Santorini is a beautiful island best known for its mesmerizing sunsets, charming whitewashed towns, and peculiar volcanic terrain. The island does boast a fair range of notable “Santorini beaches,” despite not being one of the Greek Islands most recognized for beachfront places.
1. Santorini Beaches
Unquestionably, Santorini is among the world’s most picturesque and dreamy islands. Santorini beaches have beautiful crystal blue waters.
One of Greece’s top tourist attractions, it draws millions of honeymooners, Instagrammers, culture, and culinary enthusiasts who go there every day by air and water, largely to take in the breathtaking landscape and charming towns.
Santorini beaches, while different from those in Mykonos, Crete, and Zakynthos, are unquestionably unique and rather remarkable.
They have a variety of sand colors, from red to black to white, due to their volcanic genesis.
Here is a list of the top 13 Santorini beaches that you must see while there.
2. List of Top Santorini Beaches
Santorini beaches are hidden in protected coves and behind towering cliffs, surprising tourists with unique topographies and a serene atmosphere. Due to the island’s volcanic history, the beaches have a variety of hues.
Black sand and pebbles created from volcanic rock that has been eroded by mild waves cover much of the island’s beach.
The stunning Santorini beaches are made possible by the Aegean Sea’s vivid blue color. The beaches also have excellent water quality; several of them have received Blue Flag certification for water safety and cleanliness.
The majority of Santorini’s beaches are developed, offering amenities including restaurants, beach bars, showers, and public bathrooms.
Only a small number of the more remote beaches are entirely unequipped. Additionally, there are lifeguards on duty at the most popular tourist beaches.
If you’re looking for a quiet cove with calm seas or a family-friendly beach, Santorini Island has something for you. Our list of the best beaches in Santorini will help you find the most beautiful spots to enjoy the sunlight.
2.1. Perissa Beach
Natural boundaries between Kamari Beach and the adjacent Perissa Beach are created by Mesa Vouno Mountain. This stunning Santorini beach stretches for many kilometers and features a coarse black sand coastline and crystal-clear seas with a blue tint.
Excellent facilities are available at Perissa Beach, including free showers and bathrooms as well as summertime lifeguard coverage.
This black sand beach is a favorite among families with small children since it contains a playground and a water park with slides and swimming areas.
Perissa Beach, which received a Blue Flag for cleanliness and safety, is a fantastic location for swimming and other water activities. At Perissa Beach, windsurfing, parasailing, and boating are common outdoor pursuits.
During the summer, the hamlet of Perissa offers a variety of lodging and dining establishments to tourists. Visitors have a variety of taverna restaurants, cafés, and beach bars to pick from for refreshments or seaside dinners.
Luxurious lodgings are available at the Aqua Blue Hotel on Perissa Beach. Three outdoor swimming pools, a restaurant with a buffet style, and a stretch of private beach with free lounge chairs and umbrellas are all features of this five-star resort.
The greatest black beach bars in Greece can be found in Perissa, so be sure to stop by one while you’re there. While some of them host events featuring well-known DJs from across the globe, they are typically fairly laid-back and tranquil settings.
Top Beach Bars on Perissa Beach
Tranquilo: for wonderful vegetarian cuisine
Waves: for great drinks and sunbeds
Additionally, you must wear shoes or flip-flops during the summer since the black sand and stones are so hot they can dangerously burn your feet.
This goes for all Santorini black sand beaches, including Perissa beach.
2.2. Vlychada Beach
Vlychada beach on Santorini’s southern shore is framed by craggy volcanic rock cliffs, giving it a unique and rough appearance. The Vlychada beach has a lengthy shoreline of pebbles and grey sand, and it offers a calm atmosphere that is perfect for relaxing and taking in the sun.
A café that provides drinks, snacks, and light meals is located directly on the beach. Additionally, the café rents out umbrellas and lounge chairs.
Today, the museum showcases one of the most well-known foods produced on the Vlychada beach island: the cherry tomato, and provides visitors with an understanding of Santorini’s industrial background.
Tourists may eat in a typical Greek taverna serving fresh seafood and other regional delicacies at the adjacent fishing harbor. These little eateries provide great views of the ocean.
