Vlichada Beach Santorini (also written Vlychada) is my favorite beach on the island, even above Red Beach.
This place is often overlooked, but for those enjoying photography and rock formations it is a great playground.
Below is my guide to show you why and help you make the most of your time.
Before all my tips + photos, let me share my favorites to plan your Santorini trip:
My favorite platform to rent a car in Santorini: Discovercars
My favorite boat tour: full-day catamaran to see the colorful cliffs - very impressive!
My favorite day trip to explore Santorini: Highlights Tour with a little bit of everything!
My favorite places to stay to explore the island:
- In Oia, the most famous area on the cliffs: Marizan Caves
- In Fira, the most central to explore by bus: Keti Hotel
- In Kamari for a stay by the beach: Hotel Sunshine
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Why visit Vlichada Beach in Santorini?
I don't understand.
Most lists of the 'best things to do in Santorini' do not include Vlichada beach... but it was my favorite place on the island!
It is not what you have in mind when you think Santorini - no white houses on cliffs, blue domes etc.
But, if like me, you love tortuous geological formations and photography, you will adore this beach. The cliffs are fascinating!
Just have a look at this picture below... one of the most beautiful beaches in Santorini!
The carving of the cliffs by the elements, really looks like a sculpture!
Some refer to this fascinating beach as 'Moon beach' because they see it as a lunar scenery.
Sadly, investors are trying to take over this unique landscape. Some have suggested to make it a national park and I hope they can preserve it.
Planning Tips & Map - Vlychada Beach Santorini
Vlichada Beach location - MAp
- Vlichada is located on the South Coast of Santorini
- You can locate it on the map below
- It is often written Vlychada (because of the upsilon letter in the Greek spelling Βλυχάδα), but the road sign use an 'i' so I am doing the same
- Note: It seems that there is also a Vlychada beach on the islands of Kalymnos and Rhodes - do not mix them up!
Vlichada Beach location - South Coast Santorini
Vlichada is included in my eBook to help you plan your itinerary in Santorini:
Be overwhelmed by the Beauty, not the Planning!
- 6 easy-to-plan Maps
- 40 scenic locations and photo stops to consider for your itinerary
- Planning tips to make the most of your time
- GPS coordinates for peace of mind
- 90+ photos to help you select where to go
How to get to Vlichada beach Santorini
- The beach is easy to access by road.
- It is paved all the way to the large carpark - however it is not the best road on the island
- I have not seen any organized tours that take you there, except for the sailing ones as they start at the marina (but they don't give you time to enjoy the beach)
- So it is better to rent a car - check out my article about driving in Santorini
- Perissa to Vlichada = 15min drive
- Kamari to Vlichada = 25min drive
- Thera (Fira) to Vlichada = 25min drive
- Oia to Vlichada = 45min drive
- There is a bus connecting from Thera (Fira) but it is not that frequent - check out the timetable
Need to rent a car in Santorini?
My tips:
- Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com - one of the best rated comparison sites!
- Choose the car and company you prefer (prefer a compact car for the narrow village roads)
- Consider their full coverage option - I always take it for peace of mind!
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
Exploring Vlichada
- The beach is quite long and not as crowded as others
- Plan 1h to wal along the beach and back and take photos
- There is a beach bar in Summer
- Mix of black sand and small pebbles
- Sunbeds and umbrellas in Summer
- Bring watershoes as the ground gets rocky underwater
- At the end of the beach (opposite end from the carpark) you will cross path with naturists
- There are a few accommodations around the marina - if you are looking for a quiet vacation, this is a great option - See the available accommodations & Book
- You can also visit the fun Tomato industrial museum not far from the beach - see section at the end of the article
Where to stay in Santorini?
My tips:
- My favorite white village to stay in: Oia - See best rated accommodations
- For exploring the island by bus: Fira - See best rated accommodation
- For enjoying the beach and nightlife: Kamari - See best rated accommodations
- For cheaper options: Emporio - See best rated accommodations
- For beach time away from the crowds: Vlychada - See few accommodations
Find more inspiration in my article about where to stay in Santorini
The marina of Vlichada
Despite being a superb beach, most tourists visiting Vlichada only go to the marina. This is where the catamaran tours depart.
This is one of the best things to do on the island as it takes you along the South coast (with red beach and white beach) and to the center of the Caldera. If you have 1 free day, i strongly recommend it - I booked this one and had a great time.
The marina is quite charming with a mix of small fishing boats and larger tourism catamarans.
If you do the Catamaran tour, you will see the cliffs of Vlichada from the distance...
View of Vlichada cliffs from Catamaran
The black beach of Vlichada Santorini
Vlichada is quite a long beach by Santorini's standards.
At the marina end is the carpark and a beach bar. This is where you can find a few sunbeds in Summer.
Since Santorini is a volcanic island, Vlichada is a black beach
You walk on a mixture of black sand and small pebbles.
The water is relatively shallow at the beginning but get deep quite quickly.
Bring watershoes as it gets rocky underwater
Since it is more isolated and cannot expand because of the cliffs, it is less crowded than other beaches.
As I visited, there were only around 20 people on the beach why was easier to take pictures.
Just remember that at the end of the beach you may find naturists, which makes taking pictures more complicated...
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The Vlichada cliffs
The star of the Vichada beach show is the geological wonder that are the cliffs.
The steep wall of rock is several meters high. It has been beautifully sculpted by the wind and the sea.
I don't think I have ever seen such and intense natural sculpture.
Below is a close-up for you to see the amazing work of the elements. Those rocks are thousands of years old.
This unique landscape in Santorini is ofter compare to the moon and the beach is then called Moon beach.
I will let the pictures show you how amazing it is...
Hiking in Santorini - Trail 13
So you can simply walk the length of the beach and back, or you can keep going on the Hiking trail 13 on Santorini.
It connects Akrotiri to Vlichada with 5,2km of beach, walking path and dirt road.
The Tomato Industrial Museum
And as if the beach was not unique and fun enough, there is another activity you can enjoy right by the beach... a visit of the Tomato Industrial Museum.
It is quite an original way to spice your Santorini trip, and take a brea from the white architecture and the deep blue sea..
Open Daily from 10am to 6pm except Mondays.
Entry for 10 euros.
The tomato of Santorini has been cultivated on the island since the end of the 19th century. It is cherry-sized. It has a distinctive flavor and high sugars, which is why it is ideal to produce tomato paste.
Despite the lack of water for irrigation, it grows thanks to the morning moisture trapped by the soft volcanic soil.
At the museum, you can:
- Watch a video about the history of tomato culture and tomato sauce production on the island
- Take a guided tour of the old factory and learn about the different tools used in the process
- Taste the tomato sauce
The factory is also home to some art exhibitions in the other buildings.
Want to see more of the best Santorini has to offer?
- My Santorini itinerary suggestions for 1, 2, 3 days or more - read article
- The 12 best beaches 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
Be overwhelmed by the Beauty, not the Planning!
- 6 easy-to-plan Maps
- 40 scenic locations and photo stops to consider for your itinerary
- Planning tips to make the most of your time
- GPS coordinates for peace of mind
- 90+ photos to help you select where to go
Want to see more of Santorini?
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