CalmBeach Greece
Beaches in Astypalaia
All 21 beaches in Astypalaia, in one list. 8 of them are not exposed to the meltemi, which gives them the better odds on a windy day. Open any of them for live wind and waves.
The beaches
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Agios Vasilios
Sand & pebbles - Easy road access
A sandy beach with tamarisks near Chora — A sandy beach with tamarisks for shade, relatively close to the Chora of Astypalaia — the "butterfly-shaped" island with its Venetian castle.
- Agios Ioannis Richtis Pebbles - Difficult access (path)
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Agios Ioannis
Pebbles - Boat access only
A secluded cove with a spring — A secluded cove of sand and pebbles with clear water, near a freshwater spring and a chapel — one of the island’s quietest spots.
- Agios Konstantinos Sand & pebbles - Passable dirt road
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Vai
Sand & pebbles - Moderate access
A quiet beach with tamarisks — A quiet beach of sand and pebbles with natural tamarisk shade, in western Astypalaia.
- Vatses Sand & pebbles - Passable dirt road
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Kaminakia
Sandy - Passable dirt road
A remote pebble cove — A remote pebble cove with clear, deep water, one of the most scenic on Astypalaia — worth the trip.
- Kounoupes Sand & pebbles - Boat access only
- Lantes Sand & pebbles - Difficult access (path)
- Livadi Sand & pebbles - Easy road access
- Magazaki Sand & pebbles - Easy path
- Mamounia Sand & pebbles - Easy road access
- Mikres Vatses Sand & pebbles - Moderate access
- Ble Limanaki Pebbles - Easy path
- Panormos Sand & pebbles - Passable dirt road
- Pappou Sand & pebbles - Difficult access (path)
- Pachia Ammos Sand & pebbles - Moderate access
- Plakes Sand & pebbles - Easy path
- Steno Sandy - Easy road access
- Psili Ammos Sand & pebbles - Passable dirt road
- Koutsomiti Boat access only
Pick by what you are looking for
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Meltemi options
The coves that face away from the prevailing wind — the shortlist for a windy day.
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Organized
Sunbeds, umbrellas and somewhere to eat or drink nearby.
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Secluded
Quieter and harder to reach — dirt track, a walk, or boat only.
- All beach guides →
Good to know
Which beaches in Astypalaia are more sheltered from the wind?
8 of the 21 face away from the meltemi, meaning less open water in front of them for a wave to build across when it blows. It is not a guarantee — the same beach changes character when the wind turns. Check the live reading before you drive out.
Which side of Astypalaia is windier?
When the meltemi blows (from N/NE), the beaches facing north are the most open to it: none of the 5 is sheltered from it. The more sheltered side faces south: all 7 of its beaches have land between them and the wind. When the wind turns, the picture turns with it, so check live wind and waves before you go.
How is this list ordered?
By which beaches have the best conditions at that hour, so the order changes through the day: a beach that leads in the morning can drop down the list in the afternoon, once the wind picks up. When there is no live weather data, they are listed by how well known each one is — not by a score of ours.
When is the sea calmest here?
Across 21 of the beaches on this page, the open water in front of them is typically 0.68 m in June, 0.77 m in July and 0.73 m in August when the meltemi is at its strongest, and 0.70 m in September. June is the calmest month of the season. We calculate these figures ourselves from European Copernicus wave-model data at 4.2 km resolution. They describe the sea offshore, not the shelter of an individual cove — a bay protected by a headland will usually be calmer than this.
How warm is the water, month by month?
Off 21 of the beaches on this page the sea is typically 19.2 °C in May, 22.1 °C in June, 23.4 °C in July, 24.8 °C in August and 24.3 °C in September — ideal at the height of summer, mild in June. In October it is still 22.6 °C — warmer than June. August is the warmest month. Satellite measurements, 1995–2024, from a sea cell about 5 km offshore; shallow bays usually run warmer than this.
When does the meltemi blow in Astypalaia?
Over the last 20 summers, the hardest week in Astypalaia starts around 10 July: 54 days in 100 had wind of 5 Beaufort or more. When it blew hard, it came from the north 100% of the time — the meltemi. In a week's holiday between 3 July and 30 July, strong wind on about 4 of the 7 days. Once it starts, it lasts about 3 days. Even then, the most sheltered side was the south coast, with beaches fit for a swim such as Magazaki, Agios Ioannis Richtis and Pappou. These are typical figures from 20 summers of European reanalysis (2006–2025), not a forecast for any single day.
How busy does it get, month by month?
August is the busiest month. In October it drops to 20% of that peak, while in May it sits at 28%. From official overnight-stay figures 2024-2025: it counts whoever sleeps in the area, not day trippers or cruise passengers. It is a historical average, not a forecast for this year.
Weather and sea conditions change. CalmBeach uses the app view for live beach recommendations.