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The best beaches in Santorini are the black-sand beaches of Perivolos and Perissa for beach clubs and swimming, Kamari for families, and the unique Red Beach for sightseeing. Because Santorini is a volcanic island, its beaches consist of dark pebbles and sand rather than the golden sand found on other Greek islands.
| Looking for… | Best beach | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall & beach clubs | Perissa & Perivolos | One continuous ~4 km black-sand beach with the island’s best beach clubs, watersports and bus access |
| Families & kids | Kamari | Calm, shallow water, sunbeds and lots of amenities (plus an open-air cinema) |
| Most unique / sightseeing | Red Beach | Towering red volcanic cliffs near ancient Akrotiri — best for photos and snorkeling (narrow, short visit) |
| Most romantic | Vlychada & Eros | Quiet, dramatic scenery and sunset lounge bars away from the crowds |
| Secluded / nudist-friendly | Koloumbos & Vourvoulos | Remote black-pebble beaches you reach by car — rarely crowded |
| Watersports & kitesurfing | Monolithos | Wide, breezy beach by the airport with a dedicated kite school and the island’s finest sand |
| Fish tavernas & cliff jumping | Ammoudi Bay | A fishing cove below Oia (rocks, no sand) famous for seafood and sunset |
Ammoudi, Kamari, Perivolos, Perissa, and the unique Red Beach are some of the best beaches of Santorini, but these are not the only ones.
Santorini’s beaches are mostly covered in black pebbles and thick white or black sand, and they are well organized with many amenities and things to do.
You should visit some delicious beach bars in Santorini while on the Perissa, Perivolos, Kamari, and Red Beach beaches.
BEST BEACH HOTEL IN SANTORINI:Petri Suites
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The crystal clear turquoise water will be one of the most impressive things you will notice if you swim (ideally between June and October, as this is when the waters will be warm enough), and this alone can be one of the highlights of your trip to Greece.
It’s no secret that Santorini has some of the best beaches in Greece for any situation: families, young couples, seniors, honeymooners, or even solo travellers.
To be 100% honest with you, Santorini is not a Greek island famous for its beaches, and I genuinely believe other Greek islands (e.g., Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes, Naxos, Paros, Ios, etc.) have much better golden sand beaches.
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Read Also: Best Beach Hotels in Santorini
But Santorini’s beaches have their charm, unique geological formations, and cute black or white pebbles (which can become super hot in the summer, so be careful…).
Moreover, most are very well organised and have plenty of opportunities for water sports fans.
Perissa and Perivolos (Agios Georgios) are the same long beach. Perissa is at the end of the long black sand beach of Perivolos. It’s undoubtedly the busiest and most organised beach on Santorini.
Crystal clear waters, black pebbles, fantastic atmosphere, relaxing couches, lounge music, and lots of sun-beds where you can relax all day. Perissa is also the place to visit if you want to listen to some famous DJs from all over the world, it’s the beach to play beach volleyball, and drink some amazing cocktails by the beach.
Read Also: Where to Stay in Santorini
In Perissa, you can also do all the water sports you can imagine (jet ski, sea ski, sea bananas, etc.). This is also the beach where most locals, Greek tourists, and even celebrities hang out.
Here is a fantastic video showing what Perissa beach looks like:
It’s straightforward to go to Perissa and Perivolos. It’s about 15km from Fira, and a regular bus service runs every 30 minutes during the summer months (check the Santorini Local Bus Schedules).
A taxi from Fira should cost no more than 20 euros. If you have a car (Rentalcars.com is the best website to book a car for Santorini), just take the road to Emporio village from Fira and follow the signs. They are everywhere!
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
The great thing about staying close to the beach is that you will pay significantly less than at a hotel with caldera views. However, Perissa, Kamari, and Perivolos beach hotels are cheaper and do not have quality amenities. This is important to remember when choosing the best area to stay in Santorini, as this might be the one for your budget.
These are the best hotels in Perissa:
Perissa is home to some of the best beach bars in Greece, so make sure you visit them while there. While some organize parties with famous DJs worldwide, they are mostly chilled-out and relaxing places.
The best beach bars in Perissa are:
Also, the other important thing about Perissa beach (and all the black-sand beaches of Santorini) is that you must wear shoes or flip-flops during the summer months because the black sand and pebbles become so hot that they can seriously burn your feet!
Kamari is one of the most famous and easily accessible beaches of Santorini.
