Santorini Red Beach (Kokkini Paralia) is visually the most spectacular of all Santorini beaches. The island is part of a vast volcanic crater or caldera, so Santorini is not the place to find long, golden beaches. Its beaches all have volcanic sand, mostly black or pencil grey in colour.
Most visitors make the trip to Santorini for the stunning villages and caldera views. But we found touring these amazing volcanic beaches among the most compelling things to do in Santorini.
Red Beach Santorini stands out because of the colour of its sand and cliffs. It’s a striking deep red, almost burgundy hue, unique on Santorini. It’s a magnificent sight viewed from a distance, perhaps one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.
Red Beach Santorini Safety Notice
There have been serious landslips on Santorini Red Beach in summer 2022, and some visitors have been extremely lucky to have survived.
Our advice is to do what I did – walk as far as the clifftop viewing point, and DO NOT DESCEND TO THE BEACH.
You can see the landslips in our images of the beach.
Many people ignore the warnings. They are there for a reason. Rock falls can kill people. See the beach from a distance, photograph it, and move on to the next place.
STAY AWAY FROM THE BEACH.
Where is Santorini Red Beach
?
Red Beach Santorini is on the south coast of the island of Santorini, close to the village of Akrotiri. It’s 12 km (8 miles south of the island capital, Fira.
The beach is also close (500 metres) from the Akrotiri prehistoric village site and Akrotiri beach.
See Also: 30 of the Most Famous Landmarks In Greece
How to Get to Red Beach Santorini ?
Getting to Red Beach is straightforward, though it is possible for some confusion to arise.
This famous Santorini beach is sometimes called Red Beach Akrotiri, as it’s only a mile (1.6 km) from Akrotiri village.
If you look at the Santorini bus timetable there is no mention of Red Beach. It does, however, list buses from the main Santorini bus station in Fira to Akrotiri village.
When you get to Fira bus station, you’re more likely to find buses with ‘Red Beach’ as their stated destination, rather than Akrotiri. Confused? Not to worry!
The Red Beach / Akrotiri buses stop a five-minute walk from the access path to Red Beach. They actually stop at the black sand Akrotiri beach.
After getting off at the final stop, return 100 metres or so up the hill, then continue left past several tavernas. You continue past a car park and reach the striking white church of Agios Nikolaos built at the base of some red cliffs. The start of the access path is just beyond here.
See Also: Three Bells Of Fira – the iconic blue domed Santorini church and sunset spot
Isn’t Red Beach Santorini Closed ?
There have been serious rock falls on the famous red sand beach Santorini. The result of one massive landslip in 2018 can still be seen, with a vast quantity of loose rock on the beach. There was another serious rockfall in 2023.
The local authorities have put up signs stating, “DANGER – NO ENTRY” in red block capitals. Underneath, they explain: “Falling Rocks – Serious Risk of Injury or Death”.
This seems unequivocal. However, the ban on visiting Santorini Red Beach is not enforced. At all. The first part of the access path – after the warning signs – is perfectly safe. This leads 200 metres or so to the best viewpoints of Red Beach and the cliff behind.
The path beyond is rocky, and warrants wearing at least low-level walking shoes. Many people I saw ventured on wearing flip-flops – totally inadequate footwear for the conditions. As they approached the looser rocky section further on several struggled to stay standing.
Red Beach was well and truly open when I visited, with at least 200 people on the beach. The one slight concession to safety was a fence between the cliffs and the shore, confining bathers to a narrow strip along the shoreline.
Facilities at Red Beach Santorini (Akrotiri)
There are none on the beach itself. However, there is car parking and toilets close to the start of the main path to Red Beach Santorini.
There are also several tavernas and souvenir shops on the short road between Red Beach and the bus stop at Akrotiri Beach, so you shouldn’t go short of something to eat or drink.
There is also a fruit stall along the path near the viewpoint. In season, you’ll also find stalls renting out surfboards and paddleboards on the beach itself.
Santorini Red Beach – Final Words
I hope that you have found my guide to Santorini Red Beach useful, and heed my safety advice.
The bottom line is that the beach is not safe to visit. It’s a spectacular sight, and you can see it from a distance and shoot from the same viewpoints that I did.
After the 2023 rockfall, all I can say is that sooner or later someone is going to end up being killed there. So just admire it from the footpath above.
If you plan to spend a lot of time at other beaches in Santorini, then check out my guide to the best beaches in Santorini.
You’ll find several other black sand volcanic beaches around the island, the most popular of which are nearby Perissa Beach and its neighbour Perivolos. Kamari Beach, the other side of the mountain from Perissa, is another popular choice.
Check out my guide to Black Beach Santorini, also known as Mesa Pigadia. It’s a couple of miles away beyond Akrotiri, down a dirt road off the road to the lighthouse.
Also take a look at my guide to the best villages in Santorini to visit. If you’re spending time in the southern part of the island, two of the most beautiful, Pyrgos and Emporio are close by. Both are unspoiled and very quiet – a world away from the sunset crowds at Oia.
While visiting the island, I also suggest seeking out some picturesque Santorini churches. In my Churches in Santorini guide I show you the most beautiful churches around the island, including the gorgeous Three Bells of Fira church in Firostefani.
While visiting the Santorini caldera villages, check out my Santorini sunset guide. Santorini sunsets are among the best sunsets in Europe, and in my guide I show you all the best places to see one.
Need more inspiration for your trip? You may enjoy my other Greece guides and travel resources:
- One day in Santorini itinerary
- 30 Famous Landmarks In Greece
- Things To Do In Chania – the most beautiful city in Crete
- Balos Beach Crete – stunning remote lagoon beach on the west coast of Crete
- Elafonissi Beach – pink sand paradise in the southwest corner of Crete
- Hersonissos Beaches – the 15 best beaches around the busy Crete resort
- Malia Beaches – the complete guide to Malia’s famous beaches
- Voulisma Beach – gorgeous tropical beach near Agios Nikolaos
- Things To Do In Rethymno – Crete’s beautiful third city
- Bali Crete Beaches – all 5 beaches in this north coast seaside village
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.