Lemonakia Beach, Samos: The Most Organised Beach on the Island, 1.5km From Kokkari Village on a Paved Footpath, Calmer Than the Village Beach When the Wind Blows

Greece | Kokkari | Samos, Northeast Aegean Islands

Lemonakia is a lovely beach just outside Kokkari. You can get there by walking from the village, actually on one of the very rare organised pavements along any Greek road (it’s about 1.5km from the middle of the village), or asking the bus driver to drop you off there if you’ve come by bus from Vathy (Samos Town) or Karlovasi.

Lemonakia is the most organised beach of Samos. Many umbrellas, lots of sun beds and very clean waters.

The paved path from Kokkari is the specific quality detail — paved walking access from a village to a beach on a Greek island road is genuinely unusual, as the reviewer notes. It means the 1.5-kilometre walk from the village is flat, safe, and achievable without a hire car. The bus from Vathy also stops directly on the main road above the beach.

The water is lovely, not as “stormy” as the waves on the long beach in Kokkari. 100% worth going here when it is windy in Kokkari. The wind protection is the practical decision point. Kokkari village beach faces directly into the prevailing north wind — on the days when the Meltemi makes the village beach uncomfortable, Lemonakia in its slightly more sheltered cove stays calmer.

Getting There: 1.5km From Kokkari on a Paved Path, Bus From Vathy to the Roadside Stop, Car Parking Above

Lemonakia is a sheltered bay located 13km north west of Vathy. It is partly organised with umbrellas and sundecks and a beach bar providing snacks and cold drinks.

The 2 small beaches called Small Lemonakia are situated in the bay of Kokkari 2 minutes’ walk from Poseidon Hotel. These 2 beaches are sheltered from the northern winds, they are calm and not so crowded — something to consider when travelling with children.

Note: There are two distinct places called Lemonakia near Kokkari — the small Lemonakia coves immediately in the Kokkari bay (2 minutes’ walk from the village), and the main organised Lemonakia Beach 1.5 kilometres west. The main organised beach — the one with the tavernas, sunbeds, and the TripAdvisor reviews — is the 1.5km version. The small Lemonakia coves are the quiet alternative.

Parking is available on the main road above the main Lemonakia Beach. From the parking area, a short well-maintained path leads down through the trees to the shore.

The Beach: Pebble, Partly Organised (€10 for Two Chairs and Umbrella), Olive Tree Shade, Tavernas

This beach is one of the most beautiful in Samos. Arriving you can choose between comfortable sunbeds shaded by olive trees or those placed directly on the pebble beach. The transparent sea with various shades of blue is wonderful.

A set of chairs with an umbrella at the first restaurant is €10 and you can order food and drinks and enjoy it right on the beach. The staff were very welcoming and although I was there quite a bit earlier than most guests, the kitchen was more than happy to prepare a generous portion for me. It’s not a very large beach and around midday there were more people there, but it never got too crowded and it was relatively quiet and very relaxing.

It is useful to take sea shoes as it is pebble. The pebble beach and the pebble seabed are the specific entry condition — water shoes make the entry comfortable. After entering, the seabed transitions to a softer texture.

Tsamadou: Nudist-Friendly and Slightly Less Crowded, a Short Walk Further West

Tsamadou next door is clothing-optional with dramatic cliffs and crystal-clear water. Very peaceful and natural.

I give it a four but it’s close to five, but I want to distinguish it from Tsamadou beach which is a stone’s throw away — Tsamadou beach has better baths!

Lemonakia Beach, a smaller, equally beautiful pebble beach just before Tsamadou, with a couple of tavernas.

Tsamadou is the next beach west — a short walk along the coastal path from Lemonakia. It is less organised, nudist-friendly, and arguably even more photogenic. The comparison between the two is the specific Kokkari beach decision: Lemonakia for the organised comfort and taverna food, Tsamadou for the wilder, quieter, clothing-optional experience.

Tsabou: The Third Option, With a Beach Bar and Sunset Views

Tsabou has a beach bar and spectacular sunset views.

Tsabou — the third pebble beach in the sequence west of Kokkari — is consistently described as having the best sunset position of the three. The Kokkari day programme: Lemonakia for the organised morning, Tsamadou if the mood shifts to quieter, Tsabou for the sunset from the beach bar.

Kokkari Village: The Fishing Village With the Famous Long Pebble Beach

Start at Lemonakia near Kokkari — a series of small pebble coves connected by a coastal path where you can find your own private spot.

Kokkari village itself — the postcard fishing village with its long pebble beach, harbour, and concentrated taverna scene — is the base that makes the three-beach sequence accessible without a car. It is 13 kilometres west of Vathy and a regular bus stop. The Potami Beach Samos Greece with its waterfall hike is 20 kilometres further west from Kokkari.

Lemonakia Beach on Samos is the most organised beach on the island — 1.5 kilometres from Kokkari on a rare paved coastal footpath, partly organised (€10 for two chairs and umbrella, olive tree shade available), calmer than the village beach when the wind blows, pebble beach and seabed (water shoes useful), the bus from Vathy stops at the road above, Tsamadou nudist beach a short walk further west, Tsabou with the beach bar and sunset views beyond that.

Walk from Kokkari. Take the paved path. Come when the wind makes the village beach rough.