It is a long beach with black sand, pebbles, sunbeds, and umbrellas.
Kamari beach is the best beach to visit with kids or seniors and it is the most family friendly location of Santorini.
It is very well organized, and some might consider it very touristic. Still, it is a fantastic beach, with excellent diving opportunities from the rock that overlooks the beach on your right-hand side as you look at the sea. You will find many beach bars, tavernas, restaurants, and cafes.
Here is a great video showing Kamari Beach:
It’s easy to go to Kamari Beach, as long as Fira is your central hub (if you don’t have your means of transportation).
It’s about 10km from Fira, and a regular local bus service runs every 30 minutes during the summer months (check the Santorini Local Bus Schedules).
A taxi from Fira to Kamari should not charge you more than 20 euros for such a trip.
If you have a car (the best website to book a car for Santorini is Rentalcars.com), take the road to the airport from Fira and follow the signs. On the way there, you will pass through some impressive wineries too. The trip is 10-15 minutes from Fira.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
Kamari has some impressive new hotels and (mainly) private beach villas you can rent. And as always, because you will be staying at one of Santorini’s beaches and not paying for the famous views, you will be getting more for what you pay (compared to Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani, etc)
These are the best hotels in Kamari:
You can spend the whole day at Kamari beach, drinking cocktails, relaxing, sunbathing, and swimming. But when the sun sets, you will start feeling the romance in the air, and it is probably time for you and your other half to enjoy a movie under the stars at Kamari Open Air Cinema, which is easily one of the best things to do in Santorini.
Perivolos beach is the extension of Perissa beach (or the other way around…) and is part of Santorini’s famous long black beach.
Perivolos has some excellent luxury hotels, but does not have the famous Santorini caldera views, as they are basically on the beach. But for many people, this is undoubtedly the best beach in Santorini.
Read Also: Where to Stay in Santorini
Many people who travel to Santorini in July or August prefer to stay at Perivolos instead of Perissa. It can be slightly quieter and more relaxing since it is a bit further away from the crowds of beach bars and restaurants of Perissa.
Perivolos is a beautiful, wide sandy beach (with black sand and pebbles) with crystal clear waters and lots of sunbeds to relax or read a book.
Here is a video showing what is happening on Perivolos in the summertime:
The way to Perivolos beach is the same as the way to Perissa, as they are on the same long beach.
It’s about 10km from Fira, and the local bus service, which runs every 30 minutes during the summer months, will take you there for 1.80 euros (check the Santorini Local Bus Schedules).
There is a different bus stop for Perissa and one for Perivolos, but you can walk from one to the other.
A taxi from Fira to Perivolos should not charge you more than 20 euros for such a trip.
If you have a car (the best website to book a car for Santorini is Rentalcars.com), just take the road to the airport from Fira and follow the signs to Perissa and Perivolos. The trip is 10-15 minutes from Fira.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
Perivolos has many new hotels, and as with every other beach hotel in Santorini, you will get more for what you pay because you will miss the famous and touristic views of Imerovigli, Fira, and Oia.
These are the best hotels in Perivolos:
Perivolos is the same beach as Perissa, but it’s quieter. It’s the perfect location if you want to relax but still be close to lots of restaurants and beach bars (walking distance). It is ideal for kids as they can spend a whole day on the beach and be super happy!
Vlychada beach is a unique landscape with massive white rocks and a relaxing atmosphere.
The beach is so big that it is never packed with people, and there is always space for everyone.
You won’t find any noisy beach bars or watersports here, though. The beach is organized with umbrellas and sunbeds (not free, though…).
At the end of the beach, you will notice the chimneys of an old factory, which is now the Santorini Tomato Museum (a good spot for photography lovers…set these DSLRs on fire!),
Next to the beach is a lovely small fishing port with a few restaurants serving fresh fish and seafood.
Here is a great video showing Vlychada Beach and its raw beauty:
You can only go to Vlychada beach if you have your own means of transportation or need a taxi.
Plenty of signs are everywhere in Fira, but the same road goes to Akrotiri. You will see a sign on your right side, leading to both Vlychada and Eros beaches.
A taxi from Fira to Vlychada should not charge you more than 15 euros for such a trip.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
Even though Vlychada is a bit off the beaten path, it has some excellent hotels, and it can be a place to stay if you want to avoid any touristic areas altogether. But remember: renting a car is highly recommended if you remain in Vlychada.
