CalmBeach Greece
Beaches in Koufonisia
All 19 beaches in Koufonisia, in one list. 12 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
- Ammos Sandy - Easy path
- Afryania Pebbles - Moderate access
- Genoupas Pebbles - Moderate access
- Deti Sandy - Boat access only
- Platia Pounta (Italida) Sandy - Easy path
- Laki Pebbles - Boat access only
- Paralia Leonida Pebbles - Boat access only
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Limni Pano Koufonisiou
Pebbles - Easy path
The shallows in front of the village — The name ("lake") points to the very shallow, lagoon-like water in front of the village, where fishing boats seem to hover over glassy shallows…
- Limni Kato Koufonisiou Pebbles - Easy path
- Loutro Sandy - Moderate access
- Nero Sand & pebbles - Boat access only
- Panagia Sand & pebbles - Boat access only
- Pori Sandy - Easy path
- Porta Pebbles - Moderate access
- Fanos Sandy - Easy path
- Finikas Sandy - Easy path
- Fykio Pebbles - Difficult access (path)
- Gala Rocky - Easy path
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Pisina
Rocky - Easy path
A natural pool carved in the rock — Not a beach but a natural pool: a swimming-pool-sized cavity carved horizontally into the low rock by salt and waves…
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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Snorkeling
Rockier seabed and clearer water, where there is something to look at underwater.
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Secluded
Quieter and harder to reach — dirt track, a walk, or boat only.
- Sandy
- All beach guides →
Good to know
Which beaches in Koufonisia are more sheltered from the wind?
12 of the 19 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 Koufonisia is windier?
When the meltemi blows (from N/NE), the beaches facing north are the most open to it: none of the 3 is sheltered from it. The more sheltered side faces south: all 12 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 19 of the beaches on this page, the open water in front of them is typically 0.93 m in June, 1.10 m in July and 1.09 m in August when the meltemi is at its strongest, and 0.99 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 19 of the beaches on this page the sea is typically 18.8 °C in May, 21.6 °C in June, 23.2 °C in July, 24.0 °C in August and 23.5 °C in September — mild at the height of summer, mild in June. By October it is 21.6 °C. 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 Koufonisia?
Over the last 20 summers, the hardest week in Koufonisia starts around 10 July: 44 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 23 July, strong wind on about 3 of the 7 days. Once it starts, it lasts about 4 days. Even then there were beaches fit for a swim, such as Ammos, Genoupas and Loutro. 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. When it fills and empties is measured for the Cyclades as a whole, not for this place on its own: in October it drops to 20% of that peak, while in May it sits at 36%. 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.