Where to Go in Greece in 2027: the 15 Best Beach Destinations for Families, Couples, Young Travellers and Small Budgets
Paralia or Hanioti, Sithonia or Thassos, Parga, Lefkada or Rhodes? The 15 best places for a beach holiday in Greece in 2027 in one table: how far they are from Belgrade, what the beach is like and who each place suits best, with picks for families with children, couples, young travellers and small budgets.
Every autumn thousands of families from Serbia and the Balkans ask the same question: where to go in Greece next summer. The answer depends on four things: whether you travel by car or plane, how many hours of driving you can face, whether you need sand and shallow water for children, and whether you want peace or nightlife. Here are the 15 best places for a beach holiday in Greece in 2027, from the nearest sea to the islands you fly to, with what matters for the choice.
How to choose: four things that decide it
- Car or plane? Northern Greece, Thassos, Parga and Lefkada are driving destinations. Rhodes, Crete and the Cyclades are for flying.
- How many hours of driving? About 6.5-7 hours to the Olympic Riviera, 8 to Halkidiki, 9-11 to the Ionian coast.
- Sand and shallows or crystal water? For small children, sandy beaches with a gentle slope; for snorkelling and turquoise water, shingle and coves.
- Peace or nightlife? The same region has both, the difference is the village: Kallithea and Pefkohori are nothing like Afitos, even though they share a peninsula.
The 15 best places in Greece for 2027 - overview
| Place | From Belgrade | Beach | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Paralia and Olympic Beach | by car about 650 km, 6.5-7 h | sand | young travellers, small budgets, shortest drive |
| 2. Leptokarya and Nei Pori | by car about 650-680 km, 6.5-7 h | sand and shingle | families, peace, Mount Olympus |
| 3. Asprovalta and Stavros | by car about 760 km, 8 h | sand, shallows | families with small children |
| 4. Hanioti | by car about 740 km, 8 h | sand | families |
| 5. Pefkohori and Kallithea | by car about 740 km, 8 h | sand | young travellers, nights out |
| 6. Afitos | by car about 720 km, 7.5-8 h | sand below the cliff | couples |
| 7. Sithonia (Vourvourou, Sarti) | by car about 780 km, 8.5 h | sand, turquoise coves | couples, nature |
| 8. Ierissos, Ouranoupoli and Ammouliani | by car about 780 km, 8.5 h | sand | peace, boat trips |
| 9. Nea Iraklitsa and Kavala | by car about 780 km (690 via Bulgaria), 8-9 h | sand | small budgets, authentic Greece |
| 10. Thassos | by car about 830 km + 40-min ferry | sand and shingle | an island without flying |
| 11. Parga | by car about 870 km, 9-9.5 h | shingle and sand, turquoise | couples, postcard views |
| 12. Vrachos and the Preveza Riviera | by car about 900 km, 9.5-10.5 h | miles of sand | families, a cheaper Ionian |
| 13. Lefkada | by car about 950 km, 10-11 h | white beaches, turquoise | the most beautiful beaches |
| 14. Corfu | by car to Igoumenitsa + ferry, or by air | sand and coves | greenery, variety |
| 15. Rhodes | direct flight about 2 h | sand on the east coast | all inclusive, sunshine, history |
Driving times are realistic, with stops and an off-peak border crossing. Friday evenings and Saturday mornings in July and August add a few hours, so plan the route and crossing with Driving to Greece.
Closest to Serbia: the sea within 6 to 8 hours
1. Paralia and Olympic Beach - the shortest trip to the sea
The largest resort on the Olympic Riviera and the nearest Greek sea for most of Serbia. A long sandy beach, promenade, cafés, low prices and many guests from the region. It is crowded in August, but for young travellers and those who do not want a long drive that is an advantage, not a drawback. See Paralia and the Olympic Riviera guide.
2. Leptokarya and Nei Pori - Olympus above the beach
Further south on the same riviera, quieter villages with long sand-and-shingle beaches, Mount Olympus behind and Platamon castle half an hour away. Prices are among the lowest on the Greek coast and the atmosphere is family-friendly. See Leptokarya.
