• Arvanitia (Nafplion, Peloponnese): After a vigorous and tiring day of sightseeing, this convenient little municipal beach can seem like the best in Greece. Handy changing rooms and showers make this a great place for a quick break between exploring the ruins at Mycenae and taking in a play at Epidaurus.
  • Chrissi Akti and Santa Maria (Paros, Cyclades); Energetic beach lovers head to Santa Maria and Chrissi Akti for superb windsurfing; the less energetic will have plenty of action to watch, beach-side cafes and restaurants, and lots of lovely sand and surf.
  • Porto and Kolimbithra (Tinos, Cyclades); Two long sand beaches, both with umbrellas, cafes, and restaurants. You can walk to Porto from Tinos town, but why bother? There's excellent bus service in summer. If you take the bus to Kolimbithra, you get to see a good deal of the island as a bonus en route.
  • Paradise (Mykonos, Cyclades): Paradise is the quintessential party beach, known for wild revelry that continues through the night. An extensive complex built on the beach includes a bar, taverna, changing rooms, and souvenir shops. This is a place to see and be seen, a place to show off muscles laboriously acquired during the long winter months.
  • Lalaria Beach (Skiathos, Sporades): This gleaming, white-pebble beach boasts vivid aquamarine water and white limestone cliffs with natural arches cut into them by the elements. Admittedly, Skiathos's famous Koukounaries Beach offers a more pleasant sandy beach and is more accessible and thus more popular, but Lalaria rewards one with its gorgeous and pristine environment.
  • Myrtos (Kefalonia, Ionian Islands): Although remote enough to require you come with your own wheels, this isolated sand-pebble beach has long charmed countless visitors. It does lack shade and it offers limited refreshments -- perhaps bring a picnic -- but the setting makes up for these deficiencies.
  • Vroulidia (Hios, Northeastern Aegean): White sand, a cliff-rimmed cove, and a remote location at the southern tip of the island of Hios combine to make this one of the most exquisite small beaches in the Northeastern Aegean. The rocky coast conceals many cove beaches similar to this one, and they rarely become crowded.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.