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Myrtos Beach stretches out in a long semi-circle along the coastline of Kefalonia. As the beach is flanked by huge white cliffs and made of stones from marble, it creates a stunning contrast against the azure sea. The beach’s beauty, scale, and calm water make it a popular spot for visitors to the island. However, it’s important to note that parking at the popular beach can be difficult, and it lacks many amenities. So, we suggest a visit in the late afternoon and to bring some creature comforts like chairs, towels, and snacks.
In this short guide, we cover some tips on visiting Myrtos Beach — which we highly recommend. It’s one of the most scenic beaches on Kefalonia, an island well known for its glorious beaches. If you’re after beaches in Greece, finding an island with better ones than Kefalonia is tough. Those beaches make it one of our favorite islands in Greece. We loved Kefalonia so much that we spent two weeks on the island on our first trip, and can’t wait to return! So what can you expect from a visit to Myrtos Beach? Let’s dig in!
Our Visit To Myrtos Beach
Despite having traveled to over two dozen Greek Islands, Kefalonia took us by surprise. We weren’t prepared for the natural beauty of the island and its stunning beaches. Myrtos Beach is one of the most popular on the island, as it is a visually stunning beach. They even shot two scenes for Hollywood Film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Naturally, we had to rewatch the film while on the island.
We visited the beach in mid-September and had perfect beach weather, with temperatures in the high twenties. On our way up from Agrostoli, we stopped at Myrtillo for brunch and then continued to the viewpoint of Myrtos Beach to snap some incredible photos. To avoid the midday sun, we hung around the picturesque Asos village not far away.
Afterward, we made our way to Myrtos Beach in the afternoon, which we found to be the perfect time to visit. As the beach faces northwest, it has lovely sun later in the day. As it’s a massive beach with only so much room for parking, it was easy to grab an uncrowded spot on the beach.
The choice spots along the beach are on the southern side as the pebbles are finer and the swimming is best. We sat to the north as it’s quieter, and we love to swim long laps along the beach. We spent the next several hours lounging on the warm white pebbles and swimming laps along the beach. It was a great day on Kefalonia!
How To Get To Myrtos Beach?
The best way to reach Myrtos Beach is by car. We booked our Greek rental car on Zakynthos to tour a couple more of the Ionian islands we had yet to visit. Myrto Beachs is a 40-minute drive from the Agrostoli and Fiskardo and 30 minutes from Sami. Similar to many beaches on the island, the last 2 km is a steep descent through a series of switchbacks.
These steep and narrow roads won’t be a surprise if you have driven much in Greece — we’re used to it. For our car, we had a full-size rental car for €30 a day as we shopped around for a deal, but average rates on the islands are €45 a day. You can start a rental car search with Discover Car Hire to compare rates.
There is a decent network of local buses that operate on Kefalonia. KTEL runs a direct bus from the Agrostoli to Myrtos in the summer. It is not a daily bus, so it is best to check their website for the most current timetables. You can also book a tour of the beach, but we wouldn’t recommend spending the money to visit a beach.
Tips For Visiting Myrtos Beach
Visit In The Late Afternoon
We always visit beaches in Greece in the early morning or afternoon. This allows us to avoid the day’s worst heat and UV rays. Our skin has seen enough sun just by traveling the Mediterranean islands, so we do everything we can to avoid sun damage. As Myrtos Beach faces Northwest and is flanked by cliffs, the afternoon light is better than the morning.
We Recommend Your Own Transportation
While you can catch a bus to Myrtos Beach, it’s far more manageable with your transportation. This allows you to choose the times you want to visit and when you want to leave. If you’re feeling hungry at the end of the day, driving up the hill and having a meal is easy. There’s limited parking at Myrtos Beach and it fills up fast, as it’s one of the most popular things to do in Kefalonia. So come early, arrive later, or be prepared for a little difficulty.
We always prefer the comfort of a rental car as it provides sun protection, safety, music, and A/C. We know a lot of visitors love to rent mopeds, ATVs, or buggies, but we generally think it’s a mistake as they’re incredibly uncomfortable for long distances. Plus, many cost as much as a car rental, so why pay the same for less?
There Are SOME Facilities at Myrtos Beach
There are not a lot of facilities on Mytros Beach, but there are some sun loungers for hire, umbrellas, and a snack bar with drinks. It’s not much, so we suggest packing some picnic supplies and whatever you need to feel comfortable.