3. Asprovalta and Stavros - shallows for the little ones
The Strymonian Gulf east of Thessaloniki: Asprovalta has a long sandy beach with a very gradual slope into the sea, while Stavros is greener and smaller, with plane trees and mountain streams. From eastern Serbia the route via Bulgaria is shorter. Everything about the area is in the Asprovalta, Vrasna and Stavros guide.
Halkidiki: three peninsulas, three characters
Halkidiki remains the first choice for guests from Serbia, but its three peninsulas are completely different. The overview is in our Halkidiki guide.
4. Hanioti - the Kassandra family classic
A pedestrian zone, a park in the centre, a long sandy beach and everything within reach. Hanioti is synonymous with family holidays on Kassandra and one of the places with the most accommodation on our site. See Hanioti.
5. Pefkohori and Kallithea - for young travellers and nights out
Pefkohori has a lively promenade, bars and a beach with pines down to the water, while Kallithea is the nightlife hub of Kassandra with beach clubs. Everything about Kassandra is in the Kassandra guide.
6. Afitos - a stone village above the sea
Stone houses, narrow lanes and tavernas on a cliff above the sea, with beaches at its foot. Afitos is the most romantic place on Kassandra and a good pick for couples who want peace without isolation. See Afitos.
7. Sithonia - the finest sea in the north
Greener and wilder: Vourvourou with its islets and turquoise shallows, Kavourotrypes, Karydi, Sarti facing Mount Athos and lively Neos Marmaras. Sithonia is for couples, nature lovers, campers and anyone happy to drive from cove to cove. See the Sithonia guide.
8. Ierissos, Ouranoupoli and Ammouliani - the third peninsula
The quietest part of Halkidiki. Ierissos has a long beach and lower prices, Ouranoupoli is the last town before Mount Athos, where boats leave to cruise along the monasteries, and Ammouliani island with its turquoise beaches is a fifteen-minute ferry away. See Ierissos, Ouranoupoli and the Athos guide.
The Kavala riviera and Thassos
9. Nea Iraklitsa and Kavala - the nearest "real" Greece
Nea Iraklitsa is a fishing village with a sandy beach and quiet evenings, and Kavala a city with the old Panagia quarter, an aqueduct and town beaches. Prices are lower than in Halkidiki and crowds smaller. See the Nea Iraklitsa and Nea Peramos guide and the Nea Iraklitsa and Kavala pages.
10. Thassos - an island you can drive to
A green island with pines down to the sea and beaches such as Golden Beach, Paradise and Aliki. The ferry from Keramoti takes about 40 minutes and runs frequently, and tickets are cheap (prices in Greece transport prices). The ideal pick for families who want an island without flying. See the Thassos guide.
The Ionian Sea without a ferry
11. Parga - a Venetian postcard
Colourful houses below a castle, an islet in the bay, Valtos and Lichnos beaches and boats to Paxos and Antipaxos. Parga is the prettiest and priciest base on the Epirus coast, so book early for July and August. See the Parga, Syvota and Epirus guide and the Parga page.
12. Vrachos and the Preveza Riviera - the 2027 discovery
The miles-long Vrachos-Loutsa sandy beach, peaceful Kanali and Kastrosykia and lively Preveza: the same Ionian Sea as Parga, with more room on the beach and clearly lower prices. After Parga, this is the part of the Ionian coast with the most accommodation on our site. New guide: Vrachos, Kanali and Mytikas.
13. Lefkada - the best beaches you can drive to
An island linked to the mainland by a causeway and bridge, so no ferry is needed. Porto Katsiki, Egremni and Kathisma appear on lists of Europe's finest beaches, and Vasiliki is a surfers' paradise. It is the longest drive on this list, but the reward is the biggest. See the Lefkada guide.
