Mykonos Beaches, Greece: A Guide to Every Beach on Mykonos
Mykonos rings its south coast with organised sandy beaches, from the party sands of Paradise and Super Paradise to the family half-moon bay of Platis Gialos, and keeps its wildest, quietest beaches on the roadless north coast. Buses and kaikia (small boats) link the south-coast beaches to Mykonos Town, so you can sleep near the beach yet still go out in Mykonos Town (Chora) in the evening. The north coast has no bus, which keeps beaches such as Fokos, Panormos and Agios Sostis calm even in August. For where to stay and the island as a whole, see the Mykonos island guide.
- Region
- Cyclades
- Party beaches
- Paradise, S. Paradise
- Glamour beach
- Psarou
- Quietest coast
- North
Every Mykonos beach at a glance
| Beach | Area | Sand / pebble | Facilities | Notable for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platis Gialos | South, 3.5 km from town | Sand | Organised | Family half-moon bay, boats to south beaches |
| Psarou | South, 4 km, by Platis Gialos | Sand | Organised | Glamour, sheltered, pricey sunbeds |
| Paradise | South, 5-6 km | Sand | Organised | Party beach, open-air club after 5 pm |
| Super Paradise | South, 5-6 km | Sand | Organised | Party, naturist section |
| Paranga | South, by Platis Gialos | Sand | Organised | Quiet, campsite, part naturist |
| Agia Anna (Paranga) | South, by Platis Gialos | Sand | Partly | Small, sheltered, quiet |
| Ornos | Southwest, 2 km from town | Sand | Organised | Closest good beach, family on south side |
| Agios Ioannis | Southwest, 4 km | Sand | Partly | Split by a rock, family, church |
| Kapari | Southwest, by Agios Ioannis | Sand | None | Quiet cliff-sheltered cove, part naturist |
| Elia | South-east | Sand | Organised | Largest south beach, naturist section |
| Agrari | South-east, west of Elia | Sand | Partly | Quiet, small, part naturist |
| Kalo Livadi | South-east, 10 km | Sand | Organised | Long, clean, family; swimwear required |
| Kalafatis | South-east | Sand | Organised | Windsurf centre, fishing village |
| Agia Anna (Kalafatis) | South-east, by Kalafatis | Sand & rock | Organised | Italian holiday village, music |
| Lia | South-east, past Kalafatis | Sand | Organised | Umbrellas, tavernas, music |
| Panormos | North | Sand | Partly | Dunes, quiet, no bus, part naturist |
| Agios Sostis | North | Sand | None | Very quiet, no bus, part naturist |
| Fokos | North, Myrsini bay | Sand | One taverna | Remote, car only, part naturist |
| Merchia | North-east | Pebble | None | Remote, quiet, no tavernas |
| Myrsini (secret) | North, by Fokos | Sand | None | Isolated twin coves, car only |
| Megali Ammos | Edge of Mykonos Town | Sand | Near town | Windy, quiet, behind the windmills |
| Agios Stefanos | Northwest, 2.5 km | Sand | Organised | Family, shallow, Delos and harbour views |
The south-coast party and glamour beaches
The south coast holds the famous run of connected beaches, from the family bay of Platis Gialos to the party sands of Paradise and Super Paradise. A coastal path and kaikia from Platis Gialos link them, so you can beach-hop by boat or on foot.
Platis Gialos
Platis Gialos is a long sandy family beach in a half-moon bay on the south coast, 3.5 kilometers from Mykonos Town. Parasols, sunbeds and watersports line the sand, luxury hotels, tavernas and minimarkets back the bay, and kaikia leave from here for Paradise, Super Paradise, Paranga and Elia. A bus runs to Mykonos Town every half hour until late and the ride takes 8 minutes. See the full Platis Gialos guide for where to stay.
Psarou
Psarou sits between Platis Gialos and Mykonos Town, a 10-minute walk from Platis Gialos and 4 kilometers from the capital. The 150-meter beach shelters from the wind and shelves gently, so it suits families with small children. A dive centre and watersports operate on the sand, sunbeds and umbrellas cost more here than on most Mykonos beaches, and swimwear is required.
Paranga and Agia Anna
Paranga lies a 20-minute coastal walk from Platis Gialos, or a short kaiki ride, backed by restaurants, a supermarket and a large campsite; a bus reaches it from Mykonos Town every hour in 15 to 20 minutes. One side of the beach is naturist, the other textile. Agia Anna is the small, sheltered beach between Platis Gialos and Paranga, named after its little church and prettiest in May when flowers cover the ground.
