The island of Lemnos has about one hundred beaches that are spread over the island. Most of these beaches are good and fairly large sandy beaches with clean and clear seawater. The beaches in the north, sometimes get a visit from the Meltemi, a summer breeze that regularly blows over the islands of Greece (but also can bring coolness). The beaches in the east of Limnos are generally well suited for wind surfers because of the waves. This is also the case for the beaches in the north. Good and great sandy beaches can be found on the south and the west coast of the island. As is usual on more islands in Greece if you want to find the quieter beaches you must make an effort and sometimes you can only reach these beaches on foot or in a Jeep, because you have travel over a dirt road to get there.
The beach of Agios Ioannis lies on the west side of the island of Limnos, at 6 kilometer distance from Myrina and 1.5 kilometers of Kaspakas. Sometimes it is simply called "Kaspakas Beach" after the nearby village. The beach is surrounded by large vulcanic rocks. Agios Ioannis beach is a long and sandy beach with a few pebbles and the water is very clear here. At the beach there are a taverna and there are a couple of accommodations. North of Agios Ioannis Beach lies the lesser know beach of Karvoulonakis.
In the first bay north of the capital Myrina you find the sandy beach of Avlonas (1 kilometer distance). This is an organized beach with parasols and sunbeds. There are also accommodations and tavernes at the beach. Opposite the beach are vulcanic islets, making the beach suitable for snorkeling and fishing. Avlonas is more quiet than the beaches in Myrina itself.
Myrina Beach is the beach inside the capital of the island Limnos. It is a long and clean sandy beach with facilities including parasols and sunbeds, watersports possibilities, tavernes and accommodations. You can surf or water-ski here. Romaikos Gialos Beach is an organized beach in Myrina offering facilities as well, just like the popular Riha Nera Beach (meaning "shallow waters")
Plati (or: Platy) is a small but picturesque village with white washed houses and red tiled roofs, set on the top of a green hill, a little south of the capital Myrina (2 kilometer). In the village there is a large white church with a bell tower. Down below in the green and fertile plain in front of Plati is one of the prettiest sandy beaches (700 meter long) of Limnos and there is a port with sailing boats and small yachts. This beach is an organized beach with amenities (water sport facilities) and it is one of the more busy beaches of the island. It comes with tavernes, bars, a supermarket and a couple of accommodations. The beach is is popular with both the tourists and the local people and since it is shallow it is also safe for children.
Next to Plati is the village of Thanos which lies in a green area and is surrounded by low hills. Thanos is situated at 4 kilometer distance from the capital Myrina in the southwest of the island. In Thanos there is also a long sandy beach, where you can have a view of the island of Agios Efstratios. The waters at the beach are cristal clear and it is surrounded by strangely shaped vulcanic rocks. It is an organized beach and parasols and sunbeds are for rent. There are a couple of tavernes and there a some hotels where you can rent a room. The actual village of Thanos is situated a bit higher up the hill and overlooks the bay. Thanos is an old and pretty village with white houses with red roofs and with narrow streets. In the village you can find a couple of kafenions, a taverna and some shops. There are some simple accommodations on offer in the village of Thanos. Thanos beach has a special section for naturists.
Evgatis Beach or Evgati Beach is a beautiful sandy beach that lies in a bay on the south side of the island of Limnos. It is an organized beach with parasols and sun beds for rent. It is the domain of the Evgatis Hotel with its 22 rooms. The beach is 6 kilometer south of the capital Myrina and it is a wide and 4 kilometer long sandy beach. Almost everywhere it is described as one of the most beautiful beaches of the island. To the west are volcanic rocks and a river shares the beach into two parts.
Cape Tigani holds more coves and small bays with sandy beaches.
Diapori Beach is situated close to the villages of Tsimandria and Kontias in an area with a lot of deserted windmills and traditional vulcanic rock houses. It is a quiet beach, but there is a taverna where you can get something to eat. The Fakos peninsula in the south houses a lot of wildlife and there are some farms. It is in fact an ecological park.
