The 10 Best Beaches Near Thessaloniki, Picked by Someone Who Lives There

Every visitor to Thessaloniki asks the same first question: “Where do we swim?” The city seafront is gorgeous for a walk, not for a dip. The good beaches start a little further out, along the Thermaic Gulf coast, which is exactly where we live.

So here's the list we'd give friends. Not the most “Instagrammable” ones, but the ones that are genuinely worth the drive, with honest words about each.

Times are from central Thessaloniki by car, without traffic, and approximate.

1. Perea

• ~20 min
• Blue Flag 2024
• Bus & waterbus

The closest “proper” beach to the city and the locals' favourite for a quick after-work swim. Shallow water, beach bars, a long promenade with tavernas. Two stretches, Kochyli and Platia Mnimis, received Blue Flags in 2024. Weekends get busy. If you don't mind a crowd, you'll love it.

2. Neoi Epivates

• ~25 min
• Blue Flag 2024
• Family-friendly

Perea's quieter neighbour. Warm, shallow water that's great for kids, organised sections and a promenade with cafés. A good pick if you want Perea's convenience with less noise.

3. Agia Triada

• ~30 min
• Blue Flag 2024 (PIKPA)

A lovely seafront promenade, calm water and a more laid-back vibe. The PIKPA section has a Blue Flag. Ideal for families who also want an ice-cream stroll afterwards.

4. Nea Michaniona (Tourbali)

• ~35 min
• Blue Flag 2024
• Fish tavernas

We're a bit biased here, since it's “our” beach. Wide sand, shallow clear water, organised and free sections, showers and changing rooms. Its big advantage: the harbour with its fish tavernas is right next door. Swim and eat fish without moving the car.

5. Riviera

• ~40 min
• Fully organised
• Beach volleyball

Just past Michaniona, on the road to Angelochori. Straw umbrellas, beach volleyball, a beach bar and a younger crowd. For anyone who likes “organised” in the good sense.

6. Angelochori

• ~40 min
• ~5 km of coast
• Kitesurfing
• Sunset

Five kilometres of coastline, little development, lots of sky. On windy days it fills with kitesurfers; on calm days it's one of the quietest beaches around. Don't leave before sunset at the 1864 lighthouse. It's all in our Angelochori guide.

7. Potamos Epanomi

• ~45 min
• Open sea
• Dunes

Many people will tell you it's the most striking beach around Thessaloniki, and we won't argue. Soft sand, clear water, Olympus views, beach bars and wild stretches too. On summer weekends, go early. More here.

8. The Epanomi shipwreck

• ~50 min
• Snorkelling
• No shade

Technically it's the far end of Potamos, but it deserves its own spot. A rusty ship in shallow turquoise water, a sand spit with two sides, and the most unlikely backstory. We tell it in our shipwreck article.

9. Nea Kallikratia

• ~45 min
• Golden sand
• Gateway to Halkidiki

On the way to Halkidiki, one of the most popular beaches between the city and Kassandra. Golden sand, fully organised, and a seafront road lined with tavernas. A good choice for families.

10. Kassandra (Halkidiki)

• ~1 hour or more
• The bluest water

If you've got a day and want postcard-blue water, head for Kassandra. Halkidiki is a whole different chapter, so it gets its own article: Halkidiki or Thessaloniki for your holiday?

Our honest advice

If you stay in central Thessaloniki, you'll spend half an hour or more on the road every day just to swim. If you stay in Nea Michaniona, half the beaches on this list are 5 to 20 minutes away, the city is half an hour, and the airport fifteen minutes. That's exactly why Theodoras House is here.

FAQ

What is the closest good beach to central Thessaloniki?

Perea, about 20 minutes from the centre by car. You can also get there by city bus or by the waterbus from the port.

Can I swim at the city waterfront?

Thessaloniki's city seafront is for walking, not swimming. For a swim, head south-east from Perea onwards.

Which beach has the clearest water?

The further south and the more open to the Aegean, the clearer: Potamos Epanomi, the shipwreck and, of course, Halkidiki.

Sources: Γαλάζια Σημαία 2024, Δήμος Θερμαϊκού · Chasing the Donkey, Best beaches in Thessaloniki · my-diakopes.gr, Παραλίες στη Θεσσαλονίκη · Greeka, Thessaloniki beaches