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The 10 best beaches in Santorini
Santorini is famous for its strikingly photogenic volcanic caldera lined with glitzy hotels, snow white villages and picturesque blue domed churches. But the Greek island also has a handful of spectacularly lovely beaches, perfect for cooling off after a long day's sightseeing. From black sand strands framed by towering cliffs, to brick red beaches lapped by translucent turquoise waters, gently curving bays lined with laid back bars or crowd-free secret coves that can only be reached by boat, this sun dazzled Cycladic island has something for every taste.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best beaches in Santorini. Find out more below, or for more Santorini inspiration, see our guides to the island's best hotels, restaurants, bars and things to do.
Perissa
Framed by Mesa Vouno, the island's highest mountain, Perissa's black sand, Blue Flag-awarded beach is a magnet for families, and wheelchair-users will find ramps for easy sea access. Back from the beach a seafront promenade is lined with tavernas, bars and souvenir shops.
Getting there: A 20-minute drive or 35-minutes bus-ride from Fira.
Insider tip: Feeling energetic? Hike from here to the ruins of Ancient Thera, up on Mesa Vouno hill.
Vlychada
On the island's southern tip, Vlychada's low-key beach is surprisingly little-known, perhaps because, apart from a diminutive fishing port and a few tavernas and departure point where catamarans leave for sunset tours, there are few facilities here. Its pretty grey and pebble beach is backed by a line of rugged cliffs, making it a well-kept local secret.
Getting there: It's a 20-minute drive from capital Fira.
Insider tip: Escape the heat in Vlychada's quirky Tomato Industrial Museum and find out more about one of the island's staple crops.
Kamari
Packed with feet-in-the-water tavernas, souvenir shops and bars that morph to lively clubs as soon as the sun goes down, this easy-to-reach beach with its sweep of black volcanic sand is one of the island's most cosmopolitan seaside haunts. With several watersports centres there's plenty of fun for activity lovers, too.
Getting there: It's a 15-minute drive from Fira; in summer there are buses every half hour.
White Beach
Less visited than many other beaches because of its difficult access, this blissfully secluded beach derives its name from the creamy white cliffs that sweep down to a succession of coves. Dotted with chalk-coloured pebbles, they provide a startling contrast to the turquoise waters below.
Getting there: By boat from Ammoudi Bay or hike from Red Beach.
Mesa Pigadia
After a thrilling swim from White Beach – through a small sea cave – you will find the clear sheltered waters of this lesser-visited black pebble strand. Backed by brightly painted huts that fishermen once used to store their boats, the area is perfect for snorkellers.
Getting there: It's a 25 minute drive from Fira (partly via a dirt track). Boats also leave from Akrotiri.
Insider tip: Wear watershoes (there are sea urchins).
Red Beach
Backed by ochre cliffs descending to a small bay with rust-coloured sands, this is the island's most striking strand. Dramatic rock formations make perfect platforms for leaping into the blue waters beneath.
Getting there: It's a perilous cliff hike from Akrotiri's Minoan archaeological site; there are also boats from Ammoudi Bay.
Insider tip: Although the beach is currently safe, there have been landslides in the past – check with your hotel before going.
Thermes
This hidden gem beach is a peaceful haven where you can laze on red and black volcanic sands, swim in mirror clear water or explore the beach's ancient rock-carved chapel with only gulls for company. It's remote, reached via an hour-long hike from the pottery stores and family-owned tavernas of Megalochori.
Getting there: A way-marked trail leaves from the Boutari Winery in Megalochori.
Insider tip: There are no tavernas or beach bars, so bring food, water and sunscreen.
Agios Nikolaos
Tucked in a cove beneath Oia's cobbled alleys and blue-domed churches, this hard-to-find beach on the far side of Ammoudi's taverna-lined bay is popular with locals, who come here to escape the summer crowds.
Getting there: Follow the scenic 300-stepped path from Oia.
Insider tip: Join fellow swimmers to sip thick and syrupy elleniko coffee in one of Ammoudi's waterside tavernas afterwards.
Monolithos
Named for its single, sentry-like white rock (mono lithos), this narrow windswept beach standing in the airport's shadow is another popular spot with Santorinians, come here to kick back on the sands or feast on freshly made local treats in a handful of family-run tavernas.
Getting there: A 10-minute drive from Fira.
Riva
Easily reached from Ammoudi's fishing port, the tiny island of Thirasia was part of Santorini before the volcanic eruption in 1600BC. Just opposite the volcanic atoll Riva's black-pebble beach has striking views of Oia.
Getting there: In summer there's a ferry that makes the ten-minute crossing from Ammoudi Bay.
Insider tip: Riva's only taverna is one of the island's best – order their Greek salad made with local chloro cheese.
How we choose
Every beach in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We consider a range of needs and styles, from lively bar-lined beachfronts to quiet coves – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest developments and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Based in Greece for more than a decade, Heidi Fuller-Love is Telegraph Travel's Santorini expert. Endlessly wowed by those captivating caldera views, she loves visiting in winter when she has the famed volcanic island all to herself.
