If you’ve already visited Athens and want to explore more cities in Greece, a Thessaloniki beach holiday could be just right for you.
There are two things I look for when planning a holiday abroad: historical sights and places to swim in the sea. Greece delivers on both and swimming in the beautifully clear Aegean Sea is a travel highlight for me.
What to do in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city after Athens, has incredible cultural and historic landmarks to discover. Visitors to Thessaloniki can explore Saint Dimitrios Church, admire ancient pottery and Roman statues at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, and enjoy authentic Greek food in the famous Ladadika district.
Despite its bustling urban atmosphere, Thessaloniki is just a 30min-1h drive from several beautiful beaches, like Perea Beach and Agia Triada Beach, and you can take boats from Thessaloniki marina to some Greek islands. If you love nothing more than being by the water, a Thessaloniki beach holiday could be the one for you.
The best Thessaloniki beaches for swimming in the sea
Greece’s warm, Mediterranean climate is perfect for sea swimming, and many locals here enjoy a regular dip. Sea swimming is one of the best things to do in Thessaloniki because the Aegean Sea is often calm, and the water is generally very clean. Here are some of the best Thessaloniki beach destinations.
Agia Triada beach
Agia Triada Beach is a small sandy bay around a 35-minute drive from Thessaloniki. It’s is a popular beach for swimming, as the water is crystal clear and quite shallow. Visitors can use the sun loungers and umbrellas provided, and the beachfront is lined with hotels and restaurants, making this a great place to stay overnight.
Buses from Thessaloniki run frequently to Agia Triada beach, so it’s easy to head there for a day trip. From the city, take the 36 bus and change to the 72 en route. This journey takes around 50 minutes.
“Agia Triada is located just five minutes’ drive from the Hidden Beach, which is a beautifully secluded cove surrounded by dramatic cliffs – one of my favourite places to visit in Thessaloniki.”
Asprovalta beach
Asprovalta Beach is located east of Thessaloniki, around a one-hour drive from the city. This sandy beach is known for its clear waters and great on-site facilities, including showers, a kids’ play area, and a beach volleyball court. Asprovalta Beach is also quite long, so it doesn’t tend to get overcrowded. This beach is popular with travellers looking for outdoor activities, like water sports and hiking, and is located just a short drive from the Agios Georgios walking area.
To explore Asprovalta town, you can hire bikes and go-karts from Carousel Bikes near the Town Hall. Asprovalta Beach also has a nearby campsite where you can pitch a tent and enjoy a midnight swim under the stars. Fishing is also a popular activity in Asprovalta and many of the local restaurants are known for serving fresh seafood.
Perea beach
Perea Beach is around a 30-minute drive from Thessaloniki and is on the same coast as Agia Triada Beach. Like Agia Triada, Perea has clean shallow waters, perfect for families and less experienced swimmers. The water does become quite deep, but this is some distance off the shore. It’s a buzzy area for tourists with lots of coffee shops and restaurants serving locally-caught seafood.
“During the summer, boat tours from Thessaloniki to Perea Beach run frequently. You can also take a sunset stroll along the Perea beach pier and admire the serene Aegean waters.”
FAQs about Thessaloniki beaches
The Aegean Sea is known for having calm, sheltered waters inland, which makes it ideal for swimming. In general, the Aegean Sea does not have strong, unpredictable currents and is not often rough. Despite this always check weather conditions and use your better judgement when swimming.
Beaches near Thessaloniki benefit from the warm waters in bays on the Aegean coast. During the summer months, temperatures in the Aegean sit at around 23-26 degrees, giving the water a lovely, temperate feel. Even in the winter, the average sea temperature does not usually fall below 15-16 degrees, meaning you can comfortably enjoy an off-season swim.
Thessaloniki beaches like Perea Beach and Agia Triada Beach are great for families with young children. Although the water does drop off sharply away from the shore, there is plenty of shallow water around the bays that kids can paddle in. Always supervise children in the water and do not let them swim out of their depth.
