Kolymbithres Beach

Kolymbithres is the famous beach of Paros, known for its smooth granite rock formations sculpted into natural pools and coves.

About Kolymbithres Beach

Kolymbithres is the most famous beach on Paros, and one of the most distinctive in the Cyclades, a series of small coves and natural swimming pools carved into smooth granite rock formations on the north coast of the island. The name means 'baptismal fonts', which is exactly what the sculpted rocks resemble: the sea has worn the granite into rounded basins, channels and platforms that create a series of natural pools and tiny beaches, each with its own character. The water is clear and calm, the sand is fine, and the rock formations provide natural shade and diving platforms. The beach is really a string of small coves rather than one continuous strand, and part of the pleasure is exploring along the rocks to find a private spot. Behind the beach, the bay of Naoussa provides shelter, and the water is shallow and warm. Kolymbithres has become popular and can be busy in high summer, but the rock formations spread people out and the setting remains beautiful and unusual. The granite landscape is unique in the Cyclades, and the beach is as much about the geology as the swimming.