General Information & Reviews

Reviews

• literat44 21 May 2011
  Amazing turquoise beaches

  Elafonissos is one of the islands that you should definitely visit once you come to Athens for vacation. The route is fantastic, it is about 5 hours drive to Neapolis and then 30 min by ferry. This small island in Peloponnese is popular for its exotic beaches and I heard someone there saying that many years ago it was the paradise of free camping. Now free camping is not that usual, maybe Ikaria has attracted all campers.
  
  Forget the luxuries, in Elafonissos you become one with the nature. The village is great, with lovely houses and friendly people. Most of all, the most famous beach of Elafonissos is Simos. The locals call it Fragos-Sarakiniko because they are actually twin beaches separated by a rocky island. Both beaches have crystalline waters with incredible colors and golden sand. They receive a huge amount of tourists every summer. There is also an organized camping here.
  
  On the eastern coast of the island, there is a lovely tavern serving the best dishes from the local cuisine. This part of Elafonissos is more peaceful and has amazing beaches with interesting depth, so do not forget to take your mask. Elafonissos is gifted with the beauty of nature.
  
• lenasel 18 Oct 2010
  Perfect beach fun

  By rental car from Athens, we drove to the town of Neapolis and took the ferry to Elafonissos, We had actually planned a day trip, but at the end of the day the magic of the place with its emerald waters and light golden sands had us check into a studio for a couple of days. When morning arrived, so did the rain clouds. Not too fond of the dreary weather, we were quite disappointed about skipping the beach visits and spent the day lazing around the studio, eating and wandering about the area doing goat watching!
  
  When day two dawned, the sky had cleared up and we headed for the famous twin beaches of Simos-Saracenico. Simos is the small bay and Saracenico, the large, and both are breathtakingly beautiful swathed in cedar trees and beach blossoms of white crinums. We can't remember when we had so much fun beach hopping.
  
  Elafonissos is so small that you get to visit more places in as less a time as possible. The shallow waters are perfect for swimming and I even tried a bit of fishing at a deserted rocky cove. I slipped and fell headlong into the water and lost my jig too, and my wife makes it a point to dwell on this particular incident whenever she describes our holidays! The village itself was very small and had a nice line of fish taverns at the port. The small church connected to the village with a narrow bridge is very nice and there was a baptism on our evening there!
  
• joan22 21 Jan 2010
  Ecstatic with the exotic beaches

  Elafonissos was a small island with the best beaches I have seen!! Simos and Panagitsa were awesome not only because of the pure blue-green water, but also because of the gorgeous environment. Exotic Caribbean beaches in this tiny island south of Peloponnese. My brother had been to Elafonissosthe year before and he came back talking ecstatic about it, so this year we went again together...
  
  You need a car to go to the beaches. Walking can be tiring under the sun, but we had rented a car from Athens so we didn't mind. Our family hotel was near the port and taverns were in line under the balcony. Sometimes we could smell the cooking and felt hungry. In the day, we went to the beach and in the evening for a drink in the village. It was really a relaxing week. Maybe a week seems too much for an island that has nothing to see, but time flew in Elafonissos. It was so relaxing that in the end we didn't want to leave.
  
• matina22 07 Oct 2009
  Still feel the sand on my feet

  Although Greece has remarkable islands all over and due to the fact that we have visit her many times in the past this year me and my cousins decide to rent a car to see Peloponissos area and of course Elafonissos!
  Jis we browse miraculous pictures of local beaches there and definitely worth the whole trip. During our stay, we saw the prehistoric graves at Pounta and the sunken city in Pavlopetri. There is also a hidden cave with the impressive stalagmite and stalactite interior.
  Since we were not restricted as other times where we choose islands destinations we pay visit to other near by towns such as Movevasia (drink coffee and enjoy the view from the castle!) and the picturesque port of Gythio.
  Most we enjoyed the beach of Simos in Elafonissos (twin beach of Frango and Saracenico) at the south part of the island, right across Kythira. Characteristic of the region is the emerald colours of the sea and the endless light gold sand. During the month of August, the beach blossoms with white crinums, which create a fairy picture.
  Neither less to say that I m in my office and I can still feel the sand in my feet... nice... Can't wait for the next summer!
  
• maya1 31 Jul 2009
  Gorgeous beaches all over

  You seem to present Simos as the one and best beach on Elafonissos, but this is not like that! I was there two summers ago and I can tell you that there are other beaches equally beautiful as Simos: Panagia, Sarakiniko, Kontogoni. They are just not as famous and crowded as Simos but they have excellent water and sand. We stayed four days in Elafonissos and they were enough to see such a small island and relax. Elafonissos is great for relaxing. It seems pretty remote but it isn't. It has many tourists in July and August. A few years ago, I think it was more popular but now you can find quiet places, too. All activities are in the Town: coffee houses, mini markets, taverns, rooms to let. The town is more like a village, small and cozy. The church at the port is the most picturesque corner of Elafonissos.
  
• vabreto 13 Mar 2009
  All cars go to Simos

  A day trip from Monemvasia to Elafonissos is way too tiring. Do not do the same mistake with me and book a hotel for at least 1 night. To go to Elafonissos from Monemvasia, you drive about an hour to Neapoli town, Laconia and then take the ferry to the island, which takes about 20 minutes. There are frequent ferries, usually every half an hour. The island is nice and Simos beach is truly as great as they say, with crystal water and very fine sand. The road to Simos can be a bit track but you will certainly not lose your way because all cars on Elafonissos go to Simos. Just follow the others. The other beaches are almost empty, while on Simos there is almost no room to seat.
• 1234ttr 20 Nov 2008
  A pilgrimage to my youth

  After the craze of the 1990s for Elafonissos, the island has now got back its old, calm paces. I had been there about 15 years ago and this summer I was back to this lovely destination. Then, I was a hippie, camping in Simos, trekking at midnight coast by coast, lighting fires on the sand, singing love songs with the guitar. What a nice time! This year, returning to Elafonissos was like a pilgrimage to me, a voyage to my lost youth. After my divorce, I have been feeling the strong desire to go back and remember. The island has changed a lot, so have I. Do not expect travel information from me, just go and see for yourself.
• kirstidwyer2008 26 Sep 2008
  Paradise

  it's one of the more peaceful places I have been too...
  the beach at the camping area is magical, and even more when the sun sets,
  the colors are amazing.
  if you like camping & you want to relax on the beach all day it's
  the perfect place.
  every summer i go it seems all ways like the first time.
  for you that would like a night out ther is bar down in the harbour
  & resturants to have a bite next to sea.
  it's lovely........
• ritapatzani33 08 Sep 2008
  A romantic experience

  We were in Monemvasia for our holidays this summer and went to Elafonissos to spend a weekend. It is just one-hour drive from Monemvasia to Neapoli and then about 20 minutes by ferry. It was a beautiful island with very relaxing beches. The sand was very soft, you could lay on it all day! Simos beach was the best, of course. Not much organized, but I thought it was cleaner than the beaches in popular islands. We spend the night in Capari villas, nice service and beautiful rooms. Have a beer in Antonis cafe in Elafonissos and watch the moon. Romantic experience!