My 11 Favourite Flat & Walkable Beach Resorts in Greece

Ideal if you want everything close by, with no steep hills or long walks.

Greece is a beautiful country, but rugged and hilly. If you’re one of those people who can’t do destinations with lots of steps then it can be tricky to know where to go, and where to avoid.

I have family members with mobility issues so I always have this in the back of my mind whilst travelling. I’m also rapidly becoming a member of the Knackered Knees Club myself. But I’ve always preferred to stay in compact central places where you can walk right out of your hotel and enjoy the vibe (and/or the beach).

Obviously, accessibility requirements vary a lot by person. So I’m just going to cover places that are largely flat and compact enough for limited exploring on foot, no steep hikes or difficult ferry journeys required. This is by no means an exhaustive list – I think most beach areas in Greece are suitable with a little research, and there are endless small villages – but hopefully it will give you a starting point.

General mobility considerations for visiting Greece

Here are some general points to bear in mind when looking at destinations in Greece:

• Most beach resorts are on the smaller side; the coastline doesn’t have large-scale development like the Spanish Costas, for example.
• Some places are hilly but the accommodation and tourism businesses are often in a flat area (this is common in harbour towns).
• Conversely, some places have a flat centre but accommodation in the outskirts is up a hill.
• Taxi availability can really vary – make sure to research it beforehand if you think you’ll need to rely on it, especially in the smaller places.
• Modern beachfront hotels and flat promenades that run alongside the beach are not as common as in Spain, Italy, and France.
• Big hotels directly on the beachfront are also less common than you might expect.
• Don’t expect boardwalks along the beach at most beaches either – a consideration if you have a stroller/crutches/wheels.
• Sidewalk paving in Greece is generally terrible – they often have trees or signposts sticking out of the middle, and concrete is often rough and hard on wheels.
• Big resort hotels outside main area often don’t have sidewalks into town.
• Unfortunately, lifts to upper floors in hotels is still a bit of a rarity (except in high-end resorts). If this is a priority for you then it might be a good idea to use a travel agent.
• Beware of slippery marble paving in urban areas! Especially after the rain. Make sure to bring shoes with a good tread.
• Many buses and ferries in Greece are not very wheelchair friendly. 
• You’re more likely to find things like mobility aid rental, accessible transfers, and adaptable rooms in destinations with long-established international tourism.
• Areas with lots of old steps often don’t have handrails.
• Old Towns tend to be pedestrian areas so taxis won’t be able to take you door-to-door.

Phew! With all that said, I’ve been traversing holiday destinations in Greece for years and come across many places that present fewer issues. This article is a collection of some of the nicest flattest places I’ve been to.

If you like visiting compact places, I’ve also written an article about my favourite small and walkable islands.

Flat Beach Resorts in Greece

Acharavi, Corfu

Acharavi is on Corfu’s north coast is definitely a contender for the flattest beach resort in Greece. I like the fact it’s backed by lush green mountains,  and you always have a view of Albanian mountain on the horizon,  so it doesn’t feel too flat (if you know what I mean). 

Acharavi feels like it has two separate parts – there’s the beach area, which has plenty of cafes and restaurants right on the water, and then the main part of town which is a working local/residential area rather than a tourist town. It’s a 7-minute walk from the beach to the main road.

The flatness of the resort and the length of the beach means plenty of spacious hotels right behind the beach. A lot of the hotels have really nice landscaped gardens, small pools, and space for parking. You can choose between small family-run hotels or biggest resorts, even all-inclusive. I think it’s a great option if you want to stay in a resort hotel but be within walking distance of a few bars and tavernas.

Corfu has so many great beach resorts, I think most of them are suitable if you’re booking near the beach and not too far up in surrounding slopes. I’ve got a guide to Corfu’s Beach Resorts with more information on each. There are two places nearby Acharavi which stand out in different ways:

If you keep going west from Acharavi you’ll reach Roda, a small and friendly resort which is completely flat ideal if you have mobility concerns. It’s got more budget accommodation than Acharavi, more of a package holiday vibe, and is popular with older travellers.

In the other direction is Kassiopi, a picturesque harbour town in a really pretty part of the island with lots of pebble coves. It’s not completely flat like Acharavi and Roda, but it is compact and walkable, and has a bit more of a vibe. Accommodation is mostly hotels and villas.

Kos’ North Coast Resorts

If your priority is beach time and you need somewhere completely lacking in steps, it’s hard to beat the remarkably flat coastline on Kos. And the north coast in particular has some of the softest white sand I’ve seen in the Med.

The main resorts on the north coast are Tigaki, Marmari, and Mastichari. They’re all purpose-built and some may find them a bit lacking in soul – if this is important to you then Mastichari is the best of the bunch. But if you’re just looking for a fly-and-flop with a short transfer distance, then any of them will deliver – just be aware that they can sometimes get windy so I recommend booking somewhere with a sheltered pool. They’re all small and relaxed with a handful of bars and tavernas for the evening. The beaches are long and never get too busy, and it’s not far from the airport.

The big resort hotels are gradually being improved, and recent years have seen an increasing focus on wellness resorts and activities. 

