Myrtos Beach
Best for. Confident swimmers and view chasers who want the most dramatic beach in Kefalonia and do not mind a steep deep entry.
Best spot. The cliff viewpoint above for the famous photo, then the beach itself early in the morning when the sea is flat and the car park is empty.
Know this. The pebbles shelve steeply and the water is deep within a few steps, and it can run choppy on a breezy day. Read the sea, wear reef shoes and keep children close.
Some famous beaches disappoint in the flesh. Myrtos is not one of them. You meet it first from the cliff road that snakes along the northwest coast between Argostoli and Assos, where a viewpoint hangs above a perfect crescent of white stones folded between two great limestone headlands, the water shading from milky turquoise at the shore to a deep ink blue further out. It is the image that sells Kefalonia, and standing there you understand why.
Then you drive down to it, and the honest read begins. The descent is a steep series of hairpins to a car park by the sand, free but quick to fill, so the timing of your arrival matters as much as anything. What looks from above like soft pale sand is in fact bright white pebbles and shingle, beautiful and luminous but hard underfoot and unforgiving on bare soles. Reef shoes are not a luxury here, they are the difference between a wince and a walk, and a mat helps for lying down.
The water is where Myrtos asks for respect. It shelves away fast, so you are out of your depth within a few steps of the shore, and that steep profile means that on a breezy day it can throw up a real shore break and a pull as the waves drag back over the stones. For a strong swimmer on a calm morning it is a joy, deep, clean and gloriously clear, the kind of swim you remember. For a nervous swimmer or a young family it can be intimidating, and it is not the gentle wade that Xi or the southern sand beaches offer. Watch the sea before you commit and stay within your limits.
Get the timing right and the beach transforms. Early in the morning the sea is usually at its flattest, the car park has space, and you can swim in near solitude before the tour buses roll in for their photo stop. Late afternoon brings softer light and a thinning crowd as the day trippers leave, and the cliff viewpoint above is magnificent at almost any hour. Midday in peak summer is the worst of both worlds, busy and baking, so plan around it.
Who should skip it. Families needing safe shallow water and full facilities, and anyone uneasy on a steep mountain road or in deep water, will be happier and calmer at Antisamos or on the gentler southern beaches. But if you can swim and you want the single most spectacular stretch of coast on the island, Myrtos is unmissable, and an early calm morning here is one of the great Ionian mornings.
Clubs on this beach
Myrtos is a protected natural beach with seasonal sunbeds and a canteen rather than a daybed club on the sand, so for loungers, pools and table service we point you to the Kefalonia beach clubs directory.
No beach club on this beach
This is a wild, protected beach with seasonal umbrellas and a small canteen rather than a club with daybeds and table service, and that natural feel is part of why it is so striking. For a club style day with loungers, food and drinks brought to your spot, the island options are gathered in the Kefalonia beach clubs directory, where we list what we can verify and mark the rest to be confirmed.
Pylaros, northwest coast
Myrtos sits on the northwest coast between Argostoli and the village of Assos, reached by a steep, winding cliff road off the main route with several hairpins down to the free car park at the bottom. A hire car is by far the easiest way to get there, and the parking fills fast in July and August, so an early or late arrival is the smart move.
Facilities are seasonal and simple. In summer there are usually sunbeds and umbrellas to rent and a small canteen for drinks and snacks, but shade is limited and there is little else, so bring water and sun cover. Opening of the seasonal services is best confirmed locally before you rely on it.
Read the sea and pack for pebbles. Reef shoes make the stony shore and steep entry far kinder, the water is deep close in, and a flat calm morning is the time to swim. Stop at the cliff viewpoint above for the famous photo on the way down or up.
Photo: Laze Tasevski via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a daybed or table at a beach club elsewhere on the island, where the club scene lives. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Myrtos Beach
Can you swim at Myrtos Beach?
Yes, but with care, because Myrtos is a deep water beach rather than a gentle paddling one. The white pebbles shelve away steeply so the water is over your head within a few steps, and on a breezy day it can build waves and a pull. Strong swimmers love the clear deep sea, but it is not ideal for small children or nervous swimmers. On a flat calm morning it is wonderful, so read the conditions and keep close to shore if in doubt.
Why is Myrtos Beach so famous?
For its setting. Myrtos is a broad sweep of brilliant white pebbles cupped between two huge limestone headlands, and the contrast of the bright stones with the milky turquoise and deep blue water makes it one of the most photographed beaches in Greece. The view from the cliff road above, where most visitors stop first, is the postcard image of Kefalonia.
How do you get to Myrtos Beach and is there parking?
You drive down a steep, winding cliff road off the main route between Argostoli and Assos, with several hairpin turns to the car park at the bottom. There is a free parking area by the sand, but it fills fast in July and August, so arriving before ten in the morning or later in the afternoon is the way to find a space. A hire car is by far the easiest way to reach it.
Is Myrtos Beach sand or pebbles?
It is white pebbles and shingle, not sand, even though from the cliff above it can look like a pale sandy beach. The fine bright stones are what give the water its luminous colour, but they are hard underfoot and slippery on the steep exit, so reef shoes make a real difference and a mat or thick towel helps for lying down.
Are there facilities at Myrtos Beach?
In the summer season there are usually sunbeds and umbrellas to rent and a small canteen for drinks and snacks, along with the car park. Shade is limited beyond the umbrellas and there is little development, which keeps the beach feeling natural. Bring water and sun cover, and treat the facilities as seasonal and best confirmed locally before you rely on them.
What is the best time of day to visit Myrtos?
Early morning for the calmest sea and the easiest parking, and late afternoon for the light and the thinning crowds. The midday sun is fierce and the beach is busiest with tour stops then. The cliff viewpoint above is stunning at most hours, but the beach itself is at its best for a swim when the water is flat early in the day.
