Navagio Beach: the most beautiful beach in Greece

Navagio Beach or Shipwreck Beach, an isolated sandy cove on Zakynthos island, is one of the most famous and most photographed beaches in Greece. Navagio Beach is often referred to as the Shipwreck Beach or simply ‘the Shipwreck’ because it is home to the wreck of a ship called Panagiotis that is believed to have been a smuggler’s ship. The presence of alleged ship gave Navagio Beach yet another nickname—Smugglers Cove.

This small and isolated yet strikingly beautiful sandy cove is located on the north-west shore of the Zakynthos island, near the Anafotiria village—quite opposite of the island’s capital Zakynthos. The area is defined by its sheer limestone cliffs, white sand beaches, and clear blue water, which attract thousands of tourists annually. The strip of beach is accessed only by boat, but tourists can see it from above if they stand on the high side of the cliffs that overlook it.

Navagio Beach was originally known as Agios Georgios. Then sometime in 1981, the Greek authorities were tipped that a freightliner in the waters around Zakynthos island is smuggling contraband, which included cigarettes, wine, and women, and a chase began. Stormy weather and bad visibility resulted in the ship running aground right on Navagio Beach. The ship was abandoned and still rests buried in white sandy dunes of the beach that now bears the nickname Shipwreck.