Surfing in Greece is mainly for those with a sail in tow and kitesurfers, but there is a growing scene around a few key spots when the winter months bring windswells and the odd groundswell. You just have to know where to look. Oh yea, and you get all those tavernas and stunning beaches on the side, remember?
An introduction to surfing in Greece
Garlic-filled tzatziki, stacked moussaka, old Mythos beers on the beach – these are the things we come to Greece for. Surfing in Greece? Surely not! But there is, you know. There are waves in this famously calm corner of the Mediterranean Sea, where the usually name of the game is topping up the tan on idyllic islands and eating so much that you can’t move.
It’s true that Greece isn’t going to offer the same barreling shore and point breaks you get in other European gems like Portugal or Spain. But, with over 2,000 islands and endless swathes of mainland coastline on its roster, there’s certainly something here. The main trick is to wait for the winter months, which is when powerful westerly winds can kick up swells for the west-facing beaches.
This guide to surfing in Greece will take a look at all the ins and outs of the top locations, outline where you can go to score some waves, and even show some of the best hotels for those chasing waves in the home of feta and filo pastry.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is a part of our larger ultimate guide to surfing in Europe
Surfing in Greece at a glance
The good:
- Spots are virtually deserted
- Food, culture, history – there’s loads more after the surf is done
The bad:
- Very inconsistent indeed
- It’s mainly winter season
- Hard-to-reach surf locations
What will I find in this guide to surfing in Greece?
The top surf spots in Greece
More than 2,000 islands and upwards of 15,000 kilometres of shoreline help to make Greece one of the most blessed coastal nations in Europe. Sadly, much of the country lies in a complete swell shadow cast by Spain, Malta, and Sicily further west in the Med. Only a few select locations get enough wave action to be considered genuine surf spots. They’re listed below…
Crete
Crete is the largest and the most southerly of the Greek islands. It’s so far south, in fact, that it just about manages to escape the swell shadow that’s cast by Sicily, and manages to pick up some very limited power from due-west swells through the Marsala strait. More than that, big westerly winds in the Chania region help to create winter waves on beaches like Falasarna, making this one of the better spots to go surfing in Greece. It’s also got great weather well into November, which means you can holiday and surf if there’s something going on.
Read our complete guide to surfing in Crete right now
Tinos
Tinos has one beach that’s often said to be the home of the best surfing in Greece as a whole: Kolymbithra. What’s great here is that it’s a north-facing horseshoe bay (a truly stunning one at that!), capable of hoovering up the dominant northerly windswells that come through the Aegean in the summer months (thanks to a phenomenon known as the Meltemi winds). The upshot? You can surf here May to August. Expect very small waves that you need a boat-sized foamy to ride. Thankfully, they’re on offer at the beachside rental!
Check out our complete guide to Tinos surfing
Ikaria
There’s a fantastic surf school – the aptly named Ikaria Surf School – making the most of the light summer windswells that hit Messakti Beach on the northern shore of the island throughout the summer months. Again, it’s beginner stuff, but perfect for family holidaymakers who want to give the kids something to do. The break is a sand-bottomed beachy with very mellow rollers and crumbly shore breaks.
Karpathos
Karpathos is already well known for its world-championship kite surfing spots. They’re mainly around the south side of the island, around Agios Nikolaos Beach and Arkassa Beach and are also pretty good if you’ve not got the sail in tow, especially when the northerly winds are blowing and there’s a little bit of winter storm swell.
Check out our full guide to the surf in Karpathos right now
Costa Navarino
This is the prime place for surfing in Greece if you ask us. Home to a big resort on the remote southwestern edge of the Peloponnese, it’s got some great exposure to the open Ionian Sea. When windswells come through in fall and winter, there are loads of beaches here that offer some of the best waves in the Med, including famous Lagouvardos Beach. It’s where the most serious surfers go to, in search of aforementioned beach breaks but also a few select hidden spots that have slabby points over rock reef.
Vouliagmeni
Vouliagmeni is a part of the so-called Athenian Riviera. It’s a short bus south of the Acropolis and all those other awesome wonders in the Greek capital. By summer it’s best known as a haunt for the city’s jet setters. By winter, it can bring in wind swells that see a lineup of 40+. The waves are usually small and choppy but it’s surfing close to Athens!
Surf camps in Greece
99% of the surf camps in Greece are for kitesurfers. Don’t be fooled into booking one of those if you’ve got your heart set on proper surfing :). You’re not out of options. There are one or two places now operating here that offer the standard stuff, mostly in key spots like Crete and Ikaria.
We actually think they are cracking choices for complete beginners. Okay, the consistency isnt up to Portugal or France but these surf packages mitigate that by offering yoga, guided hikes, and great Greek food in between.
Here are the ones that we’d reccomend:
- Ikaria Retreat: 7 Day Surf and Yoga Retreat in Ikaria – A week-long stint on gorgeous Ikaria island in the eastern Aegean that includes 3x surf lessons in tandem with the Ikaria Surf School and daily yoga sessiosn with expert local instructor Yiannis Spyroudis. You’ll also visit local hot springs and hit taste-bud tingling tavernas to try real Greek cooking.
