Explore Greece's hidden beaches beyond popular tourist spots

Greece has the longest coastline in the Mediterranean, but you wouldn’t know it by the way many plan their trips to the country. Athens, Mykonos and Santorini receive the majority of visitors, which doesn’t help with the overtourism Greece has been battling for years.

But that trifecta makes up only a small fraction of the country’s thousands of islands and nearly 8,500 miles of waterfront. There are so many more pockets to explore for warm hospitality and spectacular landscapes.

So if you want to end up in “a crush of tourists,” said Helen Iatrou, a freelance journalist based in Athens, follow the Greek travel trends you see on social media. If you want sun-soaked bliss, seek out these beaches instead.

Messenia, Peloponnese

With the exception of Athens, “many people don’t know about the Greek mainland,” said Iatrou, who has lived in Greece for more than 30 years. “And that’s a shame.”

But the mainland is about to get the Hollywood treatment. Christopher Nolan’s rendition of “The Odyssey,” which is out this week, was partially filmed in the Peloponnese, a southern peninsula of the mainland.

Iatrou recommends that visitors rent a car and take a road trip through the region. It’s sprawling, so pick one of its prefectures to explore, such as Messenia, where you’ll find some “gorgeous, gorgeous places like Voidokilia Beach,” Iatrou said.

If it’s not too hot, take advantage of the Peloponnese‘s network of hiking trails that opened up this year.

Chania, Crete

More travelers are finding Crete, which is Greece’s largest and most populous island. Part of the draw is the island’s beaches and ancient history, and part of it is the food. This year, Crete was awarded the official title of “European Region of Gastronomy” by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism. It’s where Iatrou sends food-driven travelers.

“The Cretan diet is believed to be the basis of the Mediterranean diet,” Iatrou said. “It’s pretty much almost self-sufficient agriculturally. They produce most of their fruit and vegetables, olive oil … livestock as well as fish.”

One of her favorite areas of the island is Chania, which is both a city and a region in the northwest. It’s known for its 14th-century Venetian harbor and Elafonisi, a nature reserve with a pink sand beach - which can get busy, so Iatrou recommends visiting in the mornings.

Her other beach pick is Balos Lagoon, where you’ll find “cerulean waters and white powder sand,” Iatrou said. “It has these rocky landscapes, these rust-red cliffs surrounding it … just incredible.”

Agia Paraskevi, Spetses

When Elena Papanicolaou, founder of an Athens-based tour company, , wants to “slow down and appreciate nature and simplicity,” the first island on her list is Spetses in the Saronic Gulf.

Only a two-hour ferry ride from Athens - and also easy to reach from the Peloponnese - Spetses is paradise for pedestrians, as cars are restricted to residents only. Papanicolaou says it’s a quieter alternative to nearby Hydra; it charms with pine trees lining turquoise water and neoclassical mansions. Fans of the “Knives Out” sequel “Glass Onion” might recognize this glamorous side of Spetses; the film’s party scenes were shot on the island.

Papanicolaou’s favorite beach is Agia Paraskevi, on Spetses’s uninhabited side.

Astypalaia

Ioannis Giannakakis, who runs Athens Walking Tours, sends beach-seekers to Astypalaia, an island off the southeastern coast that he says feels like the Greece many travelers imagine but rarely find anymore: “relaxed, genuinely local and full of character.”

Giannakakis said Astypalaia is known for its excellent beaches (such as Vatses, Kaminakia and Agios Konstantinos), secluded coves (like Plakes, Ble Limanaki and Chrysi Ammos), hiking trails and whitewashed churches. Locals say there are 365 places of worship on the island - one for every day of the year.

The food is another highlight. Giannakakis recommends trying island specialties such as pouggia, a crispy cheese pie with local chlori cheese, honey and cinnamon; lambrianos, a slow-roasted stuffed lamb or goat; and “outstanding local cheeses,” he said.

If you need another reason to be charmed, Astypalaia’s nickname is “the butterfly of the Agean,” thanks to its winged shape.

Xerokambos, Crete

On the southeastern end of Crete, the remote settlement of Xerokambos is a favorite escape for Villy Manolia, who is with the travel company Unforgettable Greece, because it is “largely untouched by mass tourism.”

“Instead of rows of sunbeds, you’ll find dramatic landscapes, pristine beaches, and a slower pace that’s becoming increasingly rare in the Mediterranean,” Manolia, an Athens native, said in an email.

What keeps Xerokambos quiet is its location. It’s about an hour’s drive from the nearest city, Sitia, and 20 minutes from the village of Zakros. Manolia says it’s worth the trek for “the chance to experience Greece the way locals have cherished it for generations.”

Psili Ammos, Naxos

Psili Ammos on the island of Naxos is another top recommendation for Manolia. Being a little farther from the island’s main tourist areas helps the beach stay “surprisingly quiet,” she said. Getting there is part of the fun. “The drive is one of the most beautiful on the island,” Manolia said.

She also tells visitors to combine their trip to Psili Ammos with a visit to the hillside village of Apeiranthos, where you’ll find wonderful food, marble buildings and “the most hospitable locals,” she added.

Folegandros

Mykonos and Santorini may be the superstars of the Cyclades, but for “something more dramatic and tranquil,” travel adviser Brianna Chrisopulos sends clients to Folegandros. You’ll find the same whitewashed villages and panoramic views of the Aegean that are emblematic of the archipelago, but none of the crowds.

Of the island’s three villages - Karavostasis, Ano Meria and Chora - Chrisopulos is most fond of Chora, which is perched on a cliff. If you’re staying on the island overnight, don’t miss a sunset walk up to the village’s Church of Panagia.

Charter a boat

If you’d rather forget rental car lines, busy ferries and hotel hopping, Iatrou recommends signing up for a sailing tour or chartering your own boat with companies like Seafarer Cruising & Sailing Holidays and Ionion Sails.

It’s a trip style that suits groups, whether it’s getting your friends together or taking a memorable multigenerational vacation, “and it gets you away from the crowds,” Iatrou added. “There’s no traffic at sea.”