French Vogue was the first to call for a vacation in Greece, publishing a list of the best beaches for 2023 https://www.vogue.fr/lifestyle/article/les-plus-belles-plages-en-grece-ou-se-baigner-cet-ete. As the popular magazine aptly notes, «Greece, with its countless coves of turquoise waters, consistently tops the list of the world’s finest international destinations.» Vogue’s list has a distinct “Cretan flavor” with three beaches: the unique Balos lagoon, the exotic Elafonisi, and Seitan Limania.
Journalists from the French fashion magazine highlight Perivoliou Beach on Skopelos, which captivates visitors with its emerald waters and rejuvenating tranquility, as well as Alyko on Naxos, with its untamed beauty and turquoise waters. The Ionian Islands are well represented by the unique Shipwreck Beach, the paradisiacal Porto Katsiki, the photogenic Myrtos, Gidaki, and Voutoumi. The list wouldn’t be complete without the dreamlike Sarakiniko, Lalaria, Santorini’s “red” beach, and the “surreal” Voidokilia.
One in three foreign visitors to Crete goes to Balos
Balos is a lagoon located on the Gramvousa Peninsula, at the northwestern tip of Crete. It lies between the Gramvousa Peninsula, the Geroskinos mountain range, and the rocky Tigani Peninsula. It is characterized by shallow waters and white sand, which in some places is pink due to crushed shells and coral. Balos is accessible by ferry, by car, and on foot. There is a regular ferry service to Kasteli, Kissamos, with boats that also stop at Imeri Gramvousa. A dirt road runs the length of the Gramvousa Peninsula, starting from Kalyviani in Chania and reaching a parking area after ten kilometers. From there, the beach is reached via a downhill trail that offers panoramic views of the lagoon. The descent takes 10 to 20 minutes. Additionally, the route from Kalyviani, Chania, features hiking trails that pass through Gramvousa or Geroskino. A study conducted by MAICh and the Technical University of Crete on tourism in Crete showed that one in three foreign visitors to Crete who used Chania Airport as their point of departure had visited Balos.
Where will Greeks go on May Day?
Demand from Greeks for vacations during the three-day May Day holiday, as recorded by travel agencies, is described as satisfactory, a trend aided by the recent Easter season, during which Greek travel was quite close to 2019 levels. Bookings by Greek travelers for May Day have rebounded to about 80% of pre-pandemic levels, with travel agencies noting that demand is centered on domestic destinations that were also popular during Easter. A similar rate of recovery is also observed for travel to international destinations.
In particular, the Ionian Islands lead the way in terms of demand, while popular destinations include, among others, Nafplio, Kastoria, Porto Heli, Patmos, Crete, Kythira, Loutra Pozar, Monemvasia, and Meteora. It should be noted that due to the new remote work options offered by companies, as well as the fact that Easter and May Day fall close together this year, a portion of Greek travelers who chose domestic destinations for Easter will remain there for the three-day May Day weekend as well.
Representatives of Greek destinations share their assessments with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) regarding travel demand for May Day and the three-day Holy Spirit weekend: «The season in Skopelos will start early this year with international arrivals from markets we’ve been targeting in recent years, such as the United Kingdom. The influx from Scandinavia and the Netherlands is expected to be equally significant, while visitors from France, Austria, and Eastern Europe are showing a strong preference for the island. »On May Day and especially during the three-day Holy Spirit holiday weekend, but also throughout June in general, occupancy rates will be particularly high,” commented the chair of the Skopelos Municipal Tourism Committee, Yianna Efstathiou.
«The signs we’re seeing for the season are very positive, with international bookings for Naxos rising sharply as we approach summer. France, Italy, Austria, England, and even more distant markets such as the U.S. are responding to our call. Visitor numbers will be high during the three-day weekends for May Day and Pentecost,» said Vangelis Katsaras, Deputy Mayor for Tourism of Naxos and the Small Cyclades.
