From Epirus to the Peloponnese, we present five picturesque and lesser-known fishing villages of mainland Greece.
Are you thinking of a seaside escape to get away, even a little, from everyday life, to 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 seaside corners are among those places many people don’t know and are certainly worth discovering. They lie on mainland Greece yet feel like islands. From Epirus to the Peloponnese, we’ve gathered and present five picturesque fishing villages for peaceful holidays.
Sagiada, Thesprotia
Sagiada of Thesprotia is 20 km. from Igoumenitsa and is the westernmost point of mainland Greece. Very close to the mouth of the Kalamas River, this picturesque fishing village is ideal for quiet escapes by the sea, to enjoy fresh fish and delicious seafood, and to dive into beaches with crystal-clear waters. Sagiada is a new settlement created after 1943, when the Germans burned the town once important for its strategic position, Old Sagiada, and its residents were forced to move down near the area’s small harbor, Skaloma.
Just minutes from Sagiada you’ll find two beautiful beaches, Keramidi and Strovili. It’s also worth visiting Old Sagiada, which lies above its present location. There you’ll stroll along cobbled lanes, see old churches and buildings of special interest, and enjoy panoramic views of the Ionian.
Kottes, Magnesia
In an idyllic spot in southern Pelion, 66 km. from Volos and 6 km. to the right of the main road before you reach Trikeri, you’ll come across a small fishing harbor with a few houses where time seems to have stood still. At the harbor in Kottes you’ll find fish tavernas to enjoy fresh fish from local fishermen, tsipouro and meze. Close to Kottes lies the picturesque seaside village of Agia Kyriaki, the seaport of the seafaring village of Trikeri. Round off your outing with a trip to Paleo Trikeri, the only inhabited island in the Pagasetic Gulf, which you’ll reach by boat from Alogoporos. It’s a quiet, lush little island with idyllic beaches, ideal for laid-back holidays.
Sambatiki, Arcadia
When we hear Arcadia our mind usually goes to mountain, stone-built villages. But there’s more. If you head to the coastal part, in the historic region of Kynouria, you’ll discover beaches with sky-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 most idyllic seaside corners of the area.
A small settlement with a quaint little harbor, fishermen’s nets spread out, pristine waters and a beautiful natural setting compose the serene scene in this fishing village that will remind you of an island. The settlement’s calm, white-pebble beach is one of the loveliest along Arcadia’s coastline. On the beach stands the chapel of Panagia, while many fishing boats moor in the cove. In the area you’ll find rooms to let and tavernas to enjoy fresh fish. Pair your swims with excursions to nearby spots such as Leonidio, the capital of Tsakonia, just 5 km. from Sambatiki, the seaside Plaka, and Poulithra.
Gerakas, Laconia
Gerakas lies in a quiet corner on the eastern coast of Laconia, just 22 km. from Monemvasia. Yet it’s a place not many people know. It’s one of the most picturesque ports in the Peloponnese, offering visitors scenes of rare beauty. This small village is built within 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, 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 roof tiles, and the fish tavernas that set their tables beside the tranquil waters compose a magical scene that will stay with you forever.
Trachila, Messinia
At a distance of 55 km. from Kalamata, in the Messenian Mani, Trachila is a small fishing village unknown to many, with distinctive character. The picturesque little harbor with its boats and stone-built houses, encircled by Mani’s wild landscape, sets the perfect stress-relieving scene. If you find yourself here, look for the village’s genuine, coarse salt, collected from the rocks of the area. Nearby there are unspoiled beaches with rocks and crystal-clear waters to dive into. Impressive is the precipitous Katafygi coast, with flat rocks that serve as natural platforms.
