From Epirus to the Peloponnese, we bring you five picturesque and little-known fishing villages in mainland Greece.
Thinking of a seaside escape to step away from the everyday, sip your coffee with a view of the harbor, savor fresh fish straight from the caiques, and swim at quiet beaches? A trip to a picturesque fishing village might be just what you need.
The following coastal corners are among those places many don't know and are definitely worth discovering. They're on mainland Greece but feel like islands. From Epirus to the Peloponnese, we've gathered and present five picturesque fishing villages for serene holidays.
Sayada, Thesprotia
Sayada in Thesprotia is 20 km from Igoumenitsa and is the westernmost point of mainland Greece. Very close to the Kalama River's estuary, this picturesque fishing village lends itself to quiet escapes by the sea, to enjoy fresh fish and tasty seafood and to dive into beaches with crystal-clear waters. Sayada is a new settlement created after 1943, when the Germans burned down the once strategically important small town of Old Sayada and its residents were forced to move down near the area's little harbor, Skaloma.
A few minutes from Sayada you'll find two beautiful beaches, Keramidi and Strovili. It's also worth visiting Old Sayada, which sits above its current location. There you'll stroll along cobbled lanes, see old churches and buildings of special interest, and enjoy panoramic views of the Ionian Sea.
Kottes, Magnesia
In an idyllic setting in southern Pelion, 66 km from Volos and 6 km to the right of the main road before you reach Trikeri, you'll come upon a tiny fishing harbor with a few houses, where time seems to have stood still. At the little harbor in Kottes you'll find fish tavernas to savor fresh fish from local fishermen, tsipouro and meze. Near Kottes is the picturesque seaside village of Agia Kyriaki, the port of the seafaring village of Trikeri. The outing in the area is completed with an excursion to Paleo Trikeri, the only inhabited island in the Pagasetic Gulf, which you reach by boat from Alogoporo. It's a quiet, lush little island with idyllic beaches, ideal for relaxed holidays.
Sambatiki, Arcadia
When we hear Arcadia our mind usually goes to mountain stone-built villages. But it's not only that. If you head towards the coast, in the historic region of Kynouria, you'll discover beaches with sapphire-blue waters and picturesque fishing villages, ideal for peaceful holidays. Just a few minutes before Leonidio, in South Kynouria, you'll come across Sambatiki, one of the area's most idyllic seaside corners.
A small settlement with a picturesque little harbor, fishermen's nets spread out, crystal-clear waters and beautiful natural surroundings compose the tranquil scene in this fishing village that will remind you of an island. The settlement's calm, white-pebble beach is one of the prettiest you'll find along Arcadia's coastline. On the beach stands the little church of Panagia, while many fishing boats moor in the bay. In the area there are rooms to let and tavernas to enjoy fresh fish. Combine your swims with excursions to nearby places, such as Leonidio, the capital of Tsakonia, which is just 5 km from Sambatiki, the seaside Plaka and Poulithra.
Gerakas, Laconia
Gerakas is located in a quiet corner on the eastern coasts of the prefecture of Laconia, just 22 km from Monemvasia. Even so, it's a place not many people know. It's one of the most picturesque ports in the Peloponnese that offers visitors scenes of rare beauty. This small village is built inside a fjord! Yes, a fjord like those beautiful ones you can see in faraway Norway.
Gerakas consists of three settlements: the Port, Gerakas on the hill, and the small settlement of Agios Ioannis. The sheltered and picturesque harbor serves as an anchorage for sailboats and yachts and evokes an Aegean island. The beauty of nature, the whitewashed houses with blue windows and red tiles, and the fish tavernas that set their tables beside the calm waters create a magical scene that will stay with you forever.
Trachila, Messinia
At a distance of 55 km from Kalamata, in Messinian Mani, Trachila is a small fishing village, unknown to many, with a distinct character. The picturesque little harbor with its boats and stone-built houses, surrounded by Mani's wild landscape, sets the perfect stress-relieving backdrop. If you find yourself here, seek out the village's authentic coarse salt, collected from the rocks of the area. Nearby are unspoiled beaches with rocks and crystal-clear waters for a swim. Particularly impressive is the sheer Katafygi coast, with flat rocks that serve as natural platforms.
