Mariza Beach

Mariza, the beach of jumping into the void

Mariza is not a beach in the usual sense. Forget fine sand and sunloungers. There are no umbrellas here. There is no beach bar. What there is, is rock. A lot of rock. And an emerald green sea so deep it makes you slightly dizzy.

We got to Mariza on a stiflingly hot afternoon. The bus dropped us at Limenaria and we walked the 300 metres that separate the village square from the sea: from the square you turn left and take a forest trail that runs under the pines. It is five minutes at a slow pace. The beach appears all at once: a flat rock platform on the southeast coast, like a natural sun deck carved by the sea over centuries.

This is the beach of Limenaria, and it matters to say so plainly, because the village has no beach of its own. If somebody tells you they are going to swim at Limenaria, this is where they are going.

The fun part of Mariza is getting into the water. There are metal ladders fixed into the rock that go straight down into the sea. There are also a couple of spots where the locals jump in from three or four metres up. We watched a Greek lad do a somersault that left us open-mouthed.

The water is deep green, almost dark, but crystal clear. The depth increases fast. A few metres out from the platform you are already out of your depth. The bottom is full of rock formations, cracks and small underwater caves. The snorkelling here is on another level. We saw octopus camouflaged among the rocks, purple sea urchins and shoals of colourful fish that surrounded us without any fear.

Mariza is not for everyone. If you want sand and comforts, stay at Skala or go up to Dragonera. But if you like the feeling of adventure, of getting into the sea off a rock with your heart going, you will feel at home here. The closest thing on the island is Chalikiada, though that one asks for a proper scramble to reach.

Bring water shoes. The rocks can be slippery. Bring water and something to eat. And if you can, come early in the morning. The sun hits full on in the afternoon and the rock turns into a griddle.

Mariza was our favourite surprise on Agistri. We were not expecting much. And we found one of those beaches that, years later, you still remember with a smile.

Practical details

• Where: southeast coast, 300 m from Limenaria square along a signposted forest trail
• Type: rock platform, no sand at all
• Access to the water: metal ladders fixed into the rock, plus jumping spots of three to four metres
• Facilities: none. No shower, no toilets, no loungers, no beach bar
• Shade: the pines reach almost to the rock, but the platform itself is fully exposed
• Bring: water shoes, drinking water, snorkel and mask
• Best time: morning. The afternoon sun turns the rock into a griddle