Best Surfing Beaches in Greece

Located on the southwest of Chania on the island of Crete in Greece, near the village of Sfinari, Sfinari Beach is a one-kilometer-long beige sand beach with many pebbles.  The beach is positioned on the edge of a lush green valley and has a beautiful backdrop of the famous Mount Koutroulis, rocky outcrops, sand dunes, and coastal vegetation including tamarisk trees and olive groves, offering spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea.

Located near the village of Pitsidia on the southern coast of Crete, Greece, Komos Beach - also known as Kommos Beach or Paralia Kommos - is a 1.5-kilometer-long beige sand beach, making it one of the longest beaches on the island.  The beach is adjacent to the well-known Afrathias Beach and has an amazing backdrop of dunes, steep cliffs, Psiloritis mountains, and unique rock formations that have formed over thousands of years due to the region's volcanic activity and the erosive action of the sea, offering Instagram-worthy views of the Messara Bay and Paximadia Islands.  The beach is divided into several unnamed smaller coves and is part of the European Union's Natura 2000 network to ensure the survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats. 

Kommos Beach also holds historical significance, as the beach was once the port of the ancient Minoan city of Phaistos, and many archaeological remains of the port can still be seen near the beach, popularly known as Komos Archaeological Site.  Visitors can explore the remains of ancient Minoan structures at the northern end of the beach, including a Minoan harbor, palace complex, and other intriguing structures, making it a point of interest for geology enthusiasts.

Located on the eastern coast of Crete, near the village of Palaikastro, Kouremenos Beach is a 1.5-kilometer-long golden sand pebbly beach with many rocky portions.  It is considered one of the longest beaches in the region.   The beach has a beautiful backdrop of the famous Cape Tenta to its north and Kastri Hill by the south, tamarisk trees, olive groves, and a few oceanfront buildings, including local shops, restaurants, taverns, and a few hotels, creating a picturesque setting along the Mediterranean Sea.

Located on the southwesternmost end of Chania on the island of Crete in Greece, Elafonissi Beach is a long and wide pink sand beach with many rocky portions and a sandbar.  The beach is recognized as one of the world’s top beaches for its unparalleled natural beauty and unique pink sand.  The sand gets its color from crushed shells and coral fragments mixed with the white sand.  The beach is positioned along the Libyan Sea and has a beautiful backdrop of rocky outcrops, dunes, and coastal vegetation, including sea daffodils and juniper trees.  The beach is part of a mile-long Elafonisi Island, which is separated from the southwest coast of Crete by a shallow, warm lagoon, namely, Balos Lagoon.  During high tide, the sandbar connecting the island is submerged under about one meter of water.   

Elafonissi Beach is home to the remnants of the Austrian ship "Imperatrix," which sank in February 1907.  The ship was caught in a fierce storm and was wrecked on the rocks near the small islet of Elafonissi.  The tragedy claimed several lives, and a large wooden cross now stands on the islet in their memory.  Later, a 23-meter-high lighthouse was constructed on the islet to prevent future shipwrecks, but it was destroyed by German troops during World War II.  At the far end of the beach, ruins can still be found near a small chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, which adds to the historical and cultural aspects of the island.

Located in the coastal village of Korfos in the southeastern part of Corinthia, Greece, Korfos Beach is a small, pebbly beach.  The beach is positioned on the Peloponnese peninsula and has a beautiful backdrop of mountains, olive trees, pine trees, and many oceanfront buildings, including local shops, restaurants, taverns, apartments, and a few hotels, creating a picturesque setting along the Sofiko Bay.

Located about 30 km east of Heraklion on the northern coast of Crete, Stalis - also known as Stalis Beach, Paralia Stalidas, or Stalida, is a popular tourist resort with a six-kilometer-long golden sand beach with many rocky portions.  It is positioned between the towns of Malia and Hersonissos and has a beautiful backdrop of many oceanfront buildings, including homes, restaurants, taverns, beachfront bars, and many hotels, creating a picturesque setting along the Gulf of Heraklion.