Paradise and Super Paradise
Paradise Beach lies 5 to 6 kilometers south of Mykonos Town and plays music all day, turning into an open-air club after 5 pm; restaurants, beach bars, accommodation and a large campsite line the organised sand. Super Paradise sits alongside it, an even busier beach with a naturist section. A bus reaches Paradise from Fabrika Square in Mykonos Town, and kaikia run from Platis Gialos.
The family beaches west of town
The southwest, within a few kilometers of Mykonos Town, keeps the easiest family beaches, all reachable by bus or on foot from Chora.
Ornos
Ornos is the closest good beach to Mykonos Town, 2 kilometers away in the southwest, with regular buses. The large sandy beach shelves gently on its southern side, which suits families and draws anchored yachts, while the northern end draws windsurfers. Beachfront restaurants, supermarkets, a bakery and a pharmacy serve the resort, and you can walk to Mykonos Town.
Agios Ioannis and Kapari
Agios Ioannis sits 4 kilometers from Mykonos Town in the southwest, next to Ornos, a soft-sand beach split in two by a rock, with a church at one end and bamboo fields behind. The sea shelves gently, so it suits families, part of the beach has sunbeds and part is free, and a bus runs roughly every hour. A 10-minute walk beyond the church reaches Kapari, a small, undiscovered sandy cove sheltered by high cliffs, with no sunbeds, umbrellas or tavernas and a mixed naturist and textile crowd, so bring water.
The long sandy beaches of the south-east
The south-east holds the island's longest, cleanest sandy beaches, from Elia and Agrari to Kalo Livadi, Kalafatis and Lia. Buses run less often here, so a car or taxi helps.
Elia and Agrari
Elia is the largest beach on the south coast and the last in the southern chain, reached by bus from Mykonos Town in about 30 minutes or by kaiki from Platis Gialos in 45. The sandy beach rents sunbeds and umbrellas and keeps a naturist section beside a mixed one. Just west lies Agrari, a quieter sandy beach about a third the size of Elia, also part naturist; two tiny beaches between Agrari and Elia give naturists more room.
Kalo Livadi
Kalo Livadi is a long, clean sandy beach in the south-east, about the size of Elia, 10 kilometers from Mykonos Town and 2 kilometers from Ano Mera. The water is shallow and clear, which suits families, and sunbeds, umbrellas, a few trees, hotels and tavernas line the bay. Swimwear is required.
Kalafatis, Agia Anna and Lia
Kalafatis is a long sandy beach in the south-east that feels far from the Mykonos crowds, with hotels on one side and a small fishing village and harbour on the other; its wind makes it the windsurf centre of the island, and a bus reaches it only a few times a day. A second Agia Anna sits beside it near Kalo Livadi, an organised beach run by an Italian holiday village. Lia, just past Kalafatis, is remote yet fully organised, covered with umbrellas and sunbeds and backed by tavernas.
The quiet north-coast beaches
The north coast keeps the wildest, quietest beaches on Mykonos. No bus reaches them, so you need a car, moped or taxi, which is exactly why they stay calm.
Panormos and Agios Sostis
Panormos is a large, unspoiled sandy beach on the north coast backed by dunes; tavernas now open in summer and rent parasols, but no bus serves it, which keeps it quiet, and part of the beach is naturist. Next door, Agios Sostis is a long, uncultivated sandy beach named after the church above it, one of the quietest on Mykonos, with no sunbeds and a naturist end; a protected cove keeps it clean, and a smaller sandy beach lies a few minutes north.
Fokos, Merchia and Myrsini
Fokos is a wide, clean sandy beach in Myrsini bay, reached by a signed turn at Ano Mera and a final dirt track; it has one taverna, counted among the best on Mykonos, a naturist section and no bus. Merchia, in the north-east, is a remote pebble beach with a few fishermen's huts, one shade tree and no tavernas, so wear water shoes. Near Fokos, the isolated Myrsini coves stay among the last quiet beaches on the island, reached only over a dirt track.
The town beaches
Two beaches lie within walking distance of Mykonos Town, for visitors who want the sea close to the bars and shops.
Megali Ammos
Megali Ammos runs along the edge of Mykonos Town, starting just behind the famous windmills, and stays quiet because it catches a lot of wind. The road runs close behind it, so it is not among the best beaches, but it suits visitors who want to sleep near the town's bars yet escape the crowds by day.
Agios Stefanos
Agios Stefanos is a small organised sandy family beach in the north-west, 2.5 kilometers from Mykonos Town and 500 meters from Tourlos harbour, named after its red-roofed church. The sea shelves gently over fine sand, which suits families, and a mini-market, hotels and a good beachfront taverna serve it. From the sand you look across to Delos and Rhenia and watch cruise ships dock at Tourlos.