The essential guide to Elafonisos

Updated October 2019

“What are you doing next weekend?” said my friend, “Come along with us, we are going to Elafonisos Island. They say the sea there is Caribbean turquoise”.  I jumped on the opportunity and visited the small island. That was 5 years ago. Since then I’ve been to Elafonisos island twice more (the most recent visit being a few weeks ago) and since I love it so much (the beach is indeed divine), it’s time to introduce it to you too!

Elafonisos (Ελαφόνησος) is a small island off the coast of southeastern Peloponnese in the region of Lakonia. It’s a popular relaxing holiday destination for years. Thankfully the island isn’t over-developed, so the raw beauty of the island is still there!

What to see and do in Elafonisos Island

There isn’t much you can do in this island other than relax, swim, tan, make sand castles…and that’s what people come here for! It is also family and dog friendly (because cats don’t give a damn about the sea)!

Beaches you shouldn’t miss

Elafonisos is famous for its beaches and particularly Simos beach, which is actually divided into 2 parts: small and big Simos. The first one faces southeast and the latter southwest. In both beaches the sea has this turquoise hue and tropical feeling (minus the palm trees). The island has another large beach to the west called Panagia with similar sea color, and various smaller ones.

Related: 10 Greek Beaches you shouldn’t miss

The natural environment in Elafonisos is protected under the Natura 2000 act, as the sand dunes on the beaches are home to unique flowers and vegetation. For this reason there aren’t any beach bars (but there are small cafes in the entry points of each beach) and the areas with umbrellas and sunbeds (to rent) are limited. You are more than welcome to bring your own gear (you are going to need an umbrella if you plan to spend a lot of time on the beach), as both beaches have ample space.

Where to stay in Elafonisos Island

The island has various types of accomodation: rooms to let, hotels and a camping. Over the years I’ve stayed in 3 of the available establisments. If you like to stay on the sea front then I recommend Pallas Pension and En Plo. If you are looking for a more quiet place then I suggest Berdoussis hotel. We stayed in the latter for a consecutive 2 years. It’s more expensive than the first two options. I like it more because it’s off center and provided parking for visitors.

Where to eat in Elafonisos Island

Small island though it may be, Elafonisos has  many places to eat. For fish/seafood I suggest Menti brothers (almost opposite the church) and Aronis fish tavern (the last one on the promenade, facing west). Stin Akri is an all-day café/restaurant with delicious breakfast options (you’ll find it opposite the church). The one bar/restaurant that I frequented during my last visit was Kouzini, which features Greek cuisine “with a twist”. They also feature delicious salads and award-winning cocktails on their menu.

When to visit

As all Greek islands, Elafonisos gets crowded during July and August. My favorite period to visit is early September as it’s not so crowded and not too hot (although the temperature this year was an exception).

How to get to Elafonisos Island

In order to get to Elafonisos you need a car. There is the possibility to reach it by bus (via Neapoli) but in the island there is no availability to rent bikes/motorbikes and cars and the distance from the port to the beach is 5km. The distance from Athens is 328km (miles) and you’ll need at least 5 hours to get there (without stop). If you’re coming from Europe via the Ancona-Patras ferry, you’ll need around 6 hours to get from Patras to Elafonisos (there are 2 available routes).

Have you visited Elafonisos?

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