The Best Beaches in Folegandros
Folegandros doesn't do easy beaches. There are no beach clubs, no rows of sunbeds and only a handful of bays you can drive straight down to. Most of the best ones sit at the bottom of a dusty footpath or a steep dirt track, and that's exactly why we loved them.
After a week on the island, our beach days fell into a happy routine. Check the wind over breakfast, pick a bay on the sheltered side, lace up the trainers, and walk down to water so clear you can see every pebble on the seabed. Sometimes there was a taverna waiting at the bottom, but often there was nothing at all, just a few other people, the odd donkey on the path and the sound of the sea.
Agali Beach
Below are our favourite beaches from a week exploring the island, followed by the rest of the island's beaches so you can plan your own days.
You can also check out our complete guide to Folegandros here.
What Makes Folegandros Beaches Special
Before diving into individual beaches, it's worth quickly understanding why Folegandros feels so different from its busier Cycladic neighbours.
Wild and unspoilt: No beach clubs, no music and barely any development. Most beaches have no facilities at all.
Worth-the-walk coves: Many of the best beaches are a 15 to 45 minute walk or a taxi boat ride away, which keeps them quiet even in September.
Ridiculously clear water: Almost every beach is pebbly, so the water stays crystal clear right up to the shore.
Great food where it counts: The few beaches with tavernas do it brilliantly but otherwise make sur eyou pack enough food and water for your day
Folegandros Beaches at a Glance
Agali is the only beach we visited with sand and facilities you can drive to. Almost everything else is pebbly and takes a walk or a taxi boat.
Ambeli (Ampeli): Steep dirt track past Ano Meria, or a 30-min path. Pebbles, no facilities.
Agios Nikolaos: 15 min walk from Agali, or a 5-min taxi boat. Pebbles, with a taverna and trees for shade.
Livadaki: 35 to 45 min walk from Ano Meria, or a taxi boat from Agali. Pebbles, no facilities or shade.
Katergo: 30-min walk from Livadi, or a taxi boat from the port. Pebbles, no facilities or shade.
Agali (Angali): Drive or bus. Sand, with a beach bar, tavernas and a boutique, but no sunbeds.
Agios Georgios: 40 min walk down from the road, or drive with care. Pebbles, no facilities.
Vardia: Short walk from the port. Sand and pebbles, no facilities.
Karavostasis (Chochlidia): Walk from the ferry. Pebbles, with cafés, tavernas and trees for shade.
Livadi: 3 km drive from the port, partly on a dirt road. Sand and fine pebbles, with a taverna, campsite and trees for shade.
Latinaki, Vitsentzou and Pountaki: A few minutes' drive from the port. Small sandy coves, no facilities.
Galifos and Fira: 10 to 15 min walk from Agali. Sand and pebbles, no facilities.
Ambeli Beach (Ampeli)
Ambeli was the most beautiful swim of our whole week.
It's a small, pebbly cove in the far north-west of the island, tucked beneath the cliffs at the end of the road. When we visited, the water was crystal clear and completely calm. We spent a lazy afternoon sunbathing, swimming and reading, and it was very hard to leave.
You don't need to be staying at Spina to get here. The road past Ano Meria turns into a steep, bumpy dirt track down to the bay, with two particularly steep stretches. We managed it in a small hire car, but it's an adventure. An ATV or small SUV would make the drive much easier. You can also walk down on a path of about 2 km (roughly 30 minutes) from Taxiarchis in Ano Meria.
There are no facilities on the beach, so bring water and shade. It faces northwest, which means it catches the late sun but is exposed when the northerly wind blows, so save it for a calm day. If you're here in the evening, dinner at Spina is right above you (book well ahead). Read our review of Spina here.
Agios Nikolaos Beach
If Ambeli was our favourite swim, Agios Nikolaos was our favourite beach day, and it's the one we'd recommend to anyone with only a day or two on the island.
It sits in a pretty bay just along the coast from Agali, about a 15-minute walk on a coastal footpath. Flip-flops will be fine, but trainers would be ideal (a lesson we learnt quickly on Folegandros). It's an easy, scenic walk.
If you'd rather not walk it, taxi boats make the five-minute hop from Agali every hour or so from 10 am, for €3 one way or €5 return.
Like most beaches on the island it's pebbly, and the water is beautifully clear. It's cold when you first go in, but super refreshing once you're under. We spent the afternoon swimming and working our way through Stephen Fry's Odyssey, which felt very appropriate.