One of the most memorable things to do in Santorini, in the opinion of many visitors, is to take a boat excursion from the Vlychada beach port. From the harbor, a range of yacht excursions, catamaran cruises, and sailing charters leave.
The Notos Therme & Spa Hotel provides luxurious contemporary suites with sea views in a picturesque setting on Vlychada Beach.
This four-star hotel has a breakfast buffet, a full-service spa, a sauna, a concierge, an outdoor restaurant with views of the waterfront, and an outdoor pool with a sun terrace.
Vlychada Beach is among the top Santorini beaches. It offers amazing scenery and a really unique feel about it.
Without any bustling beach bars and cafés, Vlychada beach is a fairly tranquil beach with a small port.
Therefore, it is usually advisable to bring your own food and beverages, although there is also a beach cafeteria with plenty of sun loungers.
2.3. Perivolos Beach
Perivolos beach is Santorini’s longest black sand beach and is located only a few kilometers south coast of Perissa Beach on the island’s south coast.
Additionally admired features of Perivolos Beach are picture-perfect natural surroundings and pristine turquoise waves.
Although Perivolos beach has a calm environment among other Santorini beaches, it is packed with services. Hotels, beach bars, cafés, and restaurants ring the shoreline.
Enjoying a dinner of fresh seafood and regional fare while sitting on an outdoor deck and staring out at the waves is a pleasant experience.
Another feature of Perivolos Beach is the availability of water sports. Visitors may take parasailing lessons, hire equipment like boats and water skis, play on beach volleyball courts, or go on a private cruise.
Programs are offered at a scuba diving facility close to the beach for both novice and certified scuba divers. Perivolos beach has a wide range of lodging options, from opulent resort buildings to affordable hotel chains.
On the upper end, the Orabel Suites Santorini offers roomy lodgings within a short stroll from the beach. This four-star hotel has an outdoor pool and Jacuzzi, a farm-to-table restaurant, and a spa that emphasizes natural treatments.
2.4. Kamari Beach
Visitors are delighted by the huge, five-kilometer-long black sand beach’s stunning natural beauty, and first-rate amenities. Public bathrooms, showers, and equipment rentals for the beach are provided.
The southern end of the black beach is protected by the desolate Mesa Vouno, which provides a dramatic background as the deep-blue, crystal-clear seas wash against the coast. It’s a semi-organized beach in a relaxing atmosphere.
Families enjoy this beach because the calm waves make swimming safe. The beautiful beach received a Blue Flag accreditation in recognition of its crystal-clear seas and first-rate amenities. The shores are guarded in the summertime.
Wearing waterproof sandals is an excellent idea due to the fact that the black sand seashore absorbs the heat of the sun. Furthermore, the Kamari beach combination of stones and sand might be difficult for those walking barefoot.
Among the most remarkable sights, you’ll encounter if you dive is the crystal-clear turquoise water.
Kamari Beach has a variety of loungers and umbrellas for a fully unwinding experience. Numerous chances for water activities, such as windsurfing, paddleboarding, snorkeling, and scuba diving, exist. On the south coast is a scuba diving center.
The vacation destination of Kamari beach is tucked away behind the beach. A nice beachfront promenade and classic whitewashed Cycladic houses may be seen in this bustling Greek hamlet. Hotels, stores, snack bars, cafés, and classic taverna restaurants abound throughout the town.
The Santorini Kastelli Resort is a wonderful option for individuals looking for upmarket lodging close to Kamari Beach.
This five-star beach resort property offers a tennis court, a fitness center, a spa, a sauna, and gardens in addition to multiple outdoor swimming pools with terraces for sunbathing. The hotel’s gourmet restaurant, which serves Greek food made using regional products, is also well-liked by guests.
The four-star Bellonias Villas near Kamari Beach is another upscale hotel establishment that caters to those who like apartments with kitchenettes.
The “beach villa” apartments are furnished with contemporary conveniences like flat-screen televisions and have a clean, airy Cycladic design.
The homes include lovely terraces with garden views or balconies with sea views that are covered with bougainvillea. This luxurious resort features a gourmet restaurant, swimming pool, private beach, and concierge in a beautiful coastal location.
2.5. Eros Beach
One of the most isolated and stunning Santorini beaches on the island is Eros beach, which is a little challenging to get to.