- Surfing Crete: 5 Day All-inclusive Private Premium Surf and SUP Camp in Chania – Crete probably has the most exposed beaches in the country, which is why Surfing Crete are able to offer probably the best-known surf camp packages around. The in-house ISA guides know the isle like the back of thier hand and seem to be able to magic waves out of nowhere. When there’s not swell, you’ll SUP, which is fun. The deal also includes four nights’ accomodation, airport transfers, and three meals each day.
A note on why we partner with BookSurfCamps.com: Book Surf Camps are probably the biggest online aggregator of surf camps and surf-yoga packages in the world. We sounded out a quite a few potential partners before we affiliated with them. But, in the end, the abundance of choice for beginners, intermediates, and female-only surfing sealed it. We also love the simplicity of their booking system and the trusted brand name, along with the focus on connecting with homegrown local businesses on the ground.
Want more [yoast_kw] camp options? Search the whole shebang below right now and book in a few clicks.
Top places to stay if you’re going surfing in Greece
There aren’t any dedicated surf camps in Greece. However, the hotels below are the ones that will get you close enough to walk to some of the country’s best waves and surf beaches…
Falasarna Village
You WILL NOT be disappointed with one of the deluxe villa rentals at Falasarna Village. Even if there’s no surf in the bay below – one of Crete’s most reliable spots – you can laze by the infinity pool soaking up views of the tomato plantations and mountains. My god they are fantastic!
The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, Costa Navarino is all about the five-star service. You get pools, you get massage rooms, you get grand suites and Ionian Sea views. But you also get proximity to some of the most reliable and advanced surf breaks in the whole country!
Erofili Beach Hotel
Erofili Beach Hotel offers a classic family Greek seaside stay. That, but in close proximity to the Ikaria north shore, where surf schools offer lessons throughout the summer on Messakti Beach.
Should I rent a car to surf in Greece?
Certain travelers should rent a car and certain ones shouldn’t. It really depends on what you want.
First off, if you go for a surf camp like the ones listed above, there’s no need. Camps like that take care of all your transport to and from the breaks. That’s a real help in Greece, where finding something working is the first real challenge.
You also won’t need a car if you opt to book a hotel by one of the best surf beaches in the country and aim to just surf that one spot all week, though be certain to check that your chosen hotel is within walking distance of the break (Booking.com can help with this because it’s got a nifty map feature that shows exactly how close a hotel is to the coast).
If you’re more of a DIY surf traveler and really want to case out the wave-rich (at least by Greek standards) western edge of the Peloponnese and mainland, then a car is 100% worth it. TBH, a car is worth it pretty much anywhere here, regardless of whetehr you’ve gone for the options above.
It just adds the freedom to drive spectacular coast roads on the hunt for waves. And it adds the freedom to do hikes, visit local villages and tavernas, and nearby beaches to your heart’s content. We’ve done Greece like a gazillion times now. Some trips with a car; some without. The former have always been our favorite. Plus, car hires aren’t too pricy in these parts.
Use RentalCars.com for hires in Greece. They are the best there is in Europe in our opnion, mainly because they have bargain rates with local suppliers and nice late cancellation fees, which can be handy.
Step-by-step guide to planning your [yoast_kw] trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the [yoast_kw]…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Greece?
The best time to surf in Greece is during the winter months from November to March.
That’s when windswells and the occasional refracted groundswell from the Atlantic far away can push through the strait south of Sicily and power up Crete and the western Peloponnese. Temperatures in the sea get to nearly single figures, so rubber will be needed then. That said, there are some spots in our guide to surfing in Greece that work better in the summer – Tinos, Ikaria. The reason? They face due north, which means it’s the Meltemi wind systems in June-October that help them get waves. Those places are beginner only though to be frank.
What to do when you aren’t surfing in Greece
We would probably never recommend planning a dedicated surf trip to Greece. Portugal, France, the UK – Europe has no shortage of destinations for that. However, Greece can be a doozy if you want a holiday with sun-kissed beaches, amazing food, and ancient history with a bit of surfing on the side. Here’s just a taster of why we say that…
Athens
If you’re coming to Greece in the winter (top time for surfing) then the chances are you’ll fly into Athens first as many flights to smaller islands stop for the season. That’s a gift, because this is one of the world’s most incredible towns. Check out the Acropolis Museum, wander under the Parthenon, and step food in the ancient Agora. It’s bucket list stuff!
Samaria Gorge
Adventurers will LOVE the Samaria Gorge of Crete. An epic UNESCO site that carves through the south side of the island, it’s a five-hour hike under soaring cliffs in the company of mountain goats. You end on a paradise beach too!
Epidaurus
A place where we always feel really relaxed and meditative, Epidaurus is another UNESCO spot that showcases a 2,500-year-old hospital complex, a great amphitheatre, and more. It’s also conveniently on the way to the superlative surf breaks of the western Peloponnese – about halfway from Athens, in fact, so great for a pitstop!
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!