A word on umbrellas. During our afternoon, an older Greek man got increasingly cross about the umbrellas people had planted in the pebbles. At first we thought he was overreacting. Then the wind picked up, and we watched plenty of them go flying down the beach (one nearly took him out, to be fair). Point taken: if you bring an umbrella, dig it in properly, or grab a spot under the trees at the back of the beach.
If you're here, then grab lunch at Agios Nikolaos Taverna, right behind the beach with tables under the trees. Get there before about 13:45, as that's when everyone seems to turn up at once, and tables disappear fast. The courgette fritters (kolokithokeftedes) were amazing, and the baked feta with tomato, pepper and a kick of Tabasco was exactly what you want by the sea. They'd run out of swordfish, so we had the fried calamari instead.
Prices are fair for a beach taverna: dips and starters are €7 to €9, salads €12 to €14, and grilled seafood mostly €16 to €28. Our three dishes came to about €35 before drinks. The taverna also takes dinner bookings and will collect you from Agali by boat and bring you back afterwards.
Galyfos and Fira Beach
Galyfos
Two small, secluded beaches sit within a 10 to 15-minute walk of Agali: Galifos, which you pass on the coastal path to Agios Nikolaos, and Fira, which is on the other side of Agali. Both are unorganised, with no shade or facilities, and tend to attract a clothing-optional crowd. Take water and an umbrella, and note that Galifos is exposed when the wind comes from the south.
Livadaki Beach
Livadaki takes more effort, but it rewards you with some of the clearest water we've ever seen.
It's on the island's wild south-west coast below Ano Meria. There's space to park on the side of the road at the trailhead, and from there a rocky path winds down to the bay. It took us about 35 minutes down and 45 minutes back up in the heat, so wear trainers and take plenty of water. From the beach we saw someone tackling the trail on a scrambler bike, which looked like very hard work.
The beach is pebbly, with crystal-clear water. There are no facilities either, so pack everything you need. It's also a clothing-optional kind of place, with a fair bit of nudity when we visited. If you'd rather skip the walk, a taxi boat runs from Agali three times a day (11am, 1pm and 3pm). It takes about 15 minutes and costs €8 one way or €14 return.
Afterwards, we drove up to Irini's in Ano Meria for a late lunch of goat in lemon sauce and imam with chips. Both were incredible, with a proper home-cooked feel, and it's the perfect way to refuel after the climb back up.
Katergo Beach
Katergo is one of the island's most famous beaches, and for good reason.
We parked at Livadi, where there's a small car park at the start of the trail, and walked over. It's about 30 minutes each way and fairly steep in places, so trainers again. Most people arrive by taxi boat instead (we watched it pull in while we were there), which is much easier if you don't fancy the hike. The Stella Express III leaves Karavostasis port daily from around 11 am, usually on the hour, and takes 10 minutes with a stop at Georgitsis Cave on the way. A return ticket is €14.
The beach itself is quiet and wild, with a fair bit of nudity.
Getting into the water is rocky, which means it takes Alice about 20 minutes to get into the sea! Once you're in, there's enough space to swim around a bit, and water shoes will help if you have them.
There's no shade, food or water here, so bring everything with you. Some guides also warn of strong currents, so don't swim too far out.
Agali Beach (Angali)
Agali is the easiest beach on the island to reach, which also makes it the busiest of the lot. It's one of the few you can drive right down to (the bus comes here too, though outside peak season it may stop on the road above), and it has the most facilities, with a beach bar, a few tavernas and places to stay.
It's a sandy bay, but don't expect sunbeds: there weren't any when we visited, so bring a towel and find your spot. The water is calm and the bay is sheltered from the northerly wind, which makes it a good bet on a blowy day.
We grabbed a freddo espresso from Panorama Terrace and had a browse in Blue Boutique before settling in for the afternoon. Agali is also the starting point for the walk to Agios Nikolaos, and for the taxi boats to Agios Nikolaos and Livadaki.
Come back in the evening for O Psaromiligkas, a recommendation from the chef at Spina. It was quiet when we arrived and busy by the time we left, and the rabbit in tomato sauce, served with chips, vine leaves and potato salad, was very good.
Agios Georgios Beach
Right up in the north of the island, Agios Georgios is a lovely, pebbly bay with no facilities at all.
