Some of the best beaches in Santorini to visit in 2026 are Red Beach, Perissa Beach, Kamari Beach, and Perivolos Beach, although there are many other options just as beautiful and less crowded.
1. The Beach of Vlychada
One of Santorini’s most peculiar beaches. Vlychada is a long swath of coarse black sand with white, moon-like volcanic rocks looming behind it, formed by wind, sand, and sea over millennia.
This is a semi-organized beach with sun loungers, umbrella rentals, and a few small bars. Like Ammoudi Bay, many cruise ships that tour the area start or end here.
Two enormous chimneys, originally utilized by an old tomato canning business, have been added to the landscape and converted into a museum and cultural centre. A small port can be found at the beach’s southern end.
2. Playa Kamari
The busiest and most family-friendly coastal city is Kamari. The beach is made of pebbles, so the water is extraordinarily clear, making this one of the best beaches in Santorini. Several affordable beach clubs for all ages along with the main road offer beach chairs, sun loungers, and umbrellas.
With many casual places to eat, drink, and shop, the beach path is a delightful and relaxing location to promenade at night. Further from the beach is an open-air cinema and a miniature golf course, ideal for those travelling with the family.
It is the closest of all the coastal towns to Fira, so getting to this beach is also relatively easy, as it has an excellent bus service that takes around 15 minutes to travel between Fira and Kamari.
A hill called Mesa Vouno separates Kamari Beach from Perissa Beach. Also, on the top of the hill, you can find some small and ancient ruins, so if you are interested in the cultural part of Greece, here you can discover a part, although it is not much.
3. Playa Perissa
Its coarse sand and pebbles make the water crystal clear and a striking deep blue. The row of trees on the ground does nothing more than give an even more beautiful frame to the picture of this beach.
Perissa Beach, a Blue Flag beach, is one of Santorini’s longest and best-organized beaches, with a great infrastructure that includes rented comfortable chairs and umbrellas, lifeguards, showers, changing rooms, wooden paths, water sports, a masseuse, and even a public playground, making it ideal for families with children.
Perissa also features hotels, stores, restaurants, and beach bars along the coast. It’s one of the best spots to stay in Santorini, and it’s less expensive than Fira, Oia, Firestofani, and Imerovigli.
This black sand beach is one of the favourite beaches of those who visit Santorini, and it is not for less. This is one of the best beaches to visit if you want to relax and rejuvenate.
4. Perivolos Beach
The gorgeous Perivolos beach is Santorini’s longest black beach. It is conveniently placed near Perissa. This Santorini beach is 10 kilometres south of Fira on the island’s southern edge. It stands out for its stunning azure blue waves and tranquil ambience. Various hotels along the seashore, bars, and restaurants sell fresh fish and traditional local specialities.
Perivolos is undoubtedly one of the best-organized beaches in Santorini for those seeking aquatic thrills. It has a good range of sports and marine activities, such as diving or jet skiing.
5. White beach
It’s extremely similar to Red Beach, with black stones on the beach and white cliffs surrounding it. From Playa Roja, you may reach this beach by boat or on foot.
It has no facilities, except for a few umbrellas and sunbeds along the shoreline, though the surrounding rocks also provide some shade.
6. Agios Georgios
Located next to Perivolos beach, about 3.5 km from Perissa, this beach attracts many visitors.
If you enjoy water sports, the beach is a dream come true, as it offers many options, including jet skis, diving, paddle boarding, and boat trips.
7. Cape Columbo
Cape Columbo is one of Santorini’s most pristine and wild beaches to visit in 2026. Due to the vicinity of an active underwater crater, Cape Columbo Beach is coated in powdered grey-black sand and small pebbles and has clear warm water.
There is almost no infrastructure, just a simple restaurant at the beginning with chairs and umbrellas, so if you visit this beach, don’t forget to bring your towel and some drinks.
Access is not easy, which can be a drawback if you are looking for something simple to reach, although it is a big advantage if you see how quiet and isolated this beach is.
8. Monolithos
The most family-friendly beach town is Kamari, but Monolithos (a few miles north of Kamari) is the finest for kids, with shallow waters and the loveliest sand; unlike other beaches, your small ones may build sand castles here.
There is a small children’s play area on the sand and a kite school/rental shop towards the beach’s north end, which is quiet with only a few hotels and restaurants.