Many correspondents describe this as the best beach for naturists in Santorini. Some consider it neck-and-neck with Koloumbo beach, while others think it is the only real nudist beach on the island. It deserves a good rating because it is long and not easily crowded, either by sun-loungers & umbrellas or by bathers. It is without doubt very beautiful.

It's on the western side of Cape Exomitis, in the very south of the island.

the beach

For the entire distance the beach is backed by spectacular "jarlsberg" cliffs, eroded by the wind. "Really nice and spectacular", says one contributor.

Vlychada features soft, grey sand … that gets baking hot as the day progresses. It also becomes grainy - and painful in bare feet - near the water's edge. One Barefooter strongly recommends wearing some kind of flip-flops just to get to the water, and also bringing an umbrella since there is no shade in the afternoon: the wind is usually very strong and you don't feel the power of the sun. But the strong wind is OK because otherwise the rocks would get really hot!

At about 7 in the afternoon the sand becomes cooler and it is very enjoyable to cover yourself completely with the sand, stay like that for half an hour and then clean yourself in the sea before going back to the hotel.

One Barefooter was pleasantly struck by the way the sand surface was 'embroidered' by the criss-cross pattern of footprints left by seabirds in the morning, when the beach was drying out from the previous night's tide.

It's best to keep sandals on when walking (though there's a nice stretch of cool, wet sand along the water's edge). And walk the beach you should, to see the unique weather-beaten pumice cliffs. In a windy moment, you may even be pelted by a fine shower of dissolving pumice dust if you stand right up against the cliffs; it's a nice sensation on one's bare skin, but not welcome if it gets in your eyes.

It is easier to get into the sea in some places than others. Knee-deep in water you encounter big rounded pebbles. There is good snorkelling (though you have to swim out a way). The water is not the nicest, but by the island's standards it's OK.

The amount of nudity seems to vary but all reports agree that naturism is comfortable on this beach. After the 150m of umbrellas you can feel as free and peaceful as you like … and we're talking about kilometres of sand. Some Barefooters report naturists at the umbrellas. There is usually a mixture of straight and gay couples. You can generally enjoy all the privacy you want - people are very polite (no strange looks, no gay cruising) and there are 50m gaps between parties. All pretty relaxed.

Because the beach is so long it's possible to go for long nude walks, which are reported to be quite popular. There's a long-enough stretch for naked running: it's a bit hard going as the sand is not very firm and, in parts, slopes rather steeply, but one doesn't often have the opportunity.

It is best to avoid this beach on windy days due to blowing sand (although it is said to be OK when the wind is blowing from the north).

Santorini does not have many beaches to offer, and the trend now is that even the smallest of them are being molested by umbrellas and the like, treated as a profit enterprise rather than as a unique feature of the island's landscape.

Be sure not to confuse this beach with the Tropical beach on the left side of the hotel - it is commercial, crowded and dressed.

At the steps down to the beach there are a couple of places to get food and drink - also there are a couple of good tavernas on the road above the harbour. One Barefooter recommends the sandwich from the candina with their local tomato balls, though it's not entirely clear what this refers to.

At the west end of the beach (right facing the sea) there's a beach bar, with a good dirt road leading to it. The consequence is that the naked ones are squeezed into the middle. So after the first 200m it's OK to take off your clothes, but after 500m you need to get dressed. It's not clear whether it's just a high-season phenomenon.

One Barefooter says this beach would score 100% if it were not so difficult to get into and out of the sea due to the football sized and shaped rocks just below the waterline.

2001 June: Vlychada remains the best choice. It's spectacular, nice and calm, and it is no problem to be nude if you pass the dressed people and walk a little bit further.

2003 late September: We walked past all the sunbeds and there, fairly blatantly, were about 15-20 folks, all naked. A few teenage girls wandered past and settled further down on the beach and remained clothed. Mixture of straight and gay couples. All pretty relaxed.

Rock formations behind were very interesting as well. This might almost be neck and neck with Koloumbo Beach for best beach on the island.

2004 June: The beach was almost deserted, with only four or five nudists.
July: There were only about 20 people on the nude part of the beach, all of them nude. You can enjoy all the privacy you want - people are very polite (no strange looks, no gay cruising) and there are 50m gaps between two bathers.

The sand becomes unbearably hot during the day so you MUST wear some kind of flip-flops just to get to the water. You also should buy an umbrella at some local store (they cost €7.5 this year) since there is no shade in the afternoon. However the wind is usually very strong and you don't feel the strong power of the sun.

There's also one useful feature of this beach. At about 7 in the afternoon the sand becomes cooler and it is very enjoyable to cover yourself completely with the sand, stay like that for half an hour and then clean yourself in the sea before going back to the hotel.

September: Naturist status of this beach confirmed.

2005 July: About a dozen people on the nudist section.

2006 July: It's an absolutely great beach for nudists once you are past the umbrellas; and it's easy to get into the water. But burning hot sand.

October: Twenty or more people on the beach. Couples (all combinations) and single men and women, and a mixture of ages. It was very relaxed and pleasant. It is easier to get into the sea in some places than others. The nudism starts after a short stretch of sun umbrellas. The beach is very easy to find and, at the steps down to it, there are a couple of places to get food and drink - also there are a couple of good tavernas on the road above the harbour. The bus connects Vlichada with Thira. October was very pleasant weatherwise, but it would be roasting in the main summer months and there is no shade.