Kokkina Beach is situated on the west side of the Fakos peninsula at 11 kilometer distance from the capital Myrina. Its name means "red" and it has been given this name because of the reddish colour of the sand on this beach. The colour of the seawater is green-blue. Quite close to Kokkina Beach is the church of Agia Efthimia that you can find by taking the coastline path, starting from the beach of Kokkina. Kokkina beach can only be reached by a 7 kilometer long dirt track. It is a quiet beach and one of the last "secret beaches" of the island. There are no facilities here so you must bring your own water and food and preferably a good sun block lotion.
Nea Koutali, the "new" Koutali is no more than a 100 years old. It was set up by refugees from Asia Minor. Most of the inhabitants were occupied in the naval industry or sponge fishing. In Nea Koutali there is a Museum of Naval Tradition and Sponge-fishing. On exhibit are sponges, diving equipment, pictures and objects that the divers found on the bottom of the sea. Nea Koutali also has a very nice beach with tavernes and some accommodations. The nearby capital of the municipality, Kontias, is one of the larger villages on the island of Limnos, and dates from the Middle Ages. Inside Kontias there is a castle that dates from 1346 AD, which has been converted into a monastery.
Aliki or Alyki Beach is one of four large sandy beaches in a row on the east side of the island of Limnos. It is situated east of the saltlake of Aliki. I name it in the category "south east" but actually it is more on the north east side of the island. This is a way to combine a visit to the saltlake with a dip in the sea. The wetland of Aliki is full of (bird)life in winter and spring, but dried out and white in the summer.
Keros Beach is situated in the east of the island in between the two lakes. It is a 4 kilometers long sandy beach situated in a bay 2 kilometres from the village of Kalliopi. The sea waters are clear and the beach is quite shallow. There can be some wind here and the waves on the southern part of the bay are usually quite high while there are almost none on the north side. At the beach of Keros there is a surf club. Keros Beach is concidered one of the safest windsurfing places in Greece because it's in the half moon shaped bay and the wind usually blows towards the beach. Sometimes the waves can be 4 meters high.
Makrys Gialos or Makris Gialos Beach is situated in the south east of the island, between the beaches of Louri and Keros and just south of the archeological site of Poliochni. The distance to the village of Moudros is about 7 kilometer. Makrys Gialos is a few kilometers long and it is a sandy beach surrounded by green and sandy hills. There can be quite some wind at the beach and it is considered an excellent place for windsurfing. Makrys Gialos is away from the crowds and it is a very quiet beach.
Louri Beach is a quiet, a bit isolated and unspoiled beach in the south east of Limnos, not far from the village of Skandali. Louri is a beautiful sandy beach with some rocks in the water. There are no facilities at Louri Beach (no tavernes, no accommodations). If you go there bring your bottle of water and a good sun lotion.
Close to Moudros are three beautiful sandy beaches in a row: Chavouli, Sagrida and Fanaraki. At the last beach you can also find a tavern and a beach bar. These beaches can be found south of Moudros and they are in a landscape with vulcanic rocks. The road leading to the beaches is unpaved and more suitable for a 4-wheel drive car. Fanaraki Beach consists of two beaches, Mikro (small) Fanaraki and Megalo (large) Fanaraki. Mikro Fanaraki is situated in a small cove. Both Fanaraki beaches are organized with facilities.
There are more quiet beaches in the area, like for instance the fine sandy beach of Parthenomytos with its green waters. Parthenomytos Beach, like these other beaches, can only be reached over a dirt track. There are some trees on this beach that were planted especially to provide the visitors with some shade. At Parthenomytos there is a small coffee bar where you can get refreshments.
Skidi Beach is situated south of Moudros, underneath the beach of Chavouli and can only be reached by driving over a dirt track. This is an isolated, quiet and sandy beach with some pebbles. The waters are usually calm, without the high waves, and the colour of the water is greenish like in Parthenomytos Beach.