Alykes, Zakynthos

For a really simple beach break with breezy island vibes, shallow seas, and super soft sand, I like Alykes/Alykanas on Zakynthos, two villages which have merged together to form one resort area. 

It’s small and flat, low-rise and leisurely, and the sand on Alykes beach is pale and ashy (this bit of the beach is nicer than the bit at Alykanas). The surrounding area is rustic and green, with salt flats and a small marina for boat trips. The north of Zakynthos is where you’ll find all the famous cliff beaches from the photos so it’s definitely worth taking a boat trip. It has two different clusters of restaurants and hotels so is a bit more spread out than the resorts I mentioned in Kos, and it feels a little bit more Greek.

Stalos, Chania

The coastline west of Chania is home to a string of beach resorts connected to the city by frequent buses. The beach is better (sandier, nicer ) on the city side, and they get quieter and more shingle-y the further west you get.

This is definitely a package tourism zone. Platanias is a bit busy and commercial for me, but Stalos and next-door Agia Marina have a really nice beach and -as long as you don’t book too far behind the main road – completely flat. It’s a 20-minute drive into the centre of Chania but the bus can get unpleasantly busy, so I wouldn’t recommend it as a base if you want to go into the city every day. But for a cheap and cheerful beach holiday with plenty of activities and occasional trips into the Old Town (which is also pretty compact and walkable), it’s ideal.

If you’d rather stay somewhere with less of a mass tourism feel, then have a look in Agii Apostoli. I think it has the nicest beaches near Chania, but there are fewer amenities and restaurants, and it’s very quiet in the evening.

Skala, Kefalonia

Skala is the flatter of rugged Kefalonia’s two main resort areas (the other is Lassi). It has a long, generous beach which never feels crowded (unlike the beach at Lassi, which is usually crammed and also has steps to get down), and ample choice of beach bars and cabanas. The beach is coarse golden sand.

You’ll find a good selection of hotels (including packages and small resort hotels), but it’s more spacious and relaxed than Lassi. What I like most about Skala is the setting. The beach is backed by big pines, and then behind the pines and the beach road is a small but lively village. It’s a purpose-built resort and might be too commercial for some, but I liked the feel and it’s one of those places where everything feels easy.

There is a short slope (not too steep) to get up to the village from the beach. The slope is pretty manageable, just bear in mind the beach road is long with the bigger resort hotels spread out along its length. If walking distance is a concern, I’d stay nearer the village end.

Skala is in the easternmost corner of Kefalonia. It’s a quiet area and is on the opposite side of the island to most of Kefalonia’s big sights, but there are a few turtle beaches nearby and I really recommend taking one of the boat trips with Captain Vangelis. He has a few different itineraries so you can see a lot if you take a few different cruises – I have a post about the day trip to Ithaka over here.

Kamares, Sifnos

Kamares is the main port on the island of Sifnos, and the steep cliffs that surround it make for a memorable entrance. It’s got classic Cycladic good looks – a jumble of sugar cube buildings with blue shutters, dazzling blue waters, and a surprisingly huge sandy beach. The water here is super shallow too.

Most of the places I’ve listed in this post are near an airport, but Sifnos doesn’t have an airport so you need to get a ferry from Piraeus. But it’s one of the shorter ferry journeys – a fast ferry that takes under 3 hours. The total journey isn’t too bad, but you’ll probably still need to break it up with stays in Athens. Once you’re there though, it’s heaven – and life is very easy. Of all the Cyclades, I think it’s one of the simplest to visit. It’s easy to get around by bus, but distances are short if you’d rather taxi. 

The thing I love about Kamares is you can walk off the ferry and be at your hotel and then on the beach in minutes. The harbour is just to the right of the area in the photo above. It’s a tiny place really, but lively enough in the evenings. There are enough cafes, shops, bars and tavernas to keep things varied, and the tavernas in Sifnos are reliably good (this is the spiritual home of moussaka and other oven-cooked dishes). 

The main road along the waterfront and beach is flat, the backstreets are up a small hill. The other main beach areas in Sifnos – Platis Gialos and Vathy – are also flat in the beach area, and have a few more upmarket and spacious beach hotels if that’s your thing (accommodation in Kamares is on the simple side). The inland villages are hillier.

Kardamyli and Stoupa, Peloponnese

Kardamyli is a small and pretty coastal village with a rocky shore, a long-ish shingle beach, a tiny harbour, and has a great atmosphere for such a small place. It has some gorgeous old stone buildings and an upmarket vibe, and hosts a jazz festival every year in May. The coastal scenery is lovely (I highly recommend a sea kayaking tour). It’s pretty but not overrun, and has lots of regulars who come every year.

The road south out of town and to the harbour is a little hilly but not steep, same for the slopes behind. But the road along to the main beach at Ritsa is flat and has few tavernas behind it. 

The beach isn’t the loveliest I’ve ever seen – it’s grey shingle and mostly unorganised – although there are some nice shady tavernas behind it. If sandy beach is important to you, I’d check out nearby(ish) Stoupa instead. Stoupa is small and flat, and has great eateries too. It does have more of a commercial holiday feel than Kardamyli, and it gets incredibly busy in the summer. 