In ancient Greek, the word “Eros” signifies “love.” So it makes perfect sense why this is also a covert wedding location and an incredibly romantic setting among the Santorini beaches.
Theros Wave Bar is one of the island’s greatest beach lounge bars and has a very tranquil ambiance.
Eros Beach is not very accessible since you must have your own transportation and there is no tarmac on the route that leads there.
Take the road that leads to Vlychada Beach instead; along the way, you’ll see a sign warning you to turn right into Eros Beach.
Without a car, you must take the bus to Vlychada and then essentially trek the difficult path.
Eros Beach is not surrounded by hotels, and one can only hope that it stays that way forever because any nearby structures would undoubtedly detract from the beauty of the surroundings. You could consider staying in Vlychada instead.
Even though Theros Wave Bar is fantastic and one of the island’s most romantic locations, it is not inexpensive.
During the warm months, anticipate paying extra euros for a set of sun loungers, and you won’t realize this until you really sit down because there are no signs.
If you prefer to avoid the congestion, you may always attend the Santorini beach “Greek style” with your own portable sunbed, mini fridge of beverages, and fruit salad.
2.6. Vourvoulos Beach
It is the quietest beach among all the Santorini beaches, Vourvoulos Beach is comparable to Kolumbos and Monolithos Beaches on the island’s west coast.
There is nothing more around but a few eateries behind the Vourvoulos beach (quite typical everywhere in Greece) and a little fishing harbor.
The beach is undoubtedly off the usual path, and as it has nothing particularly noteworthy to offer, you should only go there after seeing all the other Santorini beaches.
Due to its remote location, Vourvoulos doesn’t have many hotel options. However, there are several truly stunning private villas where you may stay.
The Anema Residence is a group of luxurious private villas with breathtaking views and a cozy atmosphere.
The little Greek restaurant “To Limanaki” that is located behind the beach is the only and nicest place to eat in Vourvoulos. On this Santorini beach, some claim to have eaten the greatest meal on the entire island.
2.7. Monolithos Beach
Monolithos Beach, located in a serene natural setting, is a long beach that is popular among residents due to its quiet mood. The playground and calm surf make this quiet beach a favorite among families with small children. Swimming and wading are both safe activities in shallow waters.
Black sand extends for miles along Monolithos Beach shore, and there is also a shaded area. Lifeguards are stationed in one area of the same beach, and sun lounger and umbrella rentals are also available at the Monolithos beach. Sports facilities are also available including a basketball court and beach volleyball nets.
There are a number of eateries nearby, including an Italian pizzeria-trattoria and two authentic Greek tavernas that serve delectable seafood. Monolithos Beach is a secluded beach.
From a simple beachfront apartment to a private villa or the three-star Memories Beach Hotel at Monolithos Beach, they all offer a concierge service, a swimming pool, and rooms with sea views, a variety of lodging options are available in the neighborhood with beach chairs.
The Scorpios Beach Hotel offers apartments with fully furnished kitchenettes and roomy rooms at affordable rates and is within walking distance away from the stunning scenery of Monolithos Beach.
This four-star beach resort offers a free breakfast buffet, an outdoor swimming pool, a sauna, bicycle rentals, and yoga lessons in addition to its outdoor pool.
2.8. Red Beach
Red Beach is one of the most popular destinations on the island of Santorini because of its distinctive nature. Many visitors make the short trip to a vantage point above the beach merely to gaze at the surroundings.
This little strip of dark-sand beach, surrounded by breathtaking red volcanic rock cliffs, is unique in the whole globe. The beach’s spectacular natural location lends it a wild, untamed feel.
Red Beach is accessible through a relatively challenging rocky approach; it has few facilities and no lifeguards, however, there are sunbathing lounge chairs and beach umbrellas available.
Because portions of the cliffs are known to suffer landslides, visitors should use caution when walking to red beach. In order to maintain security, portions are occasionally fenced off.
If you conduct online research, you will probably come across several reports stating that Red Beach is risky and that you shouldn’t go there since there have been incidents of falling rocks. Red beach is the most unique beach of the other Santorini beaches.