Neftina Beach is close to the archeological site of Kavirio, in the north east of the island of Limnos. After leaving Kavirio and before the village of Agios Alexandros you will see a sign pointing to the beach. The last part of the trip to Neftina Beach is over a dirt track which is in bad condition. You can walk or it would be wise to go by 4-wheel drive. After 5 minutes on this road, you will arrive at the beautiful and quiet beach of Neftina. Neftina is a long and sandy beach with clear waters. The beach is shallow, so it is suitable for children. No amenities here (no parasols & sunbeds, no accommodation, no taverna) so you have to bring your own water and food and a good sun lotion. A quiet few hours at the beach of Neftina can be easily combined with the nearby archeological sites of Hephaisteia (Ifestia) and Kavirio. These two sites are situated very closeby south of the beach.
Zematas Beach is situated in the north east of the island, close to ancient Kavirio and not far north of Neftina Beach. This is an isolated and very quiet long sandy beach.
Plaka Beach is situated in a cove in the extreme north east of the island of Limnos (with another beach south of it). It can be reached by following a path from the village of Plaka. Plaka is one of the prettiest and picturesque villages on the island of Limnos, with white washed and friendly houses, a nice white church with a separate bell tower and a lighthouse. There are views over the Turkish mainland and another (Turkish) island.
Kotsinas Beach is situated in the north of the island of Limnos, not far west of the archeological site of Hephaisteia. In Kotsinas (sometimes spelled "Kotsinos) you find the Byzantine Castle of Kotsinas which was built in Kotsinos castle was not built in 1207 during the 4th crusade occupation by the venetian family of Navigajosi. In 1361 it was repaired by the Gatelusi family who ruled Lemnos up until the Turkish occupation. In Kotsinas just outside the yard of the Church and overlooking the sea, stands the statue of a local hero holding up a sword. It is a woman named Maroula. In 1478 the people from Limnos joined the Venetian forces to battle against the Ottoman Turks. Maroula saw how her father was killed by an invader while he was defending the entry to the fort. She picked up his sword, which was lying beside him and then charged against the enemy with much ferocity, inspiring the other people of Limnos. Thus she became the symbol of heroism. The combined forces and the heroism of Maroula forced the Turkish invaders to take their ships and flee from the port. The freedom did not last very long. In 1479, one year later, the island was occupied again and remained so until it was joined with Greece again in 1912. Kotsinas is a small village situated in a bay. There are a couple of tavernes and there is a concrete pier and a small harbour with fishing boats. On the north side of the village lies the beach backed by sand dunes. One of the hotels on my page (the Varos Village Hotel) has set up its own private part of beach with free sunbeds and parasols, and a snackbar. The beach is 3 minutes away from the hotel by (free) shuttle bus service.
Agios Ermolaos Beach with its red rocky coast is situated north west of the village of Kotsinas. It is a quiet and sandy beach with shallow waters and no high waves, making it safe for families with children. There are no facilities / sunbeds / parasols / tavernes here, so you must bring your own water and food, and a good lotion for protection against the sun. Agios Ermolaos Beach can only be reached by private transport or on foot. The name of the beach derives from the Chapel of Agios Ermolaos that was built in 1867. It's a small stone build church standing on the top of a small hill just above the beach. From here you have a view over the bay and the large sandy beach of Agios Ermolaos.
The beach of Gomati in the central north of Limnos is set in a cove, at three kilometers north of the village of Katalakko. Gomati Beach is a quiet beach with clear waters and it has the largest sand dunes of the island (and actually the largest sand dunes of the whole of Greece and locals refer to it as "the only desert in Europe"). In the area of Gomati lies the monastery of Megisti Lavra. In the 14th century many settlements and farms in this district used to belong to the Monasteries of Athos. This included the small uninhabited island of Sirghisti north of Gomati. Gomati can only be reached over a dirt track from Katalakko (so go on foot or hire a 4-wheel drive car). Gomati Beach supposedly is also a good spot for windsurfing because of the Meltimi winds that can blow here (normally beaches on the north of an island are more affected by the wind).
Papias Beach is situated near the village of Papias in a small deep cove. This place is concidered an excellent place to go fishing. It's a nice beach but it can be affected by the northern winds.