Of all the Greek islands, Santorini delivers on the most fronts: romantic scenery, breathtaking views at every turn, stunning sunsets, delicious food, and some amazing beaches. That’s why I love it so much and want to share all the top beaches in Santorini Greece.
If you love lounging around and relaxing on the beach while soaking in some picture-perfect scenery, Santorini beaches have got you covered. There are lots to choose from, so you don’t have to search too far and wide to find them.
I should note that some are not accessible on foot so you’ll need to book one of the many available Santorini tours or a group catamaran trip to get to them!
I’ll also note that Santorini’s beaches tend to be a bit rocky—so don’t expect sandy beaches. But with such incredible views, you’re really not going to miss the sand.
Pssst, heading to Greece? Don’t miss these travel guides to help you plan your trip!
The Best Santorini Views: Top Can’t Miss Spots
Planning a Trip to Greece: Everything You Need to Know
Day Trips from Athens: 8 Ideas
Airbnb Santorini: Iconic Places to Book
To help you with your travel planning, I’ve put together some of my favorites into this list of top beaches in Santorini Greece.
10 Best Beaches in Santorini Greece
1. Red Beach
Santorini’s Red Beach is world-renowned and stands out as one of the most memorable of all the beaches in Greece. One look at that landscape of massive red volcanic rocks set against the Aegean Sea’s sapphire-blue waters and it’s easy to see why.
But the beach is quite narrow and small, so finding a spot to actually lounge around on the pebble beach may be challenging depending on when you go. Red Beach also has several beach bars and tavernas that provide loungers, so I definitely recommend snagging one of those!
If you can claim a spot, it’s totally worth sticking around! The water is divine and the snorkeling is amazing too.
Red Beach is about a 20-minute drive from Fira town, so is easily accessible by car or bus. It’s a popular stop for boat tours (we stopped there on our catamaran!), so you’ll surely see it if you decide to book one during your trip.
2. Perissa Beach
If you want a more party-at-the-beach vibe, Perissa Beach is your spot. It’s one of the biggest in the Cyclades and considered by many to be the best beach of Santorini.
What you’ll also notice is the gigantic rock—called Mesa Vouno—that rises from the sea and sets the scene. It’s stunning!
Watersports, restaurants, taverns, cocktails, music…that’s all part of the scene here! You’ll have no problem finding a cool beach bar to park at for hours or just lounge on a sunbed until the sunsets. While you do, you can be sure that DJs will be spinning tracks to keep the flow going.
If you want a more relaxed beach day, you can still find it here. There’s plenty of space on its 4-mile longshore. Just keep in mind that many of the island’s luxury hotels are in the area, so it’s one of the more touristy beaches in Santorini.
You can reach Perissa Beach by car or bus. There are also small taxi boats connecting Perissa Beach and Kamari.
3. Kamari Beach
Neighboring Perissa Beach is the equally-beautiful black sands of Kamari Beach. Facilities are well organized for a comfy sunbed and umbrella rentals, and plenty of cafe, restaurant, and bar options. It too is a hot spot for luxury hotel goers and tourists.
If you’re into water sports, the crystal-clear water of Kamari Beach is a great place to give it a go. It’s easy to rent any equipment you need for whatever it is you want to try. You’ll see plenty of visitors swimming, snorkeling, and paddleboarding, so don’t be shy!
Kamari is located a little over 5 miles from Fira, making it easy to get there by car or bus. You can also take a water taxi from Perissa beach.
4. Perivolos Beach
If you continue south from Perissa Beach, you’ll arrive at Perivolos Beach. Like Perissa and Kamari, it’s one of the more popular and well-organized Santorini beach resorts, so there is no shortage of beach umbrellas, bars, and restaurants to choose from.
If Perissa feels a little too busy for you, you could be better off heading down towards Perivolos. You’ll still have the option of soaking in as much sun and sipping on as many cocktails as you want—or even jumping on a jet ski to cruise the Santorini coast—just with a tad more space.
If you had even farther down, there’s also Agios Georgios Beach which is just as lovely!
You can reach Perivolos beach easily from Perissa, either by car or by hopping on a local bus that will take you there.
5. Vlychada Beach
If you want to check out the type of friendly beach where locals go—and get an amazingly unique view—Vlychada Beach is the perfect spot. Black sand and volcanic ash formations create a surreal backdrop unlike you’ve ever seen.
You won’t find club music or anything resembling a spring break party here—what you will find is one beach bar for snacks, drinks, sunbeds and umbrellas, a narrow stretch of black sand, pristine blue water, and a super relaxed vibe. If you walk far enough down the beach, you’ll find the part that’s nudist-friendly.
