Turquoise, light green or deep blue sea waters, Thassos Beaches are simply stunning!
This Greek island in the North Aegean Sea is the perfect “compromise”, rewarding both seaside lovers and mountain enthusiasts with its stunning scenery, rich underwater life and various hiking routes.
Because the best thing you can do in Thassos is beach hopping, this is how we spent three and a half days on the dreamy “turquoise island”, with a bit of hiking and snorkeling to complete the experience.
Before unfolding the little stories of my adventure in Thassos, let me first invite you to relax by taking a visual tour of some mesmerizing beaches, that will make you want to hop on the next plane to Greece.
Thassos Beaches
White sand, pebbled or marbled, these beaches are a perfect match to the turquoise, deep blue or light green little gulfs surrounding this Greek island.
The crystal clear waters in most gulfs are making it easy to see the tiny fish banks swimming close to the rocky sea bed and invite you to explore much further through snorkeling.
Some of the best beaches we visited in Thassos are:
- Saliara Marble Beach – 5 km from MakryAmmos Bungalows
- Porto Vathy Marble Beach – 5,5 km from MakryAmmos Bungalows
- MakryAmmos Beach – 2 km from Limenas
- Kalami Beach – 2km from La Giola, 9 km from Limenaria
- Trypiti Beach – 2 km from Limenaria
- Aliki Beach – 23 km from Limenaria
- Limenaria Beach – 20 km from Limenas
- La Giola, a natural pool in Thassos, 7 km from Limenaria
Porto Vathy Marble Beach, Thassos
- White sandy beach with tiny marble pebbles, turquoise water, perfect for couples
- 5,5 km from MakryAmmos Bungalows
- 10 Euro/ 2 sunbeds & umbrella
We spent most of our beach time in Thassos on this fine white marble shore, really a small gulf at the bottom of the marble quarry.
The water here is a visual delight, ranging from clear white and turquoise by the sand to deep blue beyond the gulf. It’s not the clearest water and there are small chances to see fish here, but we loved it because of its visual appeal.
The scenery is beautiful, with a view of the forest and the marble quarry, and there are lots of sunbeds and a beach bar that also serves food. There is music near the bar, and two beach volleyball courts.
It’s more suitable for couples (as long as you don’t mind the topless sun bathing).
We felt great on this beach, even if it was a bit crowded when we got there (around noon), so you might want to check it out in the morning.
Saliara Marble Beach, Thassos
- White sandy beach with tiny marble pebbles, Turquoise Water, Snorkeling
- 5 km from MakryAmmos Bungalows
It’s the famous Marble Beach, white pebbled, with turquoise and deep blue water, smaller than Porto Vathy, but in a similar color palette. It’s surrounded by higher green hills, and the water is clearer, thus offering snorkeling opportunities.
This beach looks like paradise for sea lovers, and it’s probably even more beautiful in May (off season, but still warm). Now, at the end of July, it was so overcrowded with people that we couldn’t find any free umbrella or sunbeds to rent. Perhaps if you come really early in the morning, you can get a shaded place and enjoy a whole day on this astonishing beach.
Pro Tip! How to get to the Marble Beach / Beaches in Thassos, Greece
Whatever you do, don’t take the shortcut road to Marble Beach when coming from Chrisi Ammoudia! We did take this road by mistake, and I can tell you it’s a no go. First, you’ll be mostly alone all the way, going through mean curves covered in white dust, some thick forests, then through the marble quarries, and after 50 minutes of adrenaline, you’ll arrive scared out of your mind to these lovely marble beaches.
The easy way to Marble beach is on the main road (the one surrounding the island), then towards the MakryAmmos Bungallows, and then 5 km on the white dusty wide path to Saliara Marble Beach. 500 meters beyond Saliara, you’ll find Porto Vathy Marble Beach. This road has also a 5km strip of white marble dust, not suitable for city cars, so when you rent a car, ask for a 4×4 or just take an ATV;
MakryAmmos Beach, Thassos
- White shimmering sandy beach, crystal clear green water, great scenery, snorkeling
- 2 km from Limenas
- 6 Euro/person for 2 sunbeds and 1 umbrella
- Private beach with entertainment facilities and parking on site, Family – friendly
MakryAmmos is one of the loveliest beaches in Thassos as it has crystal clear green water and white shimmering sandy beach.
The water level near the shore is really low, making it perfect for families with small kids.
The scenery at MakryAmmos beach is fantastic, and it’s wider and longer than most Thassos Beaches.
It even has its own tiny island! It’s delightful to swim here or go fish hunting with your snorkeling mask.
There are numerous beach entertainment facilities, beach bar and restaurant, tennis court and bungalows. You can even rent a bungalow in the small forest nearby and say hi every morning to the peacocks wandering free on the premises.
Kalami Beach, Thassos
- Pebbled beach, clear blue water, pebbled seabed, snorkeling and scuba diving, quiet
- 2km from La Giola, 9 km from Limenaria
- 2 drinks, 2 sunbeds and 1 umbrella for 5 Euro
Kalami beach is not in the top beaches of Thassos, and maybe that’s why we enjoyed it so much. It was so quiet around noon, and it felt like the perfect place to relax after the hike we took to La Giola (the natural pool).
