It’s no wonder so many travelers choose Greece for a beach vacation. While it may be renowned for its ancient history, it’s just claimed three spots on a recent ranking of the world’s best beaches by Beach.com. Using in-depth analysis, the list was data-driven and included input from travel experts, ensuring that your visit to any of them is unlikely to disappoint.
If you’re a beach lover planning to visit Greece in the near future, you’ll definitely want to consider Crete. While some of its 227 inhabited islands are better known for their pebbly or rocky coastlines, this large island is one of the most diverse and boasts the most sandy shores. In fact, the three beaches that made the list can be found here. Plus, they’re relatively close to each other, within a roughly two-hour drive along the western coast, making it easy to experience them all during one trip.
Elafonissi Beach
Ranked the No. 2 most beautiful beach in the world, Elafonissi lies along Crete’s southwestern coast. Incredibly Instagrammable, it’s renowned for its stretches of pink-hued sands, stunningly contrasted by brilliant turquoise water. Here, white sands combine with tiny fragments of red coral that wash ashore from the sea floor, resulting in the beautiful color.
The study also highlighted the high quality of Elafoniss’s crystal-clear water, among the best on the list, ensuring safety while enjoying dips surrounded by remarkable beauty.
Falasarna Beach
The next beach in Greece to rank among the top international beach vacations was Falasarna, about a 20-minute drive from Kissamos on the northwestern coast. Its impressive rating comes thanks in part to strong visitor praise for environmental quality. It was also expert-validated for its high quality of water, with surreal shades of aquamarine in the shallows, transitioning to deep cobalt farther out.
Those who stick around until dusk will be in one of the best vantage points for a sunset. The sky is painted wth scarlet reds, soft pinks, fiery oranges, and golden yellows at the end of nearly every day.
Balos Beach
North of Falasarna (11 miles northwest of Kissamos), Balos beach can only be accessed by boat or on foot. The steep but short, .85-mile trek from the parking area is worth the effort. If you arrive early, you can catch a sunrise and perhaps even enjoy the beach all to yourself. Stop to savor the view and capture a photo of the swirling, soft white sands and turquoise lagoon from the rugged cliffs before making the descent.
Once at the beach, swimming in the warm, calm waters is sure to be a highlight of your trip. The experience provides an immediate understanding as to why Balos stands among the world’s best. Beyond its beauty, it was highly rated for its water quality, validated firsthand, and its amenities, for a perfect day at the beach.
