WHEN the winter blues strike, booking a getaway can be a costly answer. But for just £25, you could be in the Med lazing on one of these beautiful beaches.
If you’re looking for the best of the best beaches, travel expert Fatima Hawkins, a Greece Destination Manager for British Airways Holidays who visits the country 10 times a year, revealed her top beaches in Greece and the surrounding islands where there are still highs of 24C in October.
You can still get winter sun in Greece during October – with highs of 24C[/caption]
Voidokilia Beach has a unique ‘omega’ shaped cove[/caption]
Voidokilia Beach
Fatima, who fell in love with Greece after taking her son there for his first birthday said Voidokilia Beach is not only a beautiful stretch of coastline, but a great spot for families.
She told Sun Travel: “I’ve been there myself with my son in the Peloponnese.
“Voidokilia Beach is in Messenia and is in the shape of the Greek letter Omega – it is absolutely stunning.
“Be aware that there’s nothing there, no beach bars or restaurants so take your own towels and water. But when we got there, we didn’t want to leave.”
Voidokilia Beach is known to be one of the best in the country and is a good spot for families as the lagoon shape means low waves and the water is shallow.
The beach can be overcrowded at peak times, but during October it will be much quieter.
It’s in the Messenia region with the nearest town being Pylos which looks very traditional with pretty white houses and an old fortress.
The closest airport to Messenia is Kalamata International – one-way flights in October start at £30 with Ryanair and take under four hours.
Simos Beach
Fatima told us: “Simos Beach on Elafonisos Island is beautiful. You have to take a ferry to get onto the island, but it’s worth it.
“You’re really spoiled for choice in the Peloponnese.”
There are plenty of pretty beaches on Elafonisos Island[/caption]
The small Greek island sits between the Peloponnese and Kythira and you can get there from Greece’s capital, Athens.
It’s not a short trip as it also requires hopping onboard a ferry – but it’s considered a place for unspoiled beauty.
One-way flights from Athens start at £25 in October if you fly with Ryanair from London Stansted.
Stafilos Beach is bright blue bay with fine shingle shores and is shaded by pine trees[/caption]
Stafilos Beach
Fatima: “In Skopelos, you can explore Stafilos Beach. The beaches here are my favourite because they’re special, very pretty.
“Of course there are lots of famous and more well-known beaches, but I like to go off the beaten track there because you can come across some real hidden gems.
“All you need there is a towel and a bottle of water.”
Skopelos is an island north of Athens forming part of the Thessaly region.
To get there from the UK, Brits can fly into one of the mainland Greek airports like Thessaloniki or Volos and catch a ferry from there.
One-way flights to Thessaloniki from London Stansted takes three hours 30 minutes and you can get a flight in October for £30 with Ryanair.
Halkidiki
Fatima told us: “Halkidiki in Northern Greece has plenty of beaches off the beaten track in the first peninsula of Kassandra.
“Or the beaches on the second peninsula, Sithonia which have crystal clear water, soft sandy beaches and shallow bays. These ones are again, some of the highlights for families.”
The top beach in Kassandra on Tripadvisor is Possidi Beach, and in Sithonia, it’s Kalogria Beach.
The closest airport to Halkidiki is also Thessaloniki Airport.
Fatima also reveals four best value Greek Islands where locals go on holiday
Sifnos
Sifnos forms part of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. For fans of Santorini, it has the classic whitewashed houses and incredibly, there are over 300 churches. The capital of the island is Apollonia, and it’s surrounded by charming villages like Artemonas and Kastro as well as beaches with crystal blue sea. They have their own specialities when it comes to food, from caper salad and chickpea soup to mastelo cheese.
Syros
Neighbouring Sifnos is the big sister island of Syros. The main town of Syros is Ermoupolis – which is also the capital of the Cyclades islands. At the centre there’s a bustling town square where you’ll find tavernas, cafes and museums. Vaporia is the former aristocratic quarter of Ermoupolis and there you’ll find impressive church of Agios Nikolaos with a blue domed top. Two well-known types of sweets are made on the island – loukoumi and halvadopita, which are often sold on streets around the town.
Folegandros
Found in the southern part of the Cyclades is Folegandros. It’s in between two of the more popular islands, Paros and Santorini, and is known to be one of the beautiful islands of the Cyclades. The village of Chora is one of the oldest in the Cyclades. Its whitewashed houses with blue-domed churches are just like the popular island of Santorini. Best of all, Chora is situated on a hill so if you look out, there are incredible views over the cliffs.
Pserimos
A visit to Pserimos is for anyone looking for relaxation. The island forms part of the Dodecanese, it’s home to less than 40 locals and is only 15 square kilometers in size. The locals all live in Avlakia which stands on the ruins of an ancient town. The harbour is where you’ll find a few rental rooms, souvenir shops and taverns. One of the most incredible sights on Pserimos is the beaches. The only manned one is in front of Avlakia, while the others are more secluded.
Plus, here is a small Greek island with 70 beaches that experts warn you should see before it gets too popular.
And check out the world’s best island is in Europe which one writer visited – it’s stunning but has one big downside.
Travel expert Fatima Hawkins revealed her favourite beaches in Greece[/caption]