We walked down along the road, which took about 40 minutes (you can drive it, but take it slowly), and came back up on a footpath instead. Fair warning: the path was very overgrown with scratchy shrubbery, so just be prepared to deal with that. The upside was meeting a few donkeys along the way.
We even bumped into a couple from New York on their honeymoon at the bottom who'd come across Hungry Soles (during their Sifnos research), which was a very nice surprise.
As the bay faces north, it's best on a calm day, since it takes the full force of the northerly wind so check the weather before you plan to go. If it wasn’t as windy when we went we would have spent a lot more time here.
Vardia Beach
Just behind Karavostasis port, Vardia is a long, open stretch of sand and pebbles beneath the cliffs. We only ran past it on a morning jog from our hotel, but it's the obvious choice for a quick swim if you're staying in the port.
Karavostasis and Chochlidia Beaches
Karavostasis is the island's port, and its main beach, Chochlidia, sits right by where the ferries come in. It's a pebbly, family-friendly beach with trees for shade and cafés, tavernas and hotels just behind it, which makes it handy for a swim straight off the ferry or while you wait for one to leave.
On our last day we sat at a restaurant by the water with coffee and marinated anchovies until our ferry appeared. You can watch it come in, settle the bill and stroll down to the dock.
Livadi Beach
About 3 km south of the port, partly on a dirt road, Livadi is a long bay of sand and fine pebbles with trees for shade, a taverna and the island's campsite. We only passed through to start the walk to Katergo, which leaves from a small car park bear here, but it's an easy beach to pair with that hike if you want somewhere with facilities afterwards.
Latinaki, Vitsentzou and Pountaki Beaches
Between the port and Livadi, the coast road passes three small coves in a row: Latinaki, Vitsentzou and Pountaki. They're small, quiet and unorganised, with clear water, and only a few minutes' drive from Karavostasis, so they're ideal for a quick swim if you're staying down by the port. Bring everything you need, as there are no facilities.
Tips for Visiting Beaches in Folegandros
A little planning goes a long way on Folegandros. The beaches are wilder than on most Cycladic islands, so a few things make beach days much easier.
Check the wind every morning - In summer, the wind usually blows from the north. It's called the meltemi and it's strongest in July and August, and it tends to pick up in the afternoon. On breezy days we headed for beaches on the south coast, like Agali, Agios Nikolaos, Livadaki and Katergo, and saved north-facing bays like Ambeli and Agios Georgios for calmer days. We check the Windy.com app over breakfast.
Hire a car (or an ATV) - The bus links Chora, the port, Ano Meria and Agali, but a car opens up the whole island. We paid around €30 a day with a local hire firm (R.A.C), against the €50 our hotel quoted. Our car was very battered and basic, and some tracks are steep and bumpy, so if you're not a confident driver, an ATV or small SUV is the better bet.
Wear trainers - Flip-flops won't cut it. Many of the best beaches are at the end of rocky footpaths of 15 to 45 minutes.
Bring your own shade, water and snacks - Most beaches have no facilities, and even Agali, the most developed, had no sunbeds when we visited. Pack water, food and an umbrella; just make sure you dig it in properly!
Water shoes help - Almost every beach is pebbly, and some entries are rocky
Use the taxi boats - If you'd rather not hike, taxi boats serve three of the remote beaches in summer:
Karavostasis to Katergo: the Stella Express III, daily from around 11 am and usually hourly after that. 10 minutes, €14 return.
Agali to Livadaki: Island Spirit at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm. About 15 minutes, €8 one way or €14 return.
Agali to Agios Nikolaos: two operators, Agali-1 Excursions (hourly from 10 am) and Island Spirit (hourly from 10.30 am). 5 minutes, €3 one way or €5 return.
Timetables are posted at the port, in Chora and at Agali, so snap a photo when you arrive. If you're staying in Chora or Ano Meria, leave enough time for the bus down to Agali or the port. One warning: the boats don't run when the wind is high, and there's no one there to tell you. We met a couple who'd waited 30 minutes for theirs before realising it had been cancelled for the day, so check the wind before you head down.
Stock up at the bakery first - There's nothing to buy at most beaches, so we'd stop at The Baker in Chora or if you want to make the trip, our favourite: 'The Folegandros Bakery' for spinach and cheese pies before heading off.
More From Folegandros
The complete Folegandros guide (coming soon)
Where to stay in Folegandros (coming soon)
Our favourite Folegandros beaches after a week on the island, from Ambeli and Agios Nikolaos to Katergo, with walk times, wind tips and where to eat.