The Best Surfing Spots in Greece

If you are a surfing aficionado, then you have one more reason to visit the charming island of Tinos, in the Cyclades. Home to the first surf club in the region, Tinos has been attracting a few surfers for decades but it wasn’t until local surfer John Vidalis founded Tinos Surf Lessons on the northern beach of Kolymbithra (or Kolymbithres) that it became a surfing hotspot. Offering surfing lessons and rentals, Tinos Surfing Club is definitely a must-visit if you are looking for an easy lineup current and a sandy sea bottom.

The underrated island of Lemnos (or Limnos) might soon become your favourite destination if you want to learn to surf in Greece. Located on Keros Beach, on the western part of the island, Surf Club Keros is actually a windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing station, which includes an off-the-grid resort with accommodation options ranging from luxury tents, bungalows and studios. Enjoying winds from any direction, including the south winds or the famous meltemia, which blow during the summer, the beach is bordered by shallow turquoise waters and golden sand, which makes it an ideal location to catch some waves away from the crowds.

The island where people forget to die is also home to a surf school, located on the northern beach of Messakti. Ikaria Surf School offers affordable surfing lessons while adopting a sustainable and alternative touristic approach. There are also interesting packages combining surf and yoga or Brazilian jiu-jitsu or even calisthenics. Besides surfing, the school also offers SUP classes.

A beach that was totally unknown to international tourists a decade ago, Karpathos is a beautiful and unspoiled island in the Dodecanese complex. The island has the perfect surfing hotspot on a sandy beach located on the southwest side of the island near Arkassa. In fact, Karpathos Adventure Surf School, the first in Karpathos, settled here and teaches surfing to all levels in four spots nearby. You can even try windsurfing or simply enjoy biking as well, which might be one of the best ways to explore this unknown island.

You have probably heard of the Costa Navarino resort, a luxurious beach resort in Messinia, which has successfully put the region on the map. Well, then, meet Beach Break, a surfing centre located on Lagouvardos Beach, near Marathos, in the southwest of Messinia, Peloponnese. This beach is ideal for surfing but also for swimming and simply relaxing – and this is exactly why the club established itself here. Learn everything from proper surfing techniques (even for children) to SUP and windsurfing basic form at this centre, open from October to late April.

The island of Kos boasts several spots ideal for surfing, including the famous Agios Theologos Beach, located in the southwestern part of the island, near the village of Kefalos. Since there are hardly any surfing centres on the island, you should make sure to pack your equipment. However, if you don’t have anything with you, Surf Kos Center in Marmari has got you covered. Rent surfboards and ask for advice on the best spots to visit, including Kata Beach or Cavo Paradiso, all located very close to Agios Theologos.

During the summer, the western part of Crete definitely has ideal conditions for surfing. Several of the surfing centres based on the island have preferred spots, including Chrissi Akti (Golden Coast) near Chania, Kissamos (depending on the conditions), Paleochora, as well as Agia Marina and Falasarna Beach.

Based in Athens, Kyma Surf School is a surf and SUP school where anyone can take surf and SUP lessons. As far as surfing is concerned, daily lessons are held in Varkiza or Vouliagmeni and can be arranged by phone or online, but if you happen to want to explore other horizons, Kyma organizes surf trips around Greece, depending on the season. From Peloponnese to Crete and Tinos or Ikaria, you can opt for exploring the most popular spots with surfing instructors tagging along.