Last updated 30 June 2007

Astipalea is a quiet island and most travellers are here to escape, either retired people or people getting some time off.

Encouraging reports regarding the possibilities for naturists here.  Off season you can strip off on almost any of the beaches except the town beaches at Maltezana, Livadia and the Chora.  However the roads are bad and if you hire a car a jeep is probably best.

Tzanaki Beach near Livadia

My contributor found one lovely little "official" naturist beach on the island. From Chora or the port catch the bus (only 2 a day in off season) or walk the 2.5km (from Chora) to Livadia (the main "resort beach"). Walk through Livadi beach and up the hill on the far side, then take a left turn around the 5th century small white chapel. Keep following the road past the next horseshoe bay (with the "No nudism or camping" signs) and past the house on the left at Pountari bay (between you and the sea) with the big swimming pool (can't miss it). Carry on for another 600 metres and you come to a fence line the runs at right angles to the road down a fairly steep slope to the sea. The side of the fence line has a well worn track going down and there is a pull off on the road next to it. At the end of the fence you will be directly above a ruined house with a stone threshing circle in front of it and will see part of the beach to the right. Simply follow the path at the side of the fence down towards the house. It takes 8 minutes to climb back up to the road and about 25 minutes in total to walk back to Livadi.

The beach itself is azure and large scale shingle about 75m long. The beach has a great location but it is only comfortable on the less rough pebbles by the waters edge and it is often not possible to sit there.

There is a second bay over some rocks to the left which is maybe 20m long but the sun vanishes about 3.30pm there. The beach is pretty much 100% naturist but an occasional textile may wander in (no problems). One local seemed to turn up for a swim and a look at about 3.00pm (probably end of work) but was no problem. Snorkeling quite good and water clarity brilliant. A really nice crowd on a very small beach. Bring all you require as no facilities here. It is such a small, nice, reasonably frequented beach.

Barefoot reporters who visited in May 2007 confirm the above but found it something of a hike to reach.

Va Bay

Not having received reports from Astipalea for some time, the Captain was delighted to hear from a Barefoot reporter who stayed in on the island in September 2004 and 2006 discovered a beach which is in the neighbourhood of the airport, in the Va bay. When you go to the airport entrance from Maltezana, there is an unpaved road (bad, but accessible to both cars and motorbikes) starting at the right of the airport entrance. Drive about 2 km and you arrive at Va Bay with a large golden sandy beach at the terminus of the road. 

From the chora, just as the Airport fence becomes visible there is a pull-in off the road with a bus stop sign.  All the signs were were lying on the ground, or used as part of the fence and rusted when my reporters were there in May 2007. The path from here is easy to see, down to the sea. And slightly over a crest is this lovely little cove.

My reporter happened to be there alone or with a few other people, mixture of textiles and naked (including young Greek people and Greek families). He found the beach very quiet and lovely and you can even walk nude in its beautiful surroundings. No facilities at all (no taverna, etc.) so do not forget to take fresh water and food with you.  My intrepid reporter rated it 80%.  Later Barefoot visitors had the beach to themselves: it was very hot but great, and rated 100%. 
 

Other beaches

There are possibilities all over Astipalea. It is a bit windswept on the northern side and lots of sea debris. On the other hand a little bit of a walk will probably guarantee a secluded set of rocks. There are however strategically positioned chapels at almost anything that passes for a beach or bay but my contributors found 2 very lovely other spots for naturist plunging. Definitely hire a 4WD to go anywhere near any of the beaches outside of the one mentioned above, Livadia or the other town near the airport (Maltezana?). Most other roads are very hard on suspension and will kill a moped rider unless he/she has an anaesthetised posterior!