Best 7 beaches in Athens

Hello traveller! In this article we are going to talk about the best beaches we can find in Athens and the surrounding area. Also I will explain you how to get to each one of them, as it’s not always easy to find the way…

• Do you want to know which is the most beautiful beach in Athens?
• How to get there without getting lost in public transport?
• Are you looking forward to a dip in Greece’s famous crystal clear waters?

Then you’re in the right place: After reading this article you will discover which beach is really worth it and you will find the most convenient for your holidays.

List of beaches in and near Athens

To answer these questions, so that you have all the information to choose the best beach, and also know how to get there; I present you our super-list of the most beautiful beaches near Athens.

Obviously I have NOT included all of them, as there is an infinite number of beaches around Athens. However, NOT all of them are worth it, and here we want to give you only the best. Let’s get to it!

Edem, in Paleo Faliro

Located in the region of Paleo Faliro, Edem beach is the closest beach to the centre of Athens. It is a sandy beach, quite clean and with very nice views of the Aegean Sea (adorned with beautiful palm trees growing from the sand).

How to get to Paleo Faliro?

First of all you must go to Syntagma, the most central and famous square in Athens. Getting here is very easy and quick; on the one hand there are a lot of buses that stop at the square, and on the other hand you also have a metro station with connection to lines 2 and 3 (red and blue respectively).

Super easy!

Next, next to the tram station you will see a bus stop, where you will have to take bus number “A2”. This bus will take you directly to the coast, i.e. to your destination.

When you reach the area of Paleo Faliro, which will take less than 30 minutes, you can get off the bus and walk a few more minutes until you reach Edem (the most beautiful beach in the area);

BUT!

If for whatever reason, you don’t want to walk or you prefer to visit a better beach, I recommend you NOT to get off the bus yet and keep reading this article.

Traveller’s tip:

When you want to get around the centre of Athens, which will be most of the time, I recommend using the metro over the bus. It is a MUCH less complex means of transport for tourists (and for those of us who have lived here for a long time), as well as being quick and reliable in terms of timetables and availability.

Alimos Beach

Following the steps I have just given you, and waiting ONLY 7 more minutes before getting off the A2 bus, you will arrive at Alimos beach. The good thing in this case is that you will NOT have to walk at all, as the bus arrives at the very entrance of the beach.

Alimos beach has a private and a public area, so to speak, let me explain:

In Greece there are many beaches that are divided between an area dedicated to cafes and bars in the area, which place their own sunbeds and umbrellas directly on the sand, and another area for bathers who do not want to consume in any establishment.

As for prices, each café and/or restaurant has a different policy, but generally they have a minimum cost of 5 euros per sun lounger. Simply for the fact of using it, just to put your butt on it, you MUST pay. Which (usually) includes a drink, be aware that everything will be more expensive than usual.

BEWARE!

This price range applies to beaches that are close to the centre of Athens, since if you are travelling to the islands, the price of a hammock will be much higher…

Personally and although it is quite beautiful, Alimos beach is NOT one of my favourites, not at all. Because we are still too close to Piraeus (port of Athens), and the water could be much cleaner and more enjoyable.

But wait, I will give you better alternatives later:

PS: You may have heard of Kalamaki beach, which is very close to this point, but I don’t recommend it either 🙁 . Kalamaki is a smaller beach, which shares the same water with Alimos but lacks the beauty and amenities of the former… 

Glyfada beach

The third closest beach to Athens, and one of the most worthwhile of course, is Glyfada beach.

This beach is so called because it is located in the famous neighbourhood of Glyfada, considered the richest neighbourhood of Athens, and WITH REASON!

A very positive point of this place is that, apart from enjoying a beautiful beach, you can also go for a walk in the area. Glyfada is one of the favourite neighbourhoods (also for the locals) when it comes to shopping and/or dining out.

How to get to Glyfada?

Although not as close to Athens as the aforementioned beaches, Glyfada is better connected to the city centre. If you are looking to get directly to Glyfada beach, the same bus number “A2” will take you there. But in this case you can also take the “A3” bus to the same neighbourhood (which stops at Syntagma again);

Personally, I think that Glyfada beach is the best option for a tourist who wants to spend the day, because besides being a beautiful and well-kept place, you can take a walk through this very interesting neighbourhood of Athens;

However, let me let you in on a secret:

Both Paleo Faliro, Alimos and Glyfada are 3 very good options, yes, but generally Athenians do NOT swim at any of these beaches….

Why?

Well, the further you go away from Piraeus, the cleaner and clearer the water becomes. This is something the locals value highly. This is up to you, as someone who lives in Athens has more time to travel than a tourist on holiday.

If, when you travel, you also like to visit the less touristy and more local-focused places, then read on!