We loved this small beach so much because of its vivid underwater life and its tranquility. The cliffs nearby make the scenery very beautiful and offer some jumping points for sea lovers.
Most of our underwater videos are made here, as we spent 20 minutes chasing the colorful fish gathered around us.
And the interesting part of the Kalami Beach experience is that you can actually “call” the fish banks to you.
Step 1- walk on the algae bed of the rocks for 2 or 3 meters and make sure you’re near the largest rock (use water shoes); Step 2 – wait for 2 minutes and look behind you, retracing your steps. There! The fish banks will follow you, making it easier to catch them on your camera.
The trick is really a simple one: when stepping on the stones and rocks covered in algae, you actually tear small bits and pieces of the seaweed bed, thus calling the fish banks to lunch.
Snorkeling is nice, but I bet scuba diving is amazing. And this is the only beach in Thassos where I’ve seen scuba divers all geared up to look for the exotic fish banks beyond the shore.
Trypiti Beach, Thassos
- Gold sandy beach, clear green water, nice scenery, snorkeling, family friendly
- 2 km from Limenaria
- 15 Euro for 2 sunbeds and umbrella (drinks might be included in this fee)
- Private beach, parking options on site, restaurants, beach bar, small shop
This beach has clear green waters with deep blue areas, the beach is sandy, but with some pebbles, and the sea bed is full of pebbles, thus making it a great place for snorkeling.
It’s great for families with kids because of the small fish swimming near the shore, but also because Blue Dream Hotel, owners of the beach, offer numerous entertainment facilities.
The cliffy scenery is a delight and the beach is larger and longer than most Thassos Beaches, thus making it more comfortable and quiet.
Limenaria Beach
- Blue sea, sandy beach, pebbled sea bed
- 20 km from Limenas
- Buy 2 drinks at any beach bar and use their sunbeds and umbrella for free
It’s a nice enough beach, with clear waters, but it’s a bit too small (2-3 meters). If you’re staying in Limenaria, you can chill on the sand or at one of the bars, just to take a break from all the driving around the island. Otherwise, it might be better to visit Aliki or Trypiti beaches, which are close by.
Aliki Beach
- Turquoise sea, pebbled beach and sea bed, family friendly
- 23 km from Limenaria
- Grab 2 drinks from the Koala Bar and use the sunbeds and umbrella for free
Because Paradise Beach was too far away from Limenaria, we decided to stop at one of the beaches down the road. And so we arrived, somehow unplanned, to Aliki Beach.
This turquoise little gulf is really beautiful and it has everything you can wish for: lovely water, a pebbled and sandy beach, rocks and cliffs to climb, white yachts in the background, a beach bar, and a restaurant with a view.
It’s really close to Limenaria, so if you’re staying there, take a short trip to this lovely place.
La Giola, the natural pool in Thassos
La Giola can be a rocky beach for the adventurous and hiking enthusiasts.
It’s actually a natural pool built in a rocky shore on Thassos Island, and a reward for the brave travelers who decide to go hiking for 2 km on +30 degrees Celsius (like us :)). You can find it 7 km from Limenaria, from which 5 km can be done by car and 2 by foot. Some say the hike is not worth the trouble, but you’ll decide once you get there.
After we finished hiking, we saw a white bearded old man smiling at us from a small 4×4 car. For 4 Euros/person, he would take tourists from the parking spot at the Kalami Beach to La Giola (2km). We didn’t see him around at noon, when we began our hike, but I bet he was drinking his coffee at the Kalami Beach bar, so you might want to check it out before you hit the dirt road.
The other viable transport option from Kalami Beach to La Giola is the ATV, because even the 4×4 cars found on the road had difficulties in getting to the rocky natural pool.
Tips & info on going to the beach on Thassos Island, Greece
Going to the beach in Thassos requires a little extra “equipment”, but you can find it in the nearest city shop.
- Snorkeling mask is a must! Many of the beaches offer snorkeling opportunities you don’t want to miss.
- Special shoes, because you’ll find rocky sea beds on most beaches, as well as sea urchins (I’ve seen some on Kalami beach).
- The Aegean Sea is extra salty, making swimming really easy for children and adults alike, not to mention more comfortable for parents whose children love to play in the water. So it’s also a good idea to use water glasses.
If you arrive to Thassos by plane, it’s recommended to rent a 4X4 car or ATV, so you can go to these amazing beaches and discover many more on the island’s shores.
There are two other great beaches I’ve heard of in Thassos – Paradise Beach and Golden Sands Beach, but we only stayed for three and a half days (it’s the closest island to Bucharest, Romania – 650 km), so we didn’t have the time to visit them all.
Thassos Island, Aegean Sea, Greece | July 2016 | My mobile photos only – Copyright: © Ana Matei | GoPro Hero4 photos & video – Copyright: © Vlad Isac
Hope you enjoyed this tour of Thassos Beaches (Greece), and you’ll share it with your friends. Thank you.
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