The truth is that once on the red beach, you’ll see that the section of sand that is near the red rocks has been blocked off to keep people safe from any falling objects. In any case, use caution.
Red Beach is also a great place to enjoy snorkeling! You can be surprised by the magnificent and colorful sea floor provided by the geological structures! Red beach is the best beach among all the beaches in Santorini.
With a few hotels opening up every year, Akrotiri has experienced significant growth over the previous five years.
2.9. Ammoudi Bay
Ammoudi bay is a little fishing hamlet below Oia, not a beach, but it does have some wonderful seafood restaurants and some pretty beautiful red and black rocks for cliff jumping.
It goes without saying that there will be no sand or sunbeds around. Due to this, Ammoudi bay is not a good swimming location for small children or the elderly (although the latter will undoubtedly enjoy cliff jumping from the rocks.)
Ammoudi Bay is a small beach having only a handful of hotels.
However, you do not need to swim while visiting Ammoudi Bay as you can just dine at one of the beautiful seafood restaurants at the edge of the little harbor for lunch or supper.
Ammoudi Bay is among the best Santorini beaches on a small island.
2.10. Katharos Beach
Among the extremely calm and undeveloped best beaches on Santorini island’s east coast is Katharos Beach.
A little, rocky beach with black and white stones lies beneath enormous, white volcanic boulders. It’s a beach with unadulterated charm and wild beauty.
Because of its proximity to Ammoudi bay and Oia in general, Katharos offers spectacular beachside sunsets.
Katharos Beach is one of the island’s least developed locations because it is not surrounded by hotels and resorts. But you should stay close to Oia if you want to be near Katharos beach.
Although Katharos beach sunsets are becoming more well-known, there is still time to visit this lovely little beach. When you get to the beach, it won’t take you long to spot the amazing Katharos Lounge, the only beach bar in the area.
Away from the throngs of tourists, the vegetarian food these men provide, together with the breathtaking vistas and the tranquil mood throughout, might easily be the highlight of your vacation to Santorini.
2.11. Caldera Beach
Santorini’s Caldera Beach offers breathtaking vistas and deep waters. From here, one can see the caldera that is currently submerged underwater and is the source of the Caldera beach name.
Scuba divers that dive around Santorini beaches are familiar with Caldera Beach. A combination of gravel, pebbly sand, and black volcanic sand line the coast. It is among the best Santorini beaches.
The latter may also be discovered underwater, thus wearing water shoes is advised to enable comfortable walking. Although the water is fairly clear, it quickly becomes deep. By the shore, there are trees that offer shade all day.
2.12. White Beach
One of the most amazing and unique lengths of sand on the small island may be found near Akrotiri beach.
Santorini White Beach is a tiny cove with pumice stones, grey volcanic sand and pebbly sand, and crystal-clear water. It is flanked by white, towering cliffs.
The Red Beach is similar to the white beach in that there isn’t much room for sunbathing. However, there are some seats and umbrellas available for rent, as well as a subterranean cafeteria selling essentials.
The quickest and most convenient method to get to White Beach is by boat from Akrotiri Beach. It is also possible to get there from the nearby Red and Kambia beaches, although the trails are difficult to navigate. Alternatively, you may reserve a tour.
2.13. Cape Columbo Beach
The most untamed of Santorini beaches are Cape Columbo Beach. This one of the Santorini beaches is protected by towering cliffs and has a pebble and dark grey sand beachfront. It feels as though you are on a desert island because of the remote position and arid surroundings.
The lack of amenities at Cape Columbo beach is a disadvantage of being an undeveloped location. Although there are several stores and eateries nearby, it is better to carry your own beach supplies, snacks, and water.
It is among the quietest beaches when compared to other beaches.
Additionally, visitors should be aware that there are no lifeguards available at the beach. Caution is suggested because the seas are extremely deep not far from the coast. The fact that it may be quite windy at the great beach is another factor.
Final Note
The list of the top Santorini beaches has come to an end. Visit Perissa Beach if you have limited time for a visit since, it is ideal for practically everyone and has everything: couples, lone travelers, honeymooners, families, children, and elders (no steps at all). Taking the local bus from Fira is another extremely simple way to get there.
Swimming in the sea is no doubt, one of the best things to do in Santorini!
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
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