Best beaches in the Cyclades

A long sandy strip with and without facilities, located in one of the most wind-sheltered locations of Naxos island. Its blue water and golden sand rank it in the first positions for beautiful beaches in the Aegean.

The beach of Manganari occupies a series of sandy coves on the south coast of Ios, away from the settlements. Despite the remote location, in the summer it has operating beach bars.

The island of Serifos is one of the low-key destinations of the Cyclades but everyone agrees that this beach deserves to be noticed. Psili Ammos has a line of trees behind the shore, very shallow seabed and warm water.

Santa Maria has fine, soft sand and it is preferred by all holidaymakers. The beach consists of a few consecutive bays.

Mykonos is endowed with many pretty sandy beaches and it is hard to choose one of them. The bad thing is that all of them get crowded in the summer and somehow it ruins the expectations of many. Ornos is one of those beaches which are suitable for everyone.

Another one of the gorgeous sandy beaches of Naxos, Plaka extends across a long strip with sand dunes, as the north area of the beach is known as Maragas, and the south one - Orkos.

All beaches of Koufonisia are distinguished for the soft sand, shallow waters and the unforgettable blue color of the sea. Pori is the longest beach of tiny Ano Koufonissi island, located next to the Ksylombatis caves.

Galissas is one of the larger organized beaches of Syros but it is calm and charming. The water is very shallow around the shore and safe even for toddlers.

Chrisi Ammos means golden sand in Greek and the name fully corresponds to this beach. With soft sand and shallow blue water, it is also one of the most wind-sheltered beaches of Andros.

Beaches around ports are not typically considered the best but Kamares is an exclusion. It lies in a large sandy bay with transparent water, with plenty of space for both those who want to rent a sunbed and those who prefer to use their own umbrellas with less people around.

Farangas is a small wind-sheltered beach, sandy and shallow around the shore. Half of the beach is managed by a beach bar in the summer, the other half is for visitors with own umbrellas.

Probably one of the weirdest beaches you have ever seen, Sarakiniko is the face of Milos. The white rock formations all around it gave it the nickname Moon beach.

The most popular beach of Santorini and one of the most colorful in Greece as well. It may not be the best place to sunbath and swim but with the vertical red cliffs and the tiny red pebbles around the shore, this a beach one can hardly see somewhere else.

Though very popular and often crowded, Kolympithres is a scenic beach that you must visit during your stay in Paros. It attracts with the greyish rocks that divide the beach into small bays and the crystal clear shallow water without waves.

Maybe you don`t know much about Kythnos island but photos of Kolona beach sometimes appear on the web in articles devoted to the Cyclades. Kolona is a tombolo because it connects Kythnos with the small islet of Agios Loukas, forming a twin beach.

The weird landscape around Firiplaka includes large rocks in various shades or red, violet and yellow, due to the volcanic origin of Milos. The sea is in contrasting blue color and the water is shallow around the shore.

Agia Anna became famous after а Luc Besson’s movie was filmed there. The view is dramatic but the beach itself is very rocky.

A strange beach with a strange name - Tis Grias To Pidima is translated as The old woman`s jump. The characteristic feature of this beach is the vertical rock which sticks out of the sea right next to the shore.

The most popular beach party destination of Mykonos is Paradise beach where loud music is on all summer long. The place attracts mainly couples and groups of young people.

Mylopotas has the fame of a party beach on a party island. In reality, just half the beach has parties going on in the summer, and Ios is more than a party destination. Mylopotas is long and wide, covered with golden sand.

Super Paradise is the equivalent of Paradise as you should know that both are very busy so sunbed reservation is recommended. Super Paradise is gay-friendly.

Also known under the name Agios Georgis, Prassa is a remote beach in under-the-radar island which guarantees a different experience. The sand is mixed with tiny white pebbles from a nearby quarry and the sea has amazing turquoise color.

Kalotaritissa is located on the southernmost part of Amorgos island. It is covered with a mixture of sand and pebbles, just opposite the islet of Gramvoussa.

This beach is only partly covered by sand and there are some pebbles and rocks around the shore but the water is fantastic. Kalivia is also one of the most wind-sheltered beaches of Tinos.

Antiparos is usually a one-day destination from neighbor Paros and few people reach its south end where the beach of Agios Georgios is located. It consists of a series of small sandy strips separated by low rocks.

Kea is the closest Cycladic island to mainland Greece but it is a low-key destination for tourists. Pisses is a calm beach on the west coast of Kea, with a beach bar and a line of trees.

With its blue water and scenic rocks Katergo attracts visitors despite the fact you can reach it only on foot or by boat.

This beach is often neglected because of the relatively large pebbles but it offers beautiful views of the nearby Nikouria islet and the mountains of Amorgos.

Kastanas is one of the most colorful beaches of Milos but it is not as popular as the rest because of its isolated location. It is accessible via dirt road in the easternmost part of the island where there are no settlement or buildings.

Vagia occupies a large bay on the south coast of Serifos. It has coarse sand mixed with gravel around the shore and very transparent but deep water.

Vlychada is one of the ”black” beaches of Santorini, because of the coarse dark sand and pebbles. But it is better known for the peculiar rock formations created as a result of the volcanic eruption.

Mikri Vigla is the paradise for kitesurfers in Naxos. It is a small rocky peninsula with beaches from both sides and almost constant wind.

Being on the north coast of Tinos, Kolymbithra is most exposed to winds coming from the north and sometimes big waves appear. There is a surf school at the beach.

Chrissi Akti, better known as Golden beach, is a popular spot for windsurf in Paros. Besides the water sports, it is also one of the nicest sandy beaches on the island.

Kalafatis is considered the best beach for windsurf in Mykonos. A windsurf school and water sports are available.