A small island ten minutes off the coast, holding Simos — a 1.5-kilometre double arc of white sand and turquoise water that has been called the Caribbean of Greece. With apologies to the Caribbean.
Elafonisos is a small island (19 km², 743 residents at the 2021 census) just off the southeastern Peloponnese. A car ferry crosses all day from Pounta in about ten minutes (€13 a car, €2 a head, each way).
The island has one village, three smaller hamlets, and several beaches — but the reason anyone comes is Simos Beach on the south coast: a double arc of fine white sand, a kilometre and a half in all — the big Sarakiniko side and the smaller Frangos side, back to back. The water grades from clear to turquoise to deep blue. There are dunes behind and juniper trees. In high summer Simos gets very busy with Greek families, but the beach is wide enough to absorb them; come at 09:00 or stay until 19:00 and you’ll have it. The island village (Elafonisos chora) is a small fishing harbour with a row of tavernas and several small hotels. Most visitors do Elafonisos as a day-trip from Monemvasia (45 minutes + ferry); some stay two nights in the chora for the empty mornings on Simos. The island shuts mostly down November–March.
An Elafonisos day-trip done well.
Forty-five minutes south on a small road through olive groves and a couple of villages.
Nine-minute crossing — €13 for the car, €2 a head, tickets at the quay. Park near the front of the queue if you can.
Drive ten minutes south to Simos. Park, hire an umbrella on the Sarakiniko side, set up. The first hour is the quietest.
The central taverna between the two arcs — fish, salad, cold beer. Slow; an hour and a half.
Twenty minutes from Sarakiniko to Frangos via the headland — different light, different mood.
The water is warmest now, the beach emptying as day-trippers head for the ferry. The single best swim of the day.
Ten minutes to the village harbour, an ouzo at a quayside café before the ferry back.
In summer the boats run every half hour until late; out of season the last one leaves around 20:00, so check the board at the quay. Dinner in Monemvasia after a quick shower; the day is long but the light makes it easy.
Within an hour.
The mainland ferry port — a small village with cafés and a parking lot. Nine-minute crossing.
Forty-five minutes north — the medieval rock. The standard pairing. Detail on the Monemvasia page.
One hour east — the dramatic southeastern tip. Both can be done from a Monemvasia base. Detail on the Cape Maleas page.
Fifteen minutes from Pounta — a quiet seaside town with two long beaches. The cheaper sleeping alternative if Elafonisos and Monemvasia are full.
Off Pounta beach — a 5,000-year-old town submerged in three to four metres of water between the islet and the shore. Mask and snorkel from the beach.
Tell us a little about the trip you want — pace, who's coming, how you'd like to spend your mornings. We'll build the days.
