Red Beach

Known to locals as Kokkini Paralia, or Red Beach, this stretch of shoreline sits on Santorini's southern coast near the village of Akrotiri, about 12 kilometers from Fira. Its color comes from the oxidation of iron-rich volcanic rock, the same eruptions that shaped much of the island's caldera, and the cliffs behind the beach rise as high as 15 meters, streaked in deep red and black against the turquoise Aegean.

The beach is reached either by a short boat trip or a footpath from the Akrotiri archaeological site, though parts of the trail and shoreline have been intermittently closed since 2013 due to landslides from the unstable volcanic cliffs — a reminder that this is an active, shifting landscape rather than a static postcard view. Where accessible, the water is shallow near shore and clear enough for good snorkeling, with black and white volcanic pebbles mixed into the sand underfoot.

There are no facilities on the beach, so visitors typically bring their own water and shade. Boats generally anchor beyond the swimming zone and find reasonably calm conditions except in southern winds, which can raise a noticeable swell. For those exploring by sea, the cove remains one of the anchorages you'll visit on a private gulet cruise in Greece, best paired with a look at the nearby Akrotiri ruins.