Secret Greek Beaches

How the search for secluded coves led us to the little-known peninsula of Pelion

Having not been to Greece for almost 20 years, it seemed our list of non-negotiables for a summer trip (quiet coves, cheap tavernas, great snorkelling, no Brits) might make it a non-starter. But good things come to those who obsessively search airbnb.com.

I entered our list of criteria into the search tool: beachfront, whole place, 2+ bedrooms, 3+ beds, air con, kitchen, set the search area to all of Greece, the dates to any week in August, slid the price per night bar down to £200 max and hoped for the best.

The Greek islands especially had got both more popular and pricier in the two decades we’d been away, meaning the few island accommodation options that might have met the criteria became less affordable once we factored in flights.

So we sought out cheap flights to Athens (where we were keen to visit anyway) and centred our search on places we could get to from there. It highlighted that other than friends recommending The Peloponnese, I knew very little about mainland Greece - which is turns out is massive.

One bargain beachfront property caught my eye, in a place I’d never heard of called Pelion. Looking on Google Maps I discovered it’s a lush, mountainous peninsula, surrounded by stunning coastline. Better still the beachfront villa was on the edge of a village with a whole row of tavernas and beach bars, a bakery and a mini market. Bingo.

SUNDOWNERS AT OUR SECRET BEACH SPOT

Pelion Overview

PARALIA FAKISTRA

While you might not have heard of Pelion, like us, you might have unknowingly coveted its beaches. Pelion’s pretty Damouchari Beach is the setting for some of the film Mamma Mia’s key scenes (doubling as one of the neighbouring islands). And it’s not the area’s only island-esque dramatic cliff-lined cove. In fact, as Pelion juts out of mainland Greece in a spit, it has a lush, mountainous middle and an almost continual coastline, broken only by the narrow stretch of land where it joins the rest of Greece, close to the eponymous Mount Pelion.

THE HILLY ROAD FROM EAST TO WEST PELION

The isolated eastern beaches of Damouchari, Papa Nero, Plaka and Fakistra offer the kind of wow factor you hope for from a Greek breach, all white rock and crystal blue waters, but they are by no means the only options. The furthermost southern tip of Pelion offers beautiful bays and that sit below a stunning mountain backdrop and the western coast is lined with sandy stretches, often complete with inviting sun beds and small beach bars.

TSAGKARADA

Exciting as the beaches are, it’s actually Pelion’s hilly interior villages that define the area’s distinct personality. Windy roads lead to tiny traditional town and villages like Millies and Tsagkarada and the region’s most famous attraction is a still-operational legendary steam train route that weaves it way up the hills, over stone bridges and past pretty waterfalls.

Shhhhh… Our Secret Beach Spot in Pelion Revealed