Zogeria Beach

Zogeria is on the northwest side of Spetses, facing the Peloponnese across a narrow stretch of water. It is really two adjoining bays, sheltered by headlands, with pine forest coming down almost to the shoreline and a chapel among the trees. There are no rows of sunbeds, no music, and on most days no more than a scattering of people.

This is the beach you go to when you have already done the organised ones and want to remember why you came to a Greek island in the first place.

What is genuinely good

The green. The pine here is dense and it comes right to the edge, so the bay reads as forest meeting sea rather than beach with some trees behind it. The colour of the water against that backdrop, deep green shading to a clear blue over the pale bottom, is the best of any bay on Spetses.

The quiet. Because it takes effort to reach and gives you nothing when you arrive, it filters out most of the day-trip crowd. Even in August you can find a patch to yourself. That is not something we can say about Agioi Anargyroi.

The view. The Peloponnesian coast is close, close enough to pick out buildings, and there is something quietly satisfying about swimming here with the mainland right in front of you.

The snorkelling. Rocky sides, clear water, decent visibility on a calm day. Bring a mask.

And now the honest part

There is nothing there. We mean that literally. A seasonal taverna has traditionally operated near the bay, but opening depends on the year and the month and you should absolutely not plan your day around it existing. No shop, no drinking water, no toilets you can rely on, no shade beyond what the trees give you. Bring more water than you think you need, and food, and a bag for your rubbish, because there is nobody to clear up after you.

The wind. Zogeria faces north, and the summer meltemi comes from the north. On a windy day this bay is uncomfortable, choppy, and the sand and grit get into everything. Check the forecast the night before. If it is blowing, go to Agia Paraskevi instead, which is sheltered on the other side of the island.

The entry. It is pebble and coarse sand, with rock in places, and the bottom shelves quickly. Water shoes again.

The access. The road brings you to the general area and then there is a rough track down. On a moped it is manageable if you are unhurried and sensible; on a bicycle the final descent is not fun, and neither is the climb back up in the afternoon. Loose surface, no shade, no barrier.

Getting there

The honest recommendation is the water taxi from Dapia. It costs more than the fuel in a moped, but it removes the track entirely, it takes something in the region of fifteen to twenty minutes, and the approach from the water is the best view of the bay you will get. Agree the price and, crucially, agree the pickup time before you get out. There is no phone signal you can count on and no passing traffic to flag down.

By moped, follow the ring road anticlockwise from town, about six kilometres, then the track down. Do it in daylight, both ways.

The seasonal beach bus does not generally serve this side of the island the way it serves the south coast. Do not count on it.

The plan we recommend

Half a day, not a full one, and go in the morning while the sea is at its flattest. Bring lunch, bring a mask, bring water. Come back to town in the early afternoon, and spend the rest of the day walking the Old Harbour end of Spetses, which is where the island’s other pleasure lives.