Athos Peninsula Beaches: Ierissos, Nea Roda, Ouranoupoli & Olympiada
The Athos peninsula lines its secular north and east coast with sandy beaches, several of them Blue Flag. Ierissos keeps a kilometres-long Blue Flag beach with the cove of Kakoudia, Nea Roda a wide Blue Flag beach on the narrow neck, and Ouranoupoli an organised town beach by the cruise port. Komitsa sits within the Mount Athos World Heritage area near the Holy Mountain, and Olympiada holds a sheltered east-coast bay by ancient Stageira.
- Blue Flag
- Ierissos & Nea Roda
- Town beach
- Ouranoupoli
- Nearest Mount Athos
- Komitsa
- East coast
- Olympiada
| Beach | Village | Type | Blue Flag | Notable for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ierissos | Ierissos | Sand | Yes | Kilometres-long beach, ancient Akanthos |
| Kakoudia | Ierissos | Sand | Quiet cove outside the centre | |
| Nea Roda | Nea Roda | Sand | Yes | Wide beach, tavernas & bars |
| Ouranoupoli | Ouranoupoli | Sand | Town beach by the cruise port | |
| Komitsa | Nea Roda | Sand | 2 km from Mount Athos, seafront villas | |
| Olympiada | Olympiada | Sand | Diving & snorkelling, near ancient Stageira |
Ierissos and Kakoudia
Ierissos holds a kilometres-long sandy beach on the north-east coast, awarded the Blue Flag for its clean water. The town is the ancient Akanthos, one of the largest in Halkidiki, so the beach pairs a long swim with restaurants, shops and nightlife. Kakoudia beach lies just outside the centre, about 2.5 kilometres away, a quieter cove backed by gardens. Ierissos is also a departure point for the Mount Athos boat cruises along the east coast.
Nea Roda beach
Nea Roda spreads a wide sandy beach with a Blue Flag along the narrow neck of the peninsula, just north of Athos. The beach carries plenty of tourist facilities, and seafood tavernas, shops and bars stand behind it. Nea Roda lies between Ierissos and Ouranoupoli, so it makes a central beach base for the whole peninsula.
Ouranoupoli beach
Ouranoupoli sits directly on the sea with an organised sandy beach: sunbeds, umbrellas and taverns line the shore, and the Byzantine Andronikos tower rises at the port behind. The same port launches the boat cruises along the Mount Athos coast and the ferry across to Ammouliani island, so the beach doubles as the gateway to the Holy Mountain.
Komitsa, near Mount Athos
Komitsa beach lies near Nea Roda, within the Mount Athos UNESCO World Heritage area and about 2 kilometres from the Holy Mountain itself. Seafront villas stand behind the sand, and the water suits water sports and fishing. It is the closest the secular coast comes to the monastic peninsula.
Olympiada beach
Olympiada keeps a sheltered sandy beach on the east coast, backed by mountains and forest and good for diving and snorkelling. The village runs right down to the sand, with hotels 20 to 150 metres away, and ancient Stageira, the birthplace of Aristotle, stands about 1 kilometre east beside Aristotle's Park. Where to stay by the beach is set out in the Athos hotels & villas guide.