Unfortunately, the bus service to both Kardamyli and Stoupa (they’re on the same line) isn’t great,  you’ll need to rent a car if you want to explore the wider area. Transfer time is 1 hour from Kalamata airport.

Nydri, Lefkada

Lefkada is known for its dramatic cliff beaches, but the east coast is home to a string of small and mostly flat coastal towns and villages. Nydri is the largest of these, and is the de facto tourist capital of the island. It’s a lively place, some might find it too busy and commercial. But it has its plus points – an amazing array of boat trips available from its harbour, a narrow shady beach, and is surrounded by lush scenery.

Most of the accommodation and restaurants are along the main road and harbour road – it’s completely flat and walkable, but businesses are spread out and you can end up walking a lot depending on where your accommodation is. The best place to stay is on one of the hotels right on the beach, which is fairly central (just 5 minutes’ walk to the main restaurant area).

But I also really like the Perigiali area, a separate beach at the northern end of Nydri (pictured above). It’s a longer walk to the main drag, but it has its own restaurants and beach cafes. The crescent beach is nicer, much less cramped and feels more relaxed and family-friendly. Next time I’m in Lefkada, this is where I’ll be staying.

Messinia, Peloponnese

Messinia has got to be the most underrated part of Greece. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s the South West part of the Peloponnese. This is where to escape the tourists crowds in Greece (although this might change with the release of Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey which was filmed in the area).

If you’re looking for a luxe stay, I can definitely recommend Costa Navarino. It’s a complex of several luxury hotels, all thoughtfully developed with sustainability in mind. I stayed at the Westin Costa Navarino as part of a travel conference, and absolutely loved the beach there. Just magical. The hotel is set back from the beach in order to protect the turtle nests from light pollution (🙏) but there are free buggies everywhere so you don’t have to worry about steps or walking. Transfer is about 1 hour from Kalamata airport.

But there’s plenty for normal budgets, including Gialova which is right next to the famous omega-shaped beach Voidokilia (one of the very best beaches I’ve seen). If you’re happy to rent a car for exploring, there are sandy beaches and quiet traditional resorts nearly all the way up and down the west coast, which is gently hilly, covered in olive groves, and tends to have long beaches rather than coves between steep headlands.

Read more: A Quick Guide to Greece’s Luxury Costa Navarino

Troulos, Skiathos

Skiathos, in general, is a great island if you have any kind of mobility or fitness concern. It’s so small, nothing is ever more than a short drive away. The resort areas are very small and walkable (and pretty), and Skiathos Town also has a flat walkable centre.

There are a few places where resort hotels might be up a hill (pools with a view are usually a giveaway) – especially if the hotel is behind the main road. I recommend reading my Skiathos – Beach Resort Guide for the lowdown on areas.

The beaches at the western end of the island, around Koukounaries, are the nicest, and it’s also very flat, but Koukounaries divides people (I really like it but it has a few derelict hotels, a long walk to the beach from most hotels, and gets extremely busy during the day).

Next-door Troulos is a sensible bet. It has a great beach but accommodation is sprawling, so book nearer the beach and main road if you can. If you’re worried about it being too quiet (it might be), then stay in Skiathos Town or Megali Ammos instead.

Petra and Anaxos, Lesvos

If you like simple, traditional beach resorts in Greece, the kind of places that feel like they haven’t really changed in decades, then I definitely recommend visiting Lesvos (before it changes too much). 

Of all the places I visited around the coast, Anaxos was probably the nicest beach and also very flat. Anaxos and Petra are two traditional resorts not far from the popular harbour town Molyvos, which is the main tourist hotspot on the island. Molyvos is a beauty, but unfortunately not flat. The beach is a long way from the harbour, and there some steep hillside streets.

But Petra and Anaxos are both flat as a pancake (just don’t book one of the establishments on the hill in between the two). They’re a short drive from Molyvos, and linked by bus and tourist train. Petra is the bigger of the two, and has a wider variety of shops and restaurants, a picturesque hilltop church, and some scenic old streets draped in wisteria.

I personally prefer the beach and the vibe at Anaxos (pictured above), but Petra is less sleepy and it’s easier to nip into Molyvos.

Further suggestions

Beach resorts in Halkidiki, especially the Kassandra Peninsula, are reliably flat. I haven’t had a chance to visit yet, but I’ve heard the main resort areas on Thassos (such as Golden Beach) are also wide and flat. 

Any Places to Avoid?

Apart from Molyvos, Parga is another place that springs to mind – the nicest bits are up a very steep hill!

Santorini is notorious for its steps – I do think it’s doable but would need a bit of planning.

Read more:

8 Best Small & Walkable Greek Islands (No Car Necessary)

Love Greece, Hate Long Transfers? The Nicest Places to Stay Near Each Airport

Rating All the Greek Islands I’ve Visited Without a Car

7 Surprisingly Affordable Places to Visit in Greece

Image credits:

Stoupa beach (main): © costas1962

Stoupa aerial: © aerial-drone 

Kardamyli aerial: © moofushi

All other images © The Mediterranean Traveller