Livadakia Beach, Serifos: The Golden Sandy Shore 800m From the Ferry Port, Where Coralli Camping Has Operated Directly on the Beach for Decades, on the Island Where Perseus Grew Up After Arriving in a Chest

Greece | Livadakia | Serifos, Cyclades

Perseus arrived on Serifos in a wooden chest. His mother Danae had been locked in a bronze chamber by her father Acrisius, the king of Argos, because an oracle had told him his grandson would kill him. Zeus visited Danae in a shower of gold, and Perseus was born. Acrisius locked mother and son in the chest and threw it into the sea, where it drifted until it reached Serifos. The fisherman Dictys found them on the shore. Perseus grew up on the island, and it was the king of Serifos — Polydectes — who sent him on the quest to bring back the head of Medusa, partly to get rid of him and partly to have access to his mother. Perseus succeeded, used the head to turn the unwanted suitors of Danae to stone, and left Serifos with his mother for Argos, where the oracle eventually came true when he accidentally killed his grandfather with a discus at the games.

The myth is mentioned in the local context because the island’s identity carries it. Serifos is otherwise one of the less-visited major Cycladic islands — a favourite of Athenians who want the authentic island experience without the tourist density of Mykonos or Santorini but who know the quality they are getting. The Chora — the whitewashed hilltop capital sitting on a dramatic rocky pinnacle above the bay — is considered by many to be the most picturesque Chora in the Cyclades. The 81 kilometres of coastline has excellent beaches that stay quieter than equivalent beaches elsewhere. The iron ore mining history, visible in the abandoned mine workings near Megalo Livadi on the west coast, gives the island a specific industrial heritage that most of the Cyclades lack.

Livadakia is the golden sandy beach 800 metres from the ferry port of Livadi, on the southeast coast. Coralli Sea-Side Resort — camping, bungalows, restaurant, pool, and beach bar — sits directly on the beach. The beach umbrellas and sunbeds on Livadakia are provided free to camping guests. The tamarisk trees behind the sand provide natural shade. The water is clear, the bay sheltered, the entry gradual.

Getting There: 800m From the Livadi Ferry Port (10-Minute Walk), Hourly Bus to Chora, Coralli Resort Runs Free Port Transfers for Guests

Serifos is reached by ferry from Piraeus — approximately 2.5 to 4.5 hours depending on the service, with multiple daily connections in summer. The ferry arrives at Livadi port. Livadakia beach is 800 metres from the port — a 10-minute walk along the road, or 5 minutes by car. Coralli camping provides free transport to and from the port for its guests.

The bus from Livadi to Chora runs every 30 minutes in summer and takes 10 minutes. Chora is on the rocky hill directly above the bay.

By car or scooter from Livadi, Livadakia is a 2-minute drive. Coralli has its own car and scooter rental. Free parking is at the resort.

The Beach: Golden Sand, Tamarisk Tree Shade, Coralli on the Sand, Calm and Sheltered, 10 Minutes From Livadi Beach

The beach is golden sand with a gradual entry — the sandy seabed slopes slowly, making it the most family-suitable beach on Serifos by consistent account. The tamarisk trees (armirikia in Greek) provide the natural shade that makes the midday heat manageable without paying for an umbrella. For non-Coralli guests, sunbeds and umbrellas are available for hire.

Livadi beach — the port area beach — is 10 minutes’ walk further and is a separate beach with more open space. When Livadakia is busy, Livadi is the immediate overflow option. Both face southeast into the protected bay.

No permanent lifeguard is stationed at Livadakia, but the proximity to the port and the presence of the Coralli staff provide an informal safety layer. The bay is genuinely sheltered from the Meltemi.

Coralli Sea-Side Resort: Camping, Bungalows, Pool, the Restaurant Capari, the Beach Bar Hippie

Coralli has operated at Livadakia for decades — it is one of the best-organised camping sites in Greece by consistent independent ratings. The facilities include a swimming pool, the restaurant Capari (menu covers multiple dishes, open to the public as well as guests), the beach bar HIPPIE, a common kitchen, laundry, 24-hour hot water, Wi-Fi throughout, and security boxes.

The bungalows are Cycladic-style, comfortable, and available for families. The campsite is consistently described as spotless and professionally managed. For budget visitors who want to be on the beach without the hotel price, Coralli is the specific option that makes Livadakia a base rather than just a day-trip beach.

The Chora of Serifos: The Most Picturesque in the Cyclades, 10 Minutes From the Beach

Serifos Chora sits on a dramatic rocky pyramid above the port bay, with the blue-domed church of Agios Konstantinos visible from the sea as the island’s defining visual. The Kastro at the top has the ruins of the medieval fortification. The whitewashed houses cascade down the hillside in the specific stepped Cycladic pattern. The view from Chora down over Livadakia, the port, and the open Aegean is the panoramic version of everything the beach view offers from ground level.

The 30-minute bus or 10-minute scooter connection makes the Chora–Livadakia day circuit straightforward: morning at the beach, afternoon in the village. Evening meals in the Chora tavernas are recommended over the port area for the combination of view and authentic food.

The Serifos Beaches: Livadakia, Psili Ammos, Ganema — and the Island’s 81km of Coastline

Serifos has 81 kilometres of coastline and a relatively small resident population — which means the beach-to-visitor ratio stays favourable compared to more commercially developed islands. Psili Ammos Beach Serifos Greece is the long golden sandy beach on the northwest coast, considered the finest on the island. Ganema Beach Serifos Greece is the secluded nudist-friendly cove 15 minutes from Livadakia.

Livadakia is the easiest. Psili Ammos is the most spectacular. Ganema is the most secluded. For visitors with only one day on the island, Livadakia in the morning (for the proximity and the ease) and a scooter ride to Psili Ammos in the afternoon (for the distance and the drama) is the natural Serifos beach day.

The Iron Mines: The Industrial Heritage of the West Coast

Serifos was one of the most important iron ore producers in the Aegean during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The mines at Megalo Livadi on the west coast exported ore throughout Europe. A workers’ uprising in 1916 — one of the first significant labour actions in modern Greek history — took place at the mines. The abandoned mine workings, the old loading pier, and the workers’ housing are still visible at Megalo Livadi. The beach there is also excellent, backed by this specific industrial heritage that gives it an atmosphere unlike any other beach in the Cyclades.

Livadakia Beach on Serifos is the golden sandy shore 800 metres from the ferry port — 10-minute walk from Livadi, Coralli Sea-Side Resort directly on the beach (camping, bungalows, pool, restaurant Capari, beach bar HIPPIE, free port transfers for guests), tamarisk tree shade, gradual sandy entry, sheltered bay, no permanent lifeguard, the most picturesque Chora in the Cyclades above on the hill (30-minute bus, 10-minute scooter), the Perseus and Danae mythology connected to the island, Psili Ammos on the northwest for the finest beach, Ganema 15 minutes away for the secluded nudist cove, and 81 kilometres of coastline to explore by scooter.

Arrive by ferry. Walk 10 minutes to Livadakia. Hire a scooter at Coralli. Ride to Psili Ammos in the afternoon.