ELAFONISOS, GREECE Travel Review — A Drive In Rural Greece to the Beach

After passing the shipwreck at the beach near Gytheio, the road is wide, sparse with cars and trucks speeding along. The rest of the drive is smooth, with some narrow streets, or stenos, that guide us through smaller shopping areas full of small beach shops with hot-pink inflatable flamingo boats and water cannons on display. Markets have fruit stands out front, ripe watermelons and cantaloupes stacked on one side, and peaches and oranges on the other. Next door is a cafe, where older men sit outside, people-watching, drinking coffee, and smoking cigarettes.

A Ferry Ride Away From ELAFONISOS, GREECE

There is a final winding road as we approach the ferry to Elafonisos, with a view of Pounta Beach’s sea-green water and seagulls soaring high above the sand. The scents of salt and sunscreen fill the air as a line of cars waits at the ticket booth to purchase tickets and receive the ferry’s schedule. The men working on the ferry direct the vehicles to reverse onto the boat so they can nose out to depart the ship at the end of the 15-minute ride. The cars are crammed, and drivers are urged to move, then stop, move, then stop. We can feel the stress of other drivers maneuvering onto the ferry for the first time.

But once the car is parked, passengers can climb the stairs and watch the ferry embark, striding through the sparkling water. Riders can wait indoors in a seated area, outside under an overhead, or on the highest level out in the sun. As the boat reaches land again, passengers return to their cars and prepare to drive to Simos Beach. On the way, we see cars parked along the side of the road and people dressed in bathing suits walking into the campground, where families stay in campers or tents for summer vacation. Deeper in the campground, past the laundry area, washroom, and market, is the cafeteria — perfect for taking a plate of chicken skewers, or souvlaki, or a pizza down to the beach.

From the cafeteria, a path directly takes you to an area on the sand with rows of umbrellas and chairs, where beachgoers spread their towels and lie down, drying off after a dip, eating snacks, and sunbathing. On the other side of the beach — from the eating area, visitors can also park further down the road and descend the stairs — frequent beachgoers pitch their umbrellas, inflate their rings and rafts, and apply sunblock while watching the calm, blue-green waves. Children ditch their flip-flops in the shade of their umbrellas and sprint across the sand, kicking clouds into the breeze.

In this writer’s opinion, this off-the-beaten-path beach is a treasured spot for natives seeking an idyllic getaway still popular but not as crowded by tourists as other areas. The ocean is cool and still, the only motion being the ripples caused by swimmers parting the way until their heads look like little faraway dots. The waters are shallow for a vast stretch, inviting people deeper into the sea. The buoyancy of the water makes it easy to float, and visitors often spend all day at the beach, riding the waves on their backs and closing their eyes. Time moves quickly here, and as the sunset sky glows lavender, the waves become darker and stronger. After hours here, surrounding families pack their coolers and fold their seats — others begin the drive back to the Elafonisos ferry.

The drive back to Gytheio catches the rest of the pink and orange sunset, and arms covered in salt and sand hang out car windows. Music filters through the car, as well as the wind, and the moon appears over the mountains, so perfectly round and luminous that only a poet could do its description justice. And back in Gytheio, restaurants and bars are just starting to fill.

The trip from Gytheio to Elafonisos is a scenic route displaying the mountains and beaches of Greece. It’s a perfect stop for tourists seeking lesser-known and authentic Greek experiences by exploring the mainland and taking a ferry rather than staying at the more popular islands and cities.

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Photos by Alexis Leonard