These are the best hotels in Vlychada:
Vlychada is a very relaxing beach without any busy bars or cafes. That means bringing your food and drinks will always be good, but there is also a beach canteen with many sunbeds.
Red Beach is arguably one of Santorini’s most famous and unique beaches. It’s pretty apparent why it is called “The Red Beach”.
The volcanic lava, red rocks, red pebbles, and red sand surrounding the crystal clear sea waters create amazing scenery that is unique to this area.
However, it’s a very narrow beach; if you’re there in July or August, expect it to be crowded.
It is indeed a unique landscape with amazing colors, but not a terrain for flip flops, as the path to get there is quite steep, narrow, and rough:
Here is a great video showing the Red Beach and the path to reach it:
If you want to reach the red beach, prepare for some hiking through the red rocks that lead to it.
When reaching the archaeological site of Akrotiri, turn right, park in front of the chapel of Agios Nikolaos, and continue on foot (no flip-flops!).
You can also take a boat from the archaeological site Rahidi to the Red Beach, which runs every half an hour and costs 5€.
The Santorini bus from Fira to the Red Beach goes to Akrotiri.
A taxi from Fira to Akrotiri (and then the Red Beach) should cost no more than 25 euros.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
Red Beach is not where you’d find any hotels, but Akrotiri (the town just next to Red Beach) has been developed extensively over the last five years, with new excellent hotels popping up yearly.
Some of the most impressive private villas of the island are also located in Akrotiri (like Adelante Villas 88)
These are the best hotels in Akrotiri:
If you research the internet, you will probably find many reports saying that Red Beach is dangerous and you shouldn’t visit it because there have been falling rocks, etc. The truth is that once on the beach, you will notice that the area close to the red rocks is barricaded to protect people from any debris. But in any case…be careful! Also, Red Beach is ideal for snorkeling! The geological formations provide an amazing and colourful sea bottomthat could surprise you!
Koloumbos Beach is one of Santorini’s longest, most secluded, and quiet beaches. It is also the only nudist-friendly beach in Santorini, where you can enjoy a big part of the beach.
So, it will be you, the rocks, the black pebbles, and the amazing blue water, as not many people swim at Koloumbos beach (even during the high season).
Koloumbos is the perfect place to escape the tourist masses of Santorini and spend a relaxing and quiet day. It is far from everything, though it is close to Oia (but quite far away from Fira).
Here is a video showing the beauty of Koloumbos or Columbos (and Cambia, a nearby beach):
Unfortunately, if you don’t have your car, bike, or quad, you cannot visit the Koloumbo beach as no local buses can take you there.
You can take a taxi, though.
A taxi from Fira to Koloumbos beach should not charge you more than 30 euros for such a trip.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
There are minimal options to stay around Koloumbos beach, and to be honest with you, Koloumbos might not be the place to stay if you want to visit Santorini. The area you can stay closest to Koloumbos beach is Oia.
These are the best hotels in Oia:
Koloumbos beach is not inherently bad, but bear in mind that it is a nudist-friendly beach, which might not make it an attractive location for families and kids (unless you are fine with it)!
Katharos Beach is another tranquil and non-touristic beach of Santorini. It is a small, narrow beach with black and white pebbles under massive white volcanic rocks. It’s a beach with wild beauty and raw charm.
Katharos is very close to Ammoudi and Oia in general, and the sunsets from the beach are magical.
Here is a quick video showing the beauty of Katharos beach and its wild beauty:
You can only reach Katharos beach mainly by car, bike, or ATV from Oia or Ammoudi bay (it’s a 5-minute drive), but you can even walk from Ammoudi or Oia if you want to. It’s about a 30-minute walking distance from Oia and about the same from Ammoudi.
You can take a taxi, though, from Fira (the central taxi hub on the island).
A taxi from Fira to Katharos beach should not charge you more than 30 euros for such a trip.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
Katharos Beach is not full of hotels and resorts, and it remains one of the most unspoiled areas of the island. However, if you want to be close to Katharos Beach, you’d better stay close to Oia.
The area you can stay closest to Koloumbos beach is Oia.
These are the best hotels in Oia and around Katharos beach:
Katharos sunsets have become more popular, but there is still time to visit this amazing small beach. Once you arrive on the beach, you will easily see the only beach bar around, the impressive Katharos Lounge. The vegetarian food these guys offer, along with the fantastic views and relaxing atmosphere the whole place has, can easily be the highlight of your trip to Santorini, away from the tourist masses.
