Beaches in Ithaka

Filiatro Beach this is the beach that is nearest (20 mins away) to IthacaΆs capital town of Vathy. It is a popular beach for this reason with the locals, so has a friendly and traditional Greek feel. It is a pretty pebbly beach, with pebbles in all different colours and shapes which makes it unusual and great fun for children to find stones they want to take home! Most of the beaches on Ithaca are pebbly. The water here is very warm, shallow and clear, making it perfect for swimming.

Sarakiniko Beach this is a delightful beach situated on a little bay. It is often overlooked by locals and tourists as it is only 1 km away from Filiatro Beach. It is a pebbly beach that has good snorkelling potential as the waters are clean. This beach also has an area of olive trees should you seek to find shade from the sun. There are no facilities on this beach, so remember to take your own food and drink with you. However, as there are no facilities this beach is perfect for a very quiet time.

Piso Aetos Beach this is more of a port than a beach nowadays. The water is clean here so you can go swimming, but people rarely do as it is becoming so busy with boats. Boats come here from Kefalonia, so it is now becoming a rival port to Vathy the Islands capital. It has a thin strip of pebbly coastline and there is a taverna and a café here but no other facilities. This beach has shade in the morning but is a suntrap in the afternoon and combined with onshore breezes gets very hot.

Agios Yiannis Beach this is a small beautiful beach on Ithaca. It is a sandy beach which is unusual for the island. It has glistening turquoise waters, fantastic for a refreshing swim.

Aphales Beach this is a lovely secluded beach. The beach is pebbly and its best feature is that it is so deserted. It is a dramatic bay as has white limestone cliffs that provide a stunning backdrop to the blue of the sea. This is a shady clean beach. There are no facilities on this beach but there is a shop not too far away.

Kioni Beach This is a quiet, pretty, pebbly beach located 24 kms north of Vathy, the IslandΆs Capital. It is becoming more and more popular, due to its magnificent scenery, clean beach and clear waters that are perfect for snorkelling. There is a café on this beach and toilets too, but other than that there are no facilities. This beach has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. From Kioni to Frikes there are a series of small coves and bays, most are accessible from the main road between these 2 towns.

Dexia Beach is a beach which is popular with the local Greeks. It is a narrow stretch of shingle coastline and has been award the Blue Flag award, due to its cleanliness. This beach is assumed to be the place that Odysseus landed at when he returned to Ithaca, after his epic ten year journey to get home, after the Trojan War. Odysseus was the ruler of Ithaca and in Homer's Odyssey it is written that upon landing at Ithaca when Odysseus awakes from the charm that Athena had placed to stop him remembering his homeland, he kisses the ground in joy.

Skinos Beach is a quiet beach on the South East of the Island. It is accessible only by car. This beach has crystal emerald waters that are excellent for snorkeling. The scenery here is stunning as the whole bay is surrounded by trees. This is a completely uncommercialised beach, with no facilities, but one that offers a beautiful landscape and a chance to have a peaceful swim or sunbathe.

Gidaki some people consider this the best beach on Ithaca. It is accessible only by boat, there are frequent trips from Vathy the IslandΆs Capital and it takes about 20 minutes. This is a beautiful secluded beach, set in stunning surroundings. It is well worth a visit to see this magnificent beach.