Islands: by ferry or by air
14. Corfu - a green island for everyone
Corfu is reached by ferry from Igoumenitsa, about an hour to an hour and a half at sea, or by seasonal flight. A UNESCO-listed Old Town, Paleokastritsa, Sidari and sea on both sides of the island. See the Corfu guide.
15. Rhodes - sunshine, history and all inclusive
The direct flight from Belgrade takes about two hours. Sandy beaches on the east coast, the medieval Old Town, white Lindos and a wide choice of all-inclusive hotels. A brand-new guide for the 2027 season: Rhodes holiday guide.
💡 If you are flying anyway, also look at Crete, Zakynthos and the Cyclades. Direct routes from Serbia and the nearest airports are in Greek airports.
The best places by type of holiday
| You want | Our picks for 2027 |
|---|---|
| A family holiday with small children | Asprovalta, Hanioti, Vrachos, Nea Iraklitsa, Olympic Beach |
| A romantic break for two | Afitos, Sithonia (Vourvourou), Parga, Ouranoupoli, Lindos on Rhodes |
| Young travellers and nightlife | Paralia, Pefkohori and Kallithea, Sarti, Faliraki on Rhodes |
| A small budget | Nei Pori, Leptokarya, Asprovalta, Ierissos, Nea Iraklitsa |
| No crowds in August | Athos, Kastrosykia and Kanali, Stavros, southern Sithonia |
| The most beautiful sea | Lefkada, Parga and Syvota, Sithonia, Ammouliani |
Detailed lists are in Greece with toddlers, Greece for young travellers, A romantic Greek holiday for two and A cheap 10-day Greek holiday.
When to book for 2027
The best front-line accommodation and everything good and affordable for July and August is gone by spring. Three dates are worth knowing for 2027: in Serbia Easter and May Day merge into a break from 30 April to 4 May, and summer school holidays start on 14 June for primary pupils and 21 June for secondary students. How to book early, what the real discounts are and how to avoid fake listings is in Early booking Greece 2027, and all the changes (ETIAS, border, prices and taxes) in Greece holiday 2027.
Frequently asked questions: where to go in Greece
Which Greek beach is closest to Belgrade?
The Olympic Riviera: Paralia, Olympic Beach, Leptokarya and Nei Pori, about 650 km and 6.5-7 hours with stops, almost all of it on motorway.
Where is the most beautiful sea in Greece that you can drive to?
On the Ionian side: Lefkada, Parga and Syvota have the clearest, most turquoise water. In the north it is Sithonia and Ammouliani island near Athos.
Where is the cheapest beach holiday in Greece in 2027?
On the Olympic Riviera (Nei Pori, Leptokarya), in Asprovalta, Ierissos and Nea Iraklitsa, especially in June and September. A ten-day budget is worked out in A cheap Greek holiday.
Halkidiki or the Olympic Riviera?
The Olympic Riviera is closer and cheaper, with long sandy beaches. Halkidiki is an hour or two further, but has a finer sea, more greenery and a wider choice of villages, from family resorts to quiet hideaways.
Which place in Greece is best for families with small children?
Places with sand and long shallows: Asprovalta, Olympic Beach, Hanioti, Nea Iraklitsa and Vrachos. All have shops, tavernas and a beach within a few minutes' walk.
Which Greek islands can you drive to?
Lefkada needs no ferry, since it is linked to the mainland. Thassos is a ferry of about 40 minutes from Keramoti, and Corfu a ferry from Igoumenitsa.
Where should young travellers go in Greece?
Paralia on the Olympic Riviera, Pefkohori and Kallithea on Kassandra and Sarti on Sithonia. Among the islands you fly to, Faliraki on Rhodes and the Cyclades.
When should I book accommodation for summer 2027?
Ideally between October and the end of December 2026, when choice is widest and prices lowest. After March, mostly the middle range is left for July and August.
Next step
Once you have narrowed it down to two or three destinations, compare accommodation by date and send your enquiry directly to the owner, with no middleman and no commission: search accommodation or all destinations.
