Agios Efstratios · Beaches
Ai Stratis is a volcanic island, and its beaches show it: grey sand, fine black volcanic pebbles and pale wind-carved cliffs. Only the village beach has umbrellas. Every other beach is wild, with no taverna, no sunbed and often no one else, reached by dirt tracks that want a 4×4 or a very slow car, by a walk across the hills, or by caique from the harbour. Take water, food and shade. The sea around the island is a Natura 2000 site, with meadows of Posidonia seagrass, and monk seals breed in its sea caves.
Our favourites
Volcanic sandEasy-going
The beach of grey volcanic sand right next to the harbour, with umbrellas put out by the municipality, runs on along the shore as the pebble beach of Arkari. It is the island's evening beach: the sun sets over the harbour mouth.
On foot from anywhere in the village
Walk on to Arkari if the stretch by the harbour is busy, and stay for the sunset.
The village & the harbourStay in Agios Efstratios village
Sand & pebblesWild
The island's longest beach, about 2 km of sand and pebbles on the east coast, looking across to Lemnos, below pale cliffs carved by the wind into honeycombs. The empty beaches go on along the coast beyond it.
Across the island by dirt track, or on foot
Best when the wind is from the west and the east coast is calm.
Alonitsi & the east coastStay in Alonitsi
Pick your kind of day
Fine pebblesWild
A beach of fine pebbles within walking distance of the village, for a quieter swim without a car.
About 20 minutes on foot from the village
The village & the harbourStay in Agios Efstratios village
Sand & pebblesWild
Sand and fine black volcanic pebbles with trees for shade, about 5 km from the village. Sea lilies flower in the sand in late summer, and the sunsets here are the island's best.
About 5 km by dirt road from the village
The south coastStay in Agios Dimitrios
Fine pebblesWild
A beach of fine pebbles with very clear water, about 6 km from the village.
About 6 km from the village by dirt track
The wild coves
Fine pebblesWild
A small cove of fine dark pebbles and black rocks below a hillside of trees, a few minutes' walk below the end of the track.
By car, then about 5 minutes on foot
The wild covesStay in Trygari
Sand & pebblesWild
Sand and black pebbles, named Tripiti, 'the pierced one', after the cave in its rocks.
By car to a farm, then about 10 minutes on foot
The wild coves
Sand & pebblesWild
Sand and black pebbles with natural shade, about 9 km from the village, one of the beaches where people camp in summer.
About 9 km by dirt track, or about 1½ hours on foot
Walk it early in the day and carry more water than you think you need.
The south coastStay in Lidario & the far south
Sand & pebblesWild
Two of the furthest beaches from the village, about 9 and 11.5 km away, of sand and fine black pebbles. Ftelio has natural shade.
By long dirt track, best in a 4×4
The south coastStay in Lidario & the far south
Fine pebblesWild
Gournia, a beach of fine pebbles about 12 km away, is reached mainly by boat, or by car to a farm and a short walk. Agios Nikolaos is a quarter of an hour's walk on from it.
Mainly by caique, or by car and a short walk
Ask the fishermen on the quay about a caique to the beaches with no road.
The wild coves
Wind and sea change by the day. On windy days swim on the sheltered side of the island, and watch for red flags.
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