resorts, check out the links to the different regional stations further up on this page.

What are the most beautiful beaches in Greece?

1. Balos, Crete
2. Simos, Cerigo (Kythira)
3. Egremni, Lefkada
4. Fakistra, Pelion
5. Navagio (Shipwreck Beach), Zante
6. Prassonissi, Rhodes
7. Elafonissi, Crete
8. Cape Drastis, Corfù
9. Myrtos, Kefalonia
10. Lalaria, Skiathos
11. Agios Sostis, Serifos
12. Tis Gria To Pidima, Andros
13. Falasarna, Crete
14. Sarakiniko, Milos
15. Porto Katsiki, Lefkada
16. Voutoum, Antipaxos
17. Koukounaries, Skiathos
18. Vai, Crete
19. Matale, Crete
20. Perissa, Santorini
21. Horefto, Pelion
22. Stafilo, Skopelos
23. Zacharo, Peloponnese
24. Red Beach, Santorini
25. Kokino Kastro, Alonissos 

What are the most beautiful islands in Greece?

1. Naxos
2. Crete
3. Milos
4. Astypalaia
5. Paros
6. Skopelos
7. Folegandros
8. Karpathos
9. Alonissos
10. Skyros
11. Ios
12. Kos
13. Gavdos
14. Corfu
15. Siphnos
16. Santorini
17. Mykonos
18. Amorgos
19. Kefalonia
20. Rhodes

Alfredo Ravanetti