2007 early May: There were people nude sunbathing after 200 metres. Around twenty people in the afternoon, men & women, some children; most males naked, one woman also (most of the others topless).

June: Still excellent. Take a stroll 200m from the village and the next kilometres are naturist.

August: A new beach bar has sprouted at the right [presumably west] end of the beach, with a good dirt road leading to it. The consequence is that the naked ones are squeezed into the middle. So after the first 200m it's OK to take off your clothes, but after 500m you need to get dressed. This sounds disappointing and I'll be interested to hear whether it's just a high-season phenomenon.

August: Vlychada is still the best nude beach on Santorini. A good sign was that there were nude people using the farthest sunbeds and umbrellas. Westwards from these final sunbeds the beach was 99% nude with singles and couples of all ages/sexes and a lovely relaxed atmosphere. Compared to 3 years ago, you could continue walking nude all the way around the next rocky bay for a good 15/20 minutes, however, Mother Nature has since filled this bay with sand/shingle and what was a wilderness is now full of sunbeds and a taverna and is textile only. The good thing is that it's too far away from the nude beach - and around the headland - to be seen, so does not detract from the beautiful nude beach at Vlychada. This beach would score 100% if it were not so difficult to get into and out of the sea due to the football size and shaped rocks just below the waterline.

2008 August: There is now a sign for "Nudisti" and a "Nudists" sign painted on the cliffs. There were only a few couples there, all nude. At least 50 metres between them.

2010 September: Vlychada was the greatest opportunity for nudism in the island. 100m away from the sunbeds there are nudists of different ages, mostly couples gay and straight. On our visits there were about 10-20 nudists. A very friendly atmosphere and nude walks are also possible on the nudist part. Keep in mind that it's usually windy but it's OK because if it wasn't the rocks tend to be really hot! Access to the sea is a little bit difficult so you ll have to use special shoes for your comfort. Also try the sandwich from the candina with their local tomato balls!! It's great!!

2011 May: Very few people on the long beach - max 12- 14, but no problem being nude, we were 3-4 couples with at least 50-100 metres distance. The black sand is getting incredibly hot during the day and the access to the water is a bit difficult, due to the stones.

July: Also went to Koloumbo beach (above) but this beach is much better and secure. People walk by without any issue. This is the best choice on the island. There appears to be a shop on the far right of the section, so as noted above, the nudists are squeezed in the middle, but this is not a concern. There is enough open space. 15 people on the beach, all nude, comprising 4 couples.

2012 September: We visited Vlychada twice. My wife likes shade, so we went to one of the furthest sunbeds. I didn't want to offend anyone by going nude there, but a tan-thru string seemed quite acceptable. From about 50m further, and to the end of the beach, was almost exclusively nudist. Vlychada has a nice stretch of cool, wet sand along the water's edge, so it was easy to walk barefoot to the nudist section and dispense with the string.

There were about 30 people there each day, about 60% men, 4 or 5 mixed couples, 3 or 4 male couples, single men and, on each day, two single women. Everyone nude apart from 1 or 2 women of the mixed couples, who were "merely" topless.

In addition to swimming, the strip of sand allows nude walks along the beach, which were quite popular. It extends a few hundred metres beyond the beach, along the bottom of the cliff, providing a long enough stretch for naked running within the nudist area. This is a bit hard going as the sand is not very firm and, in parts, slopes rather steeply, but one doesn't often have the opportunity.

2013 May: Visited twice. No sign of the sunbeds/umbrellas so we just plonked down about 100 metres along the beach. There were very few people there and most of them clothed, but as soon as one person stripped off others joined in. The beach is fine for naturism, but somehow seemed to lack atmosphere … maybe because there were so few people.

We were fascinated by the jarlsberg cliffs (well, that's what we called them).

June: We visited three times, once driving down from Thira, the other twice walking from the southern end of Perivolos, part way along the beach and then branch inland at the road which runs up the side of the Sea Sound beach club. Only a 30 minute walk, unfortunately you cannot get around the headland the whole way.
The cliffs are amazing and alone are worth the visit.
The sand is hot and the stones in the water make getting into the sea a little difficult, we found a pair of cheap beach shoes were a good investment.

2015 October: From about 100 yards east of the west end with the EROS beach club to very near the chairs at the east end, nudity was prevalent, with a pretty even mixture of men and women. It's a gorgeous beach, but some kind of footwear strongly recommended. The road from Thira to Vlychada is pretty well marked, and the turnoff to the Eros club is probably the easiest way down.

2017 August: Excellent beach almost 100% nudist 100m after the chairs and umbrellas. Very easy to find, easily reached by car. Perfect but no natural shade.

2019 September: We were at Vlychada from 1115 to 1500. I left my wife at the last sunbeds and I walked the beach till a depression in the pumice cliff. About 200 feet after the sunbeds, i got naked and walked many times the beach. In that section I counted 22 naked males and 2 females. Also 2 topless females. The black sand got really hot around 3 pm. Accessing the water is really a challenge, due to the presence of boulders. But the sun was good and not too windy.
August: Middle section of the beach between sunbeds and Theros bar offered pretty relaxed atmosphere with enough space for everyone.

2021 August: Middle section of the beach behind the sunbeds still worth a visit and mostly nude.

2024 July: In the afternoon, end of July 2024. The beach is easily accessible from the road ('Vlychada Beach parking' on Google maps). Then just walk right for less than 15 minutes, and almost everyone is nude. Access to the water was easy and comfortable, and the cliffs make for a great background.