Vlychada is a small village 7 miles south of Fira, and you can access its beach by car or bus. It’s also within reach of Perivolos (1.5 miles away) and Perissa (3 miles away).
6. Monolithos Beach
Not far from Kamari, you’ll find the most family-friendly beach of Santorini beaches, Monolithos Beach. There are plenty of sunbeds and a longer-than-typical stretch of black sand that gives lots of space for kids and other activities for beachgoers to enjoy outdoor activities.
Actually, there are a lot of options! There’s a court for basketball, volleyball, a soccer field, and even a play area for kids.
The clean, blue water at Monolithos Beach is quite shallow, making it perfect for paddling and for little ones to splash around. It’s a good spot for kitesurfing too.
7. Vourvoulos Beach
Vourvoulos Beach is one of Santorini’s lesser-known gems, so it’s pretty perfect if you want some real privacy. The water is a perfect shade of turquoise blue and the lack of organized tourist activities—like bars and sports—make for a really relaxing day at the beach.
After a peaceful beachside nap, you’ll want to check out the charming fishing town next to Vourvoulos Beach called Karterados. It’s a really picturesque village where you can experience authentic local living. The best part is the many family-owned (and inexpensive!) taverns where you can enjoy delicious, traditional Greek lunch or dinner.
Vourvoulos Beach is located at the northeast side of the island, less than 3 miles from Fira.
8. Eros Beach
Tucked away on the southern side of the island lies blissful Eros Beach which offers the perfect mix of quiet and ambiance. It’s not nearly as touristy as the resort beaches but does have one hip beach bar where they play a pleasant mix of feel-good music that’s not too overwhelming and where you can get some great food and drinks. And they have hammocks!
And wait until you see the scenery! The beach is surrounded by white-brown, otherworldly cliffs that have been naturally carved out by the wind over centuries. Spend your day lounging under a straw umbrella, taking a stroll along with the shore’s black pebbles, and taking an occasional dip in the crystalline water.
Sunbeds, amazing views, laid-back vibes, gorgeous waters, delicious food, yummy cocktails…yep, sounds like a perfect Greek island vacation day to me too!
Eros Beach is about 5 ½ miles away from Fira and you need to follow a dirt road into a parking area to access the beach.
9. Ammoudi Bay
Ok, so this technically isn’t a beach as there is no designated beach area with sand, umbrellas, and sunbeds, or swimming. But it’s one of the most picturesque seaside spots in Santorini and an absolute must-see!
Ammoudi is actually a port at the bottom of Oia featuring a bay of crystal-clear water, fishing boats, and offers some of the most striking sunsets you’ll ever see. If you’re looking for the perfect spot for a long, romantic walk, this is it!
Scuba divers, take note: If you follow the path past the line of taverns and cafes, you’ll end up in one of the island’s most awesome diving areas.
From Oia, you can access Ammoudi by car or on foot by going down a series of +200 steps.
10. White Beach
Overshadowed by its more celebrated neighbor, Red Beach, White Beach offers a quieter experience. So, if you want a cove to swim in that you’re more likely to share with far fewer people, this is where you want to go!
Like Red Beach, White Beach’s shore is covered with black pebbles and has picture-perfect water—except that the cliffs surrounding it are white instead of red.
There aren’t any facilities or beach bars, just a few sunbeds along the shore. Here it’s pretty much just you and nature!
You can reach White Beach on foot from Red Beach or by hopping on a water taxi.
Those were all my favorite beaches in Santorini Greece! You’ll have plenty of gorgeous ocean views to explore.
You won’t regret spending your days out relaxing at any of these beaches. As always if you decide to hit up any of these spots, be sure to tag me on Insta @wtfab.
Planning a trip Greece? Get inspo from all my Greece travel guides here.
Top Beaches in Santorini Greece
Airbnb Santorini: Iconic Places to Book
Day Trips from Athens: 8 Ideas
The Best Spots for Nightlife in Santorini
The Best Santorini Views: Top Can’t Miss Spots
Planning a Trip to Greece: Everything You Need to Know
Megalochori Santorini: Discover This Charming Town
Santorini Sightseeing: Top 20 Things to Do in Santorini
Top 20 Santorini Instagram Spots
The Perfect 5-Day Santorini Itinerary
FAQs
The best beaches in Santorini are:
– White Beach
– Eros Beach
– Perissa Beach
The best months to visit Santorini are September to October or April to May
One of the nicest beaches in Santorini is Red Beach.
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
Lorna Ryan
Friday 11th of March 2022
I'm planning a trip to Italy or Greece this summer and this was so helpful! Thank you :)