It’s A Small Pebble Beach
Myrtos Beach is a small pebble beach, so don’t come expecting to find white sand. Pack your water shoes if walking on the small stone beaches hurts your feet. We love small stone beaches, as it means no sticky sand on everything and everywhere.
Don’t sit too close to the cliffs
If you love to be away from the crowds like us, sit on the edges of Myrtos Beach. That being said don’t sit too close the cliff edges. Why? Well there are plenty of goats on Kefalonia, and they love to hang out on the cliffs. What does that mean? There are falling rocks at any given time, and while the little rocks falling down may just be an annoyance, if a big one falls it could be fatal.
There have also been landslides recently in the Ionian islands where people have gotten injured, or even worse. There’s plenty of space to spread out, so there’s no reason to sit right under the cliffs.
Grab Food In Divarata Village
The village of Divarata, which lies above Myrtos Beach, has a number of restaurants and markets that serve tourists well. Myrtillo is a unique little cafe/gift shop selling local products and delicious healthy lunches. You can have a delicious avocado toast on sourdough with a smoothie. We visited Myrtillo multiple times as it was a nice break from traditional Greek tavernas, and fresh smoothies are something you don’t find often on Greek Islands.
Alexandros Restaurant Grill is a classic taverna that serves unpretentious Greek food for an affordable price. Come expecting excellent service, tasty dishes, and fresh seafood. It’s a great spot for a relaxed evening meal or hearty lunch.
Don’t Miss The Famous Viewpoint
To truly appreciate Mytros Beach, it’s best done from one of the two viewpoints. They’re both just off the road and provide stunning views of the beach down below. We stopped by the viewpoint on our way to the village of Asos, and then stopped again before we ventured down to the beach.
There’s a nice space for photos, unfortunately the areas been spray painted, so I had to work some photoshop magic to get the red and green paint out of the photo. Careful here, as a fall would certainly not end well.
If you don’t have time to go down to Myrtos Beach, spending time at the viewpoint is your next best option. Head here are sunset with a glass of Greek wine (as long as you have a driver!)
It’s best to Combine Myrtos Beach With A Visit To Nearby Asos
Asos is one of the most picturesque villages in Kefalonia, and it’s just a short drive from Myrtos Beach. The village is worth an hour or two to explore, grab a snack, or swim. It’s a charming little village and appears in many photos of the island online.
However, it doesn’t take much time to explore the village as it is tiny and there aren’t many great places to eat. We walked around, grabbed a few photos, and left after a couple of hours. The real treat would be to stay overnight in Asos, however, there aren’t many accommodation options, so you’ll have to book well in advance for this. We visited in mid September and accommodation on the island was still hard to come by. September is now the new August!
If you’re seeking a lovely village to explore for food and drink, we highly recommend Fiskardo or the town of Agrostoli. Fiskardo was easily our favorite town in Kefalonia, and one of the most charming in all the Ionian islands, including Corfu. Fiskardo is also where you can catch ferries to nearby Ithaca.
Is Myrtos Beach the Best Beach in Greece?
Myrtos Beach has been labeled the best beach in Greece many times over. In a country with countless amazing beaches, this is great an accomplishment. However, is it truly the best?
We have been to many beaches in Greece with a few of my favorites being Sarakiniko on Milos, Porto Katsiki on Lefkada, and Seitan Limania on Crete. I can without a doubt say that Myrtos Beach ranks up there with the best!
It’s a long stretch of pebbles with plenty of room for everyone, the cliff faces are otherworldly, the water is a brilliant blue, and the waters are calm – perfect for swimming.
Myrtos Beach and Kefalonia in general doesn’t see the crazy crowds that Santorini and Mykonos sees. Even compared to Zakynthos, we fealt a bit of reprieve from over tourism once we arrived to Kefalonia.
That being said, we visited Myrtos Beach on September 14, which is shoulder season on Kefalonia. Regardless of this, the parking situation at Myrtos Beach means that visitor numbers are limited.
Other Things to do in Kefalonia
There are so many things to do in Kefalonia we spent an entire two weeks traveling the island, filling our days, and still didn’t get to see everything we wanted to!
Some recommendations have already been mentioned here, but other must do activities are to spend a day at Antisamos Beach, delve into the Melissani Cave, and book a boat trip out to Fteri Beach!
Our Ultimate Guide to the Best Things To Do In Kefalonia
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