Epanomi Beach, sometimes called Potamos Beach after the nearby town, is one of the nicest beaches in the relative vicinity of Thessaloniki.
Located on a small, pointed sandy promontory, it is surrounded by dunes and lies completely outside any resort. It is from the narrowest point of the beach that, in fine weather, you can get a magnificent view of Greece's highest mountain, Mount Olympos, towering on the other side of the Thessaloniki Gulf.
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The main attraction of the beach, however, is the old wreck of a shipwreck near the shore.
Swimming and beach facilities
With its pointed shape, Epanomi Beach is a little reminiscent of Croatia's phenomenal Zlatni Rat Beach, but in comparison it is considerably less crowded and secluded.
The beach is covered with semi-coarse but pleasant to walk on white sand and the entrance to the sea is quite gradual on both sides. The water is usually calm and safe.
Overall, Epanomi Beach is over 7 km long and is mostly located outside the built-up area in a landscape of grass-covered dunes.
This is matched by the virtually non-existent beach facilities. There are occasional food stalls in high season, but expect a more open environment with plenty of privacy and no major tourist facilities.
Shipwreck and flamingo pond
Just 20 metres or so from the southern edge of the beach you'll come across a rusty old shipwreck, or more accurately a water bulldozer that broke down here in 1970 and now creates the perfect setting for snorkelers.
As it is very close to the shore, you really only need a snorkel to explore it, no diving equipment is needed.
On the northern side of the beach you will pass saltwater ponds and wetlands, where you can observe flamingos migrating to other landscapes several times a year (usually in spring and autumn), and cormorants all year round.
How to get to the beach?
The easiest way to get to the beach is by car, you can drive to the eastern or northern end of the beach, from where you have to walk along the sand to reach the headland, but that's okay because it's a nice walk along the sea. From Thessaloniki, drive first to the village of Epanomi, from where you can continue along narrow tarmac roads either south to the Akti Retzika campsite (see map) or southwest to the Agios Nikolaos chapel (see map).
From Thessaloniki airport, where it is best to hire a car, it takes about 25 km to get here.
From Thessaloniki's IKEA bus station, bus line 69A runs every 30 minutes to Epanomi and directly to the beach in July and August, while line 69B terminates in the centre of Epanomi.
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