Monolithos Beach is a very long and wide beach that is pretty close to the airport (don’t worry—the airplanes won’t disrupt you).
It is a very kid- and family-friendly beach with sunbeds and umbrellas. A few tavernas and restaurants are also present, mainly serving fresh fish.
The sand at Monolithos beach is possibly the best on the island and is similar to the one you will find in Kamari.
Monolithos is the best beach for water sports and kite surfing, and the guys at Santorini Kite are earnest about it.
Here is a quick video showing the beauty of Monolithos beach:
You can reach Monolithos beach mainly by car, bike, or ATV from Fira, Kamari, or Pyrgos.
You can also take the bus to the airport and then walk from the airport.
It’s not more than 20-25 minutes walking distance from the airport.
But as always, you can also take a taxi from Fira.
A taxi from Fira to Monolithos beach should not charge you more than 15 euros for such a trip.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
Monolithos Beach is a quiet area with a few hotels and rooms to rent. Nothing is very impressive, though, and the best you can do is stay closer or at Kamari, which has many more hotel options.
These are the best hotels in Kamari:
Monolithos beach is the best area for watersports on the island (Santorini Kites are some of Greece’s best kitesurfers!). A day at Monolithos beach can be a great family day, as the beach is well organized and very wide for kids to play around. Once you finish swimming, do yourself a favour and eat fresh fish and seafood at Skaramagkas Tavern.
Ammoudi is not a beach but a small fishing village below Oia with excellent fish restaurants and remarkable red and black rocks for cliff jumping.
There are no sunbeds or sand around, making Ammoudi unsuitable for young kids or elderly people who want to swim (though the older ones will appreciate cliff jumping from the rocks!).
But you don’t necessarily have to swim at Ammoudi Bay; you can enjoy dinner or lunch at the magnificent fish restaurants at the edge of the small port.
Here is my video of Ammoudi Bay:
It’s very easy to go to Ammoudi, but unfortunately, no bus can take you there.
If you have a car, you can just follow the signs from Oia. It’s only a 5-minute drive, and there is a small parking lot at Ammoudi where you can park your bike, ATV, or car.
If you don’t have a car, you have to take the local bus from Fira to Oia and then basically walk all the stairs/path from Oia down to the bottom and back up (that’s the difficult part…especially if you had eaten…).
You can also take a taxi either from Oia or directly from Fira.
A taxi from Fira to Ammoudi bay should not charge you more than 25 euros for such a trip.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
There is only a handful of hotels at Ammoudi bay, as most people stay on top of the cliff, which is Oia…
If you want to stay at Ammoudi Bay, then these are the best hotels in that area:
If you want to go from Oia to Ammoudi, you will notice that the path/stairs leading to the sea level bay can be a bit tiring. However, please DO NOT RIDE THE DONKEYS THAT WILL BE OFFERED BY SOME PEOPLE TO TAKE YOU TO AMMOUDI. These poor animals are not treated very well under the heat of the Greek summer, and they are suffering. By paying for this service, you support this cruelty. Apart from this, please do yourself a favour and eat at Katina’s Fish Tavern. Easily some of the best fish and seafood on the island…
Eros Beach is difficult to reach, making it one of the island’s most secluded and beautiful beaches.
“Eros” means “love” in ancient Greek…so you can understand why this is also a secret wedding venue and a romantic place.
It has an extremely relaxing atmosphere and possibly the best beach lounge bar on the island: Theros Wave Bar.
This is how Eros beach and the beach bar in Vlychada look:
It is not very easy to go to Eros Beach, as you need your means of transportation, and the road there doesn’t have asphalt.
You should take the road that leads to Vlychada Beach. At one point, you will see a sign warning you to turn right for Eros Beach.
If you don’t have a car, you must take the bus to Vlychada and then hike the rough road (not easy…).
You can also take a taxi from Fira, which should cost you about 25-30 euros (for the same price, you can rent a car for a whole day…).
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
There are no hotels around Eros Beach. Hopefully, it will stay like this forever, as any buildings around will ruin the beauty of the scenery… Instead, you can try staying in Vlychada.
