What Greek beaches should you discover on a boat charter holiday?
Greece is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world to organize a charter cruise.
Once the heart of the cultural life and civilization of the known world, today Greece is a destination increasingly appreciated by boaters who can build their itineraries here, ranging from the ruins of ancient temples, socialites and party-goers and splendid seaside resorts where they can seek peace and relaxation.
More importantly, Greece can enchant the tourist with its landscapes and, above all, its marvelous coves, sometimes made of sand, sometimes of pebbles, but almost always bathed by crystal clear waters and therefore much more deserving of just a photo.
Speaking of beautiful beaches, we will tell you about some of them that, in our opinion, are worth visiting during a hypothetical boat itinerary in Greece.
[sc_fs_faq html=”true” headline=”h2″ img=”” question=”What are the best Greek beaches you should discover on a boat charter holiday? ” img_alt=”” css_class=””] Here’s our top selection of best beaches to discover by yacht in Greece: – Navagio Bay (Shipwreck Beach), Zakynthos – White Beach, Santorini – Sarakiniko Beach, Milos – St Paul Beach, Rhodes – Voidokilia Beach, Messinia – Lalaria Beach, Skiathos – Koufonissi Island, Crete [/sc_fs_faq]
An incredible number of destinations.
In a country entirely of fabulous, scenic, and unspoiled destinations, it is difficult to choose where to go on vacation, primarily if you can sail on a charter boat. Determining which beaches most deserve the attention of yachtsmen who choose Greece as their summer vacation spot is even more challenging. Numerous archipelagos (Cyclades, Dodecanese, Ionian Islands, Saronic Islands), thousand-year-old cities (Athens, Corinth, Patras, Thessaloniki, Heraklion), and countless archeological sites make Greece a unique place in the world, where to reconcile amazement with the splendid colors of the Aegean sea of discovering a different place every day.
What criteria did we use to establish our list?
As we said earlier, choosing among so many candidate beaches is not easy and varies according to the points of view you want to use to make a choice. For example, beaches suitable for families with children, beaches equipped and not, wild beaches, etc.
To make our assessments, we, therefore, used a nautical point of view, that is, based on those aspects that are usually most dear to boaters, such as exclusivity and minor crowding, uncontaminated nature, and easy access by boat. In short, privileged places to enjoy a healthy rest and sunbathe but also, why not, have fun and swim.
So here is the list of the best Greek beaches to visit during a boat trip. Of course, these are beautiful places but simultaneously very distant from each other and, therefore very difficult to see in a single trip. However, we are confident that you will be happy to include at least one or more of these beaches in your Greek charter itinerary:
Navagio Bay (Shipwreck Beach), Zakynthos
Always at the top of all rankings, not only in Greece but the world, as regards the most beautiful beaches, the shipwreck beach is located on the Ionian island of Zakynthos, in an isolated cove, reachable only by boat, which boasts very fine and white sand and pebbles. It is caressed by a bright blue sea and wrapped by steep white rock walls on three sides.
It owes its name to MV Panagiotis, a Greek merchant ship that was shipwrecked here in 1980 and whose wreck is still visible today. The undertow and the enormous volume of sand blocked by the ship gave birth to the famous beach that since that day has been called the “Shipwreck Beach”.
Such notoriety has made it one of the most popular destinations in Greece, with the consequent continuous influx of tourists who constantly flock to it. However, we could not fail to include it among our favorites.
White Beach, Santorini
White Beach is one of the most sensational beaches in Santorini and is located along the island’s southern coast, just after Red Beach.
It owes its name (and its fame) to the white cliffs that stand out behind the small coast and can be reached only by boat. The journey from Akrotiri or the nearby Red Beach is only 15 minutes.
The beautiful White Beach Cove, small and uncrowded, is located 15 kilometers from the capital of the island Fira and is made up of coarse black sand and large white and gray pebbles. Snorkelers love its many underwater caves and unforgettable landscapes.
Sarakiniko Beach, Milos
Sarakiniko Beach, also called “Moon Beach,” is located in the northeastern part of the island of Milos and is 5 km from Adamas, the island’s main port.
It is a veritable lunar paradise. With its white craters and pinnacles, the bay has earned a place among Greece’s most curious and suggestive beaches. It boasts a turquoise and transparent sea and white volcanic rocks. Sarakiniko Beach is beautiful both during the day, when its landscape seems even white and at night, when the full moon and the stars illuminate the beach, creating a unique scenario.
Due to its fame, it is often crowded, but it is still worth visiting to feel like traveling to the moon. In addition to the main beach, the bay also has inlets and canals where it is possible to swim.
St Paul Beach, Rhodes
In the shadow of the incredible Acropolis of Lindos, a municipality near the town of Rhodes, there is a small beach famous for an episode of religious history.
According to tradition, Saint Paul landed on the shore of this bay to convert the inhabitants to Christianity. Hence the origin of his name.
It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful beaches in Rhodes and has gained fame over the years thanks to the story of the saint, who landed on its shore in 58 AD to bring the word of the Gospel to this part of Greece as well.
Inside a natural harbor, it looks like an enclosed swimming pool, therefore also ideal for those who want to take the children to swim. The water is shallow and clear, the sandy bottom and the very high-cost shelter from the wind and allow for an experience devoted to relaxation.
There are equipped lidos, cafes, bars, and taverns where you can refresh yourself on the beach and in the surroundings.
Voidokilia Beach, Messinia
Voidokilia beach, hidden along the Messinian coast, seems modeled in the shape of a perfect semicircle; its golden sand and the interaction between the turquoise and the blue of the sea have rightly placed it at the top of the list of the most beautiful Greek beaches. Less well-known is that it is located in one of Europe’s most essential marshy areas.
Once you arrive at the beach, you will be enchanted by the vast gold color of the sand and the blue of the sea.
You can spend the rest of the day lounging and swimming, but find time to explore the beach by taking the path past the dunes at the opposite end that leads to Nestor’s Cave. The story goes that this is where Hermes hid the cattle stolen from Apollo.
Lalaria Beach, Skiathos
One of the most famous and beautiful beaches in all of Skiathos is undoubtedly that of Lalaria, even considered by some to be one of the most evocative bays in Greece. The landscape that you will find in front of you is magnificent, with a small beach covered with small gray marble pebbles that seem to be set between the high rocky walls that drop sheer into the sea. Precisely because of this particular shape, the beach can only be reached by sea aboard a private boat
What will amaze you about Lalaria Beach is the evident and crystalline water, on which a gigantic white rock stands out on the right with a sort of arch-shaped passage in the middle. This opening was sculpted by the force of the waves and the wind, which thus created a real gateway to the beautiful beach. It is a characteristic landscape, so much so that it is one of the most photographed places in Greece.
Koufonissi Island, Crete
It is true; it is not just a simple beach. But how about an entire uninhabited island accessible only by boat?! The island of Koufonissi no longer has a regular connection service from the mainland, meaning that only those who have rented boats or yachts can go there.
The small and arid island of Koufonissi, also known as Lefki, faces the south-eastern coasts of Crete and is now uninhabited. It is one of the last unspoiled paradises in Greece where it is impossible to stay overnight, and is full of ruins that indicate human activity from the Early Minoan times.
Koufonissi is famous for its stunning 36 sandy beaches lapped by turquoise waters. The most surprising are Asproulas, Hiliaderfia, and Faros.
