Castaways

Beautiful beaches of Greece attract millions of lovers of summer vacation each year. What we do not know is that some of these beaches hide interesting and exciting stories about smugglers, illegal trade and unexplained events. You can visit them and see their rusty remains while admiring their crystal blue waters and beautiful nature.

Here are the most famous beaches in Greece with shipwrecks:

• Navagio, Zakynthos

This is definitely one of the most photographed spots in Greece and therefore the most famous beach with a shipwreck. The ship called Panagiotis crashed in 1980s due to bad weather conditions. There are rumours that it has been used to transport contraband cigarettes from Turkey, which were to be sold in open waters of Tunisia.

Accessible only by water, Navagio captivates its visitors with its golden sands, turquoise blue waters, and the surrounding white limestone cliffs.

Best photos could be taken from the observation point above the beach. From there the view is stunning!

• Dimitrios, Peloponnese

5 km away from Gythio, on Valtaki beach there are still the remains of Dimitrios. It is a small cargo ship settled there since 1981. According to rumours, like the ship of Navagio, Dimitrios was also used for cigarettes smuggling, but its last operation was unsuccessful, cigarettes were burned and the owners needed to get rid of the vessel. There is also a bolder rumour saying that the ship was ghostly, like the Flying Dutchman – it is not known where it came from, where it went and who was its crew. The truth, though, is that the ship landed in Gythio in December 1980 because the captain fell ill and needed to be admitted to hospital. At this time, the ship’s owner had financial difficulties. The whole crew was deployed and the ship abandoned.

Visit it at sunset for great photos.

• Olympia, Amorgos

The remains of the ship Olympia are located on the picturesque island of Amorgos. Locals say that in February 1980, the ship crashed into the rocks of Liverio Bay. The captain was looking for a sheltered place to drop anchor in a severe storm. Fortunately, the entire crew was unharmed, and the ship remained there, giving to the beach an adventurous atmosphere.  Olympia appears in many scenes of Luke Besson’s ‘The Big Blue’. 

Kalotaritisa Beach is now popular for diving, but it is difficult to access via a dirt road by car or on foot. The shipwrecks are intact due to the isolation of the beach.

• Agalipa, Skyros

On Agalipa beach, Skyros island, famous for its clear blue waters, are the remains of a wooden ship. The beach is accessible only by water and a walking route through a pine grove from Agios Petros. In 2001, it was transporting 60 refugees from Turkey, but bad weather and dangerous Aegean waves forced the captain to end this dangerous journey by mooring there (Agalipa beach named after the ship later).

• Gramvousa, Crete

Crete is a popular island among tourists with its nature and beauty. There are the remains of a 35-meter semi-submerged ship since 1968. It transported 400 tons of cement from Chalkida to North Africa. Due to bad weather conditions, the captain dropped anchor in Diokofta Bay. Later, the ship set off, but the weather worsened and they had to stop again. The ship ran aground and the engine room filled with water. The crew was taken out unscathed.

Today, Gramvusa is another of the many attractions of Crete. It is an isolated beach, protected by Natura 2000. It is forbidden to spend the night on the beach, because of the Mediterranean seals and endangered Kareta- Kareta turtles nesting there.

• Кarpathos

Another ship ends its journey on the not very popular amongst visitors island of Karpathos. Not much is known about the crash. It is supposed to be an Italian cargo ship.

Its remains are located on the cliffs of Makris Gialos, next to Afiartis beach. It is easily accessible and close to the airport.

• Semiramis, Andros

Andros is a beautiful island, with mountainous hills and endless blue waters. In its northeastern part, near Vori beach, amongst the surrounding desert rock formations and a slightly eerie atmosphere, you can find the rusty remains of Semiramis. The story of the vessel remains a mystery to us, although locals share different versions, some of them scary. It can be reached by dirt road or by boat.

If you want to visit Semiramis, hurry, it sinks over time.

• Peristera, Alonissos

Peristera is an uninhabited island located east of Alonissos, which has wonderful beaches and this hidden shipwreck. We call it ‘hidden’ not only because of its location, but it remains less famous in compare to the more significant sunken ship found nearby, which is located 30 meters underwater and carried over 3,000 amphorae from 425 BC. The ship from Peristera was carrying supplies from Alonissos and the reason for its sinking remains unknown.

It can be visited by boat.

• Epanomi, Macedonia

This shipwreck is located 35 km away from Thessaloniki on the sandy beach Epinomi. It transported soil from one island to another during the period when Greece was a victim of a dictatorial regime. The aim was to create conditions for planting many plants. This was detrimental to local flora and fauna and fortunately it is no longer done. In the 1970s, the ship became useless for the company that owned it and was left to rust on this beautiful sandy beach.

The beach is accessible by a dirt road.