Though Theros Wave Bar is awesome and one of the most romantic places on the island, the place is not cheap. Expect to pay 20-40-60 euros for a pair of sunbeds during the high season, and you only get to know that after you sit down, as there are no signs (the difference in the prices depends on how close you are to the sea water). However, you can always visit the beach in the “greek style”: your mobile sunbed, small freezer with drinks and fresh fruits, and… away from the crowds!
Vourvoulos beach is one of the quietest beaches on the island, similar to Kolumbos and Monolithos beaches on the island’s western side.
Apart from a few restaurants behind the beach (typical everywhere in Greece) and a small fishing port, nothing else exists.
The beach is definitely off the beaten path, and to be honest, you should only visit it if you have first visited all the other beaches on Santorini, as there is nothing special about it.
This video shows what Vourvoulos looks like:
If you decide to visit Vourvoulos Beach, you can only do so with your car, bike, or quad.
It a 15-20 mins drive from Fira.
You can also take a taxi from Fira to Vourvoulos, which should cost about 20 euros.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
Vourvoulos is off the beaten path and doesn’t offer many hotel choices. There are, however, some really impressive private villas you can stay at:
The best and only place to get something to eat at Vourvoulos is the small Greek restaurant behind the beach called “To Limanaki“. Some people say they had the best food on the island on this Santorini beach…
If you are deciding between Mykonos or Santorini purely for beaches, Mykonos wins easily — its golden-sand beaches are far better for a classic beach day, as I explain in my guide to the best beaches in Mykonos. Santorini’s appeal is different: dramatic volcanic scenery, caldera views and unique black- and red-sand beaches, rather than sunbathing on soft sand.
Greek islands with better sandy beaches than Santorini include Mykonos, Naxos, Crete, Milos and Paros. Come to Santorini for the volcano, the sunsets and the black sand — and treat the swimming as a bonus.
Yes. Santorini has more than 11 organized beaches, but they are volcanic black-sand and pebble beaches rather than the golden sand found on islands like Mykonos or Naxos. Perissa, Perivolos and Kamari are the best for swimming and beach clubs.
Santorini is a volcano, so most of its beaches are made of dark volcanic sand and pebbles. The black sand absorbs heat and becomes very hot in summer, so water shoes or flip-flops are recommended.
Perissa, together with its continuation Perivolos, is the best all-round beach: a roughly 4 km black-sand stretch with beach clubs, watersports and easy bus access from Fira. Kamari is the best pick for families and the Red Beach is the most scenic.
Perissa is livelier, with more beach bars and nightlife, while Kamari is calmer and more family-friendly and has an open-air cinema. Both have black sand, sunbeds and umbrellas, and a regular bus from Fira.
The sea in Santorini is warm enough for comfortable swimming from June to October. Outside those months it is still swimmable but cold for most people, and between November and May it is chilly.
No. Santorini’s famous caldera and volcano views are from the clifftop towns of Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia. The beaches sit on the flat outer coast, so you get beach life or caldera views, not both at the same spot.
The Red Beach is one of Santorini’s most iconic sights and is best for photos and snorkeling. It is narrow and can get crowded, and the cliff has a barricaded rock-fall zone, so wear proper shoes and stay behind the barriers.
Santorini has no true golden-sand beaches. Vlychada is framed by white moon-like cliffs, but the sand itself is dark. For golden sand, visit nearby islands such as Naxos, Paros or Crete.
These are the best Santorini beaches: Perissa, Perivolos, Kamari, Red Beach, Ammoudi, Katharos, Vourvoulos, Vlychada, Eros Beach, Koloumbos, and Monolithos.
There is no doubt that Crete’s and Mykonos’s beaches have far better golden sand, but that’s Santorini—its beaches are about volcanic scenery, not soft sand.
If you only have time for one beach, then visit Perissa Beach, as it has everything. It is perfect for couples, solo travellers, honeymooners, families, kids, and seniors (there are no steps at all). It is also very easy to reach with the local bus from Fira.
If you are visiting Santorini in the winter you won’t be able to swim between November-May as the seawater will be pretty cold for most people’s standards but in June, July, August, September and October the seawater is perfect and swimming in the sea is by far one of the best things to do in Santorini.
We recommend these trusted resources to compare rates, read reviews, and secure bookings for your upcoming trip to Santorini and Greece:
Best rates on hotels, luxury suites, and traditional caldera villas.
Compare and book Greek buses, coaches and trains — including KTEL routes that are hard to book online.
Stay connected with local Greek eSIM data packages starting at just a few dollars.
Last updated: August 14, 2026
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