Beach Guide

When we first visited the area in February 2004, we found the beaches amazing- great sweeps
of sand with stunning views and not a soul on them. When we returned in July/August, we expected the beaches to be just as beautiful but full of people. We were astonished to find them just as empty as they had been in February! Without a doubt, the quality and variety of nearby beaches is probably the most compelling reason to visit the area, though there are many others.

Below is a sample of just a few of the very many nearby beaches all within easy reach,
starting with the nearest.

Velikas Beach

This long sweep of sandy beach faces south and nestles in the arms of the two peninsulas of the Mani and Messinian County. It is about a 15 minute drive and is probably our favourite beach. The area we go to even has a small river flowing out into the sea,

and in the early summer evenings we have heard nightingales singing in the trees along the river bank. It is an amazingly beautiful and peaceful location, backed entirely by farmland. There is an area of Eucalyptus trees for shade if the sun is too hot, but the one end there is a beach bar which is open in high summer. A gentle breeze usually keeps the temperature on this beach comfortable.

Due to the immense size of this beach there is never any problem going naked as it is easy to find an area where there is no-one else within sight. Panoramic View

Smuggler's Cove

This beach is our little secret and is just oustide our local village of kalamaki. It is a charming little cove all by itself and is always deserted. However, reaching it is not for the faint-hearted, as the last few metres,
after and easy walk through native scrub, involves a fairly steep scramble down the rocks to reach the beach below.

Romanos Beach

About an hours drive from Kolpos Thea will bring you to this wonderful sweeping beach of golden sand.

At first glance you see a concrete car park and often there are camper vans parked along the edge.
However, by walking a little way down the beach you soon find yourself wandering along an empty and beautiful beach backed by natural scrub and trees.

Hrisi Amos

This is a wonderful sandy beach about 45 minutes away backed by small sand dunes and scrubby bushes. The sand
shelves very gently into the sheltered water, an ideal beach for young children. There is an area at the far end
which is often frequented by naturists and is a stunningly beautiful location.

Makrinamos

There are two beaches in our local village of Kalamaki. One,Kalamaki Beach, is small and quite pebbly and the other is a marvellous sandy beach backed by low cliffs and with a lovely view across to the Mani on the far side of the bay. The beach is 5 minutes drive and 25 minutes walk. Opportunities for naturism are less on this beach as there are a few houses behind the beach and there tend to be a few family groups on the sand. However, there are various little inlets and tiny, very pretty beaches alongside the main beach where discreet naturism is possible.

Voidokilia Beach

This beach is famous for being the most beautiful beach in Greece! it is an amazing horseshoe shaped beach with a lagoon behind it, making one of the most unusual and dramatic settings for a beach you are ever likely to see. There are two ways of approaching the beach. You can park in a small car park right at the end of the road that backs Hrisi Ammos beach. You can walk up to Paleokastro from here and from the old castle you will get the best view of Voidokilia beach. Alternatively you can walk an easy path alongside the lagoon, pausing to watch the wildlife as you go. This walk takes you about half an hour and brings you to some large sand dunes at the back of the beach.

The other approach takes a little finding driving down the narrow country lanes to the Northern end of the beach, but there you will find a large car park and you can walk straight onto the beach.
Because of its reputation, this beach can get quite busy in high season, but is still quiet outside of August and the end of July and genrally is a textile beach.

Panoramic View