Voula Beach

As I was saying, of all the beaches that Athens has or is close to, the ones that come here are the least touristy. It is also true that they are not so close to the city, but a good swim in the Aegean Sea  is worth the effort. 🙂

If you want to enjoy a family day out, Voula beach is your best option. However, as usual, sometimes you have to pay for the good things… This case is NO exception, Voula beach is a private beach, which means that the entrance fee costs money.

Even so, the general opinion is that it is well worth it, as it is only a few euros per head (variable amount) and the facilities and maintenance of the beach are quite good.

In this beach near Athens you will enjoy a good service and everything you need (cafes, restaurants, leisure areas…) to spend the whole day. To get there you need to take the same bus we have already been talking about, the “A2”. 

In conclusion:

Voula beach is highly recommended if you are looking for comfort, however if you want something NOT private and more Greek, the following option will convince you more:

Kavouri beach, in Vouliagmeni

One of the best beaches in Athens, or at least the favourite of many Greeks, is Kavouri beach.

The entrance fee is 0 euros, something that is usually very popular. It is also a sandy beach with crystal clear water (two things that I personally appreciate a lot). These are the advantages of being further away from Piraeus… 

However, it won’t take you much longer to get there either, as the same bus will take you to Kavouri beach as well. There is one thing I would like to point out here that might be of benefit to you when you come to Greece:

There used to be a tram that left from syntagma square in Greece and did the same route as this bus, which made us NOT have to depend so much on the latter. Currently the tracks are under repair, a long process that seems to be never going to end by the way…

But in case you are lucky and they are finished when you are here, you should take tram number 4 or 5 (from Syntagma square). This will also get you to any of the aforementioned beaches, as the tram connects all the beaches on the east coast of Athens (where the best ones are).

Last tips from Kavouri beach:

Generally Greeks bring from home EVERYTHING they need to enjoy the day; from lunch for the picnic, to the sun lounger/hammock and umbrella to be comfortable. 

Even so, for 3 euros you can have a hammock and umbrella once you are there, a highly recommended option as (I imagine) I don’t think you plan to bring these items in your suitcase on the plane?

Paralia Varkiza

Also known as Yabanaki and Alianthos, Varkiza beach is also a very interesting option among the beaches around Athens.

You will see that in the title I have written the term “Paralia Varkiza“, as this is the Greek name of the beach and, in this case, the way you will be able to find it on google maps;

Among the different opinions you can see on tripadvisor and other platforms; people highlight the beauty of the place, the crystal clear water, the clean state of the sand and the good service they offer.

The price of all this is over 5 euros (it goes up during the weekend), so it is above the average of the other beaches near Athens. In addition, the drinks are expensive and leave a lot to be desired.

Personally, I don’t think that Varkiza beach is the best choice; it is nowhere near the centre and doesn’t offer anything better than the others. For all these reasons, I think that Athens has better beaches…

So far, the best beaches near Athens, but I would like to make two special mentions closely related to this topic:

Lake Vouliagmeni

I have included Vouliagmeni in this list of beaches near Athens, even though it is NOT a beach, as there is a lot of misunderstanding about this Greek destination.

• Is Vouliagmeni a lake or a beach?
• Is it open access or private?

Well, it depends, but let’s settle these doubts once and for all:

Vouliagmeni is an area or region of Greece, located near Athens, where you will find the beach of Kavouri, among others. However, there is also a lake called Vouliagmeni.

So, on the one hand, the beaches of the Vouliagmeni region are public, while the lake is private, and the entrance fee is 10 euros.

Compared to the beaches in Athens, visiting Lake Vouliagmeni is more expensive, but it is a much more beautiful and special place. And now comes some not-so-good news…

You need your own car or other vehicle to get to Vouliagmeni, but you can find VERY cheap deals to rent one.

Piraeus

Finally, I want to make a special mention to Piraeus, as many people ask me about this place and, above all, if you can swim there.

The answer is a resounding “NO!

Piraeus is the port of Athens, and although it is on the coast (obviously), there are no beaches in the surrounding area. There is the occasional spot where you can walk down to the water and swim, but it is not recommended.

Due to the large number of boats arriving and departing from the port of Athens, the water in this area is very dirty. No Greek has ever bathed there, so there must be a reason!

So we have already answered the big question: 

Athens DOES have a beach, and we have seen that there are a LOT of beaches in the surrounding area, you know the nice ones and how to get there. 😉

Personally, I would recommend the beaches of Glyfada and Voula above the rest. However, if you have a car, Vouliagmeni (lake) would be the best option.

If you have come this far: 

Thank you very much, dear traveller, for reading me and trusting in our advice. We sincerely hope we have provided you with valuable content 🙂 If so, please let us know: Please, the comment box is yours, I would love to read you there. Also, feel free to ask any questions, as I promise to answer them.

But above all, have a wonderful holiday in Greece.

Did you like this article about the best beaches near Athens? What do you want me to write about next time?