12 best beaches in Santorini (black sand) – tips + photos

3 Best beaches in Santorini (for photographers)

Let's start with what I think are the most beautiful beaches in Santorini, or at least the ones where photographers will have the best time.
Exploring then are some of the best things to do in Santorini!

• Name
  Vlichada Beach (also written Vlychada)
• Interest
  This is my favorite beach in Santorini. The cliffs have been sculpted by wind and sea creating many amazing shapes. It is difficult to stop photographing them.
  Plus the beach is far less crowded than others, so you can enjoy it more (but there are also less facilities)
  See more photos on my article
• Location
  South Coast, to the East, near the Vlichada marina
  Fira to Vlichada = 20min drive
• How to get there
  I recommend renting a car - the road is correct and paved all the way to the carpark.
  The carpark is right next to he beach.
• Where to stay nearby
  There are a few accommodations around the marina. This is a quiet place to spend your holidays in Santorini.See the available accommodations & Book

• Name
  Red Beach (a.k.a. Kokkini Beach)
• Interest
  This is probably the most famous beach in Santorini. The red color like that on a beach is a rare sight on Earth.
  Your can walk 2 minutes to a viewpoint where you will see the red cliffs contrast against the deep blue of the sea.
  You can then walk to the beach but know that it is dangerous. There are frequent rock falls and slides.
  See more photos on my article
• Location
  On the South coast, South of Akrotiri
  Fira to Red Beach = 30min drive
• How to get there
  Easy drive down to the carpark (paved all the way) - you can also get there by boat
  Some organized tours around Santorini include the Red Beach in their program - See options
  And you can also see it from the distance on a catamaran tour around the South shore (my favorite activity in Santorini) - Check out program and book
• Where to stay nearby
  Red beach is close to the village of Akrotiri. North of the village, you can find many accommodations with beautiful views of the caldera.
  Check out the best rated accommodations

• Name
  White beach
• Interest
  Well, the cliffs are white 🙂 It is quite a contrast with the dark colored cliffs around or the red of Red Beach, not far from there.
• Location
  South Coast, West of Red Beach
• How to get there
  White Beach is only accessible by boat.
  It is a very small area at the foot of the cliff. But you can swim to some white rocks to enjoy the views and the sun
  

After the planning tips, you can find more suggestions for the best beaches to spend the day  or to swim.

You can find more practical maps in my eBook to help you plan your ideal itinerary around Santorini, and make the most of your time:

Is the water in Santorini warm?

I depends on when you visit... You can see my article about the best time to visit Santorini. As a summary:

• In summer you can expect the water to be around 24/25°C (75 to 77°F)
• In shoulder season it is from 19 to 22°C (66°F/68°F) - off course, Autumn is warmer that Spring
• In Winter expect the water to be around 16°C (61°F)

Wondering where to stay in Santorini?
Check out my article to find the best areas depending on your criteria and discover inspiring accommodation suggestions

3 Main Santorini beaches (largest)

• Name
  Perissa Beach which continues into Perivolos Beach (a little bit wider)
• Interest
  Perissa is famous for its black sand and shallow waters.
  To the North is the beautiful mount Mesa Vouno, where the ruins of Ancient Thera can be visited.
  It has all the facilities you may need
• Location
  South of the East coast
  Fira to Perissa = 25min drive
• How to get there
  Perissa is accessible by bus from Fira, and it easy to access by car on a paved road.
  Most cruises' shore excursions around Santorini stop there to give a glimpse of the black sand.
• Where to stay nearby
  Perissa is a full of accommodations of all sorts - Check out the best rated ones

• Name
  Kamari Beach
• Interest
  Kamari is quite similar to Perissa but a little more compact.
  The beach is black sand with all the facilities. This time Mesa Vouno and ancient Thera are to the South.
• Location
  East coast, not far from the airport
  Fira to Kamari = 20min drive
• How to get there
  Perissa is accessible by bus from Fira.
  If visiting by car, it is also easy to access with paved roads - although parking can be difficult
• Where to stay nearby
  Perissa is a full of accommodations of all sorts - Check out the best rated ones

• Name
  Monolithos beach
• Interest
  Monolithos is another option if you are looking for a large and mostly sandy beach.
  However, compared to Perissa and Kamari, there are hardly any constructions around. it is a completely different experience.
  It is often refered to as the Fira beach as it is just opposite the village of Fira on the island.
• Location
  Middle of the East Coast
  Fira to Monolithos = 15 min
• How to get there
  Bus from Fira or very easy drive all the way to the beach. Easy to park.
• Where to stay nearby
  There are a few accommodations around the beach - check out the options

3 other places to swim in Santorini

The East and South beaches are not your only options if you want to enjoy the waters of the Aegean Sea.
Below are other ideas for you to swim in Santorini.

The hidden romantic beach - Eros beach

• Name
  Eros Beach (or Theros Wave Bar Beach)
• Interest
  It is often listed as the most romantic beach in Santorini. It is a marketing thing, but I do like it.
  Like Vlichada, it is surrounded by beautifully sculpted cliffs and the canyon to get there is quite a treat.
  There is a bar and sunbeds can be rented.
• Location
  South Coast
• How to get there
  No public transportation
  The last 2km are on an unpaved track down a canyon. Not technically difficult but your rental car insurance probably does not cover you there.

Need to rent a car?
My tips:

• Compare car rental prices on Discovercars.com - one of the best customer-rated comparison sites!
• Consider their full coverage option - I always take it for peace of mind! 
• Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

Black Sand Santorini - what to expect

The reason behind the dark sand is the volcanic activity.
The latest really big eruption occurred during the Bronze age around 1600 BC. The center of the landmass collapse into the sea, while the rest was covered with ashes.
Black beaches of volcanic origin are made of tiny fragments of basalt. When lava contacts water, it cools rapidly and breaks into fragments of various size.
Most of them are small enough to be sand, while other are small rocks or pebbles.

About the "black beach Santorini"

You will see articles refer to The "Black beach of Santorini". Note that many beaches are black on Santorini, and those article may refer to different places such as:

• Most of the time, they refer to Perissa and Perivolos - they make the largest black sand area on the island
• Other times you can hear about seeing the "Red, White and Black beaches of Santorini", in that case they refer to Mesa Pigadia beach a.k.a. Akro Beach. It is close to White Beach but offers a contrast with the white and red cliffs, hence the interest created around it. This beach is only accessible by boat or via a track.

Other beaches around Santorini

Want to see more of the best Santorini has to offer?

• My Top 10 best things to do in Santorini - read article
• 25 inspiring pictures of the best Santorini landscapes to capture - read article
• My selection of the most amazing boat tours around Santorini - read article
• The best places to stay in Santorini - read article
• The best things to do in Oia - read article
• My tips on renting a car and driving around Santorini to see more - read article
• My Santorini itinerary suggestions for 1, 2, 3 days or more - read article

Planning a trip to Santorini?

Check out my travel guide eBook to help you plan:

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