5 Hidden Gem Surfing and Windsurfing in Spetses

Most travelers write off Spetses as just a fancy, old-money Greek island with horse-drawn carriages, overpriced waterfront cafes, and celebrity villas hidden in the pine forests — which, sure, it is, but that’s only half the story. For years, the island has been a quiet favorite of local Greek surfers and windsurfers who come for the consistent meltemi winds, clean waves, and total lack of crowded, overhyped breaks you’ll find in more touristy parts of the Aegean. If you’ve ever spent a morning fighting 20 other people for wave space at a popular surf spot in Crete or Naxos, you’re going to love what Spetses has to offer.

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The spots we’re sharing here aren’t the ones you’ll find in any mainstream travel guide, and most of them don’t even have signs pointing the way — you’ll have to ask a local, or wander down a dirt path a little ways to find them. We’ve picked these five gems specifically to cover every skill level, from total first-timers who have never stood on a surf board in their life, to seasoned pro windsurfers who are sick of the same old crowded breaks across the Greek islands.

1. Ayios Nikolaos Cove

Tucked away on the island’s quiet northwest coast, this tiny pebbly cove is so hidden that most tourists who visit Spetses never even know it exists. You’ll have to hike 10 minutes down a rocky dirt path from the main coastal road to reach it, with no signs or markers to point you in the right direction — just follow the sound of the waves and the scent of wild thyme growing along the path. The cove is totally sheltered from wind and swell, with shallow, calm water that stays less than a meter deep for 50 meters out from shore, making it perfect for total beginners who are still learning to balance on a board without getting tossed around by waves. There are almost no crowds here, even in peak summer, so you can take as much time as you need to practice without feeling self-conscious.

It’s also a great pick for families with young kids who want to mess around on boogie boards or try windsurfing for the first time, because the pebbly bottom is soft and there are no sharp rocks or sudden drop-offs to worry about. If you’re a more experienced windsurfer, you can come here early in the morning before the heat sets in, when the light offshore breeze picks up just enough to practice jibes and basic maneuvers without the chaos of the more popular windsurf spots on the island.

• Best time to visit: Aim for May to early June, or late September to mid-October. The water is still warm enough to fall off your board without freezing (hovering around 22°C to 24°C), the meltemi winds are gentle enough that even absolute beginners won’t get blown out to sea, and you’ll have the cove almost entirely to yourself most days.
• Booking tip: Skip the big surf schools in Spetses town, which charge a premium for their central location. Instead, book a private lesson with a local instructor who lives in the nearby village of Kounoupitsa — they charge about 30% less than the town operators, and they know the exact path down to the cove so you don’t end up wandering around lost for an hour.

2. Kounoupitsa South Reef Break

Most people only know Kounoupitsa as the island’s most popular public beach, with its soft golden sand and beach bar that plays pop music all afternoon. But if you walk 300 meters south along the shore past the main beach, you’ll find a small, unmarked reef break that’s a favorite of local surfers who don’t want to deal with the crowds at the main beach. The reef is covered in soft sand, so you don’t have to worry about sharp coral cuts if you wipe out, and it creates clean, peeling right-handers that stay a consistent 1 to 2 meters high even when the rest of the island’s surf spots are totally flat. It works best when the meltemi is blowing north-northwest, which is the prevailing wind direction on the island for about 70% of the summer months.

This spot is perfect for intermediate surfers who are tired of fighting for space at crowded breaks across the Cyclades, because you’ll almost never have more than 3 or 4 other people in the water at once, even on peak summer weekends. The only catch is that you have to be comfortable paddling out over a small stretch of open water to reach the break, and you’ll need to keep an eye out for the occasional stray luxury yacht that anchors too close to the lineup.

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• Best time to visit: Late July to early September, when the north meltemi is at its most consistent, and the water temperature hits a balmy 26°C so you don’t need a wetsuit even if you fall off your board a dozen times in a session.
• Booking tip: If you don’t have your own board, rent one from the tiny family-run surf shack right on the main Kounoupitsa beach. The owners are local surfers themselves, and they’ll let you borrow their extra boards for free if you buy a cold frappe or a beer from their kiosk after your session — no extra rental fee required.

3. Agia Marina Lagoon Entrance

Tucked between Spetses town and the small, quiet fishing village of Agia Marina, this narrow channel is a windsurfer’s hidden paradise that most visitors never stumble on. The calm, flat lagoon on the inland side of the channel is perfect for practicing freestyle tricks and basic maneuvers without the stress of waves, while the open sea on the other side has small, mellow wind waves that are ideal for learning to windsurf in real ocean conditions, not just a flat, controlled lake. The channel is sheltered from the strongest meltemi gusts, so even if you’re still getting the hang of steering, you won’t get blown all the way across the Aegean if you lose your balance.

It’s also a great pick for more advanced windsurfers who want to practice speed runs, because the funnel shape of the channel amplifies even moderate breeze into consistent 15 to 20 knot winds that are perfect for planing without being overwhelming. The only small downside is that the shore is a little rocky, so you’ll want to wear water shoes to avoid cutting your feet on the sharp limestone when you launch or land your board.

• Best time to visit: June and September, when the meltemi is strong enough for consistent wind but not so strong that it creates dangerous whitecaps in the narrow channel. The tourist crowds are also much thinner than in peak July and August, so you can launch and land your board without dodging sunbathers and speed boats.
• Booking tip: Book a windsurf rental package with the local sailing club in Agia Marina instead of the big, flashy operators in Spetses town. They include a free, detailed safety briefing on local currents and hidden rocks, and they’ll store your board for free overnight if you rent for more than one day.

4. Zogeria Beach North Point

Most people only know Zogeria as a pretty, secluded pebbly beach with impossibly clear turquoise water, but the small rocky headland at its northern end creates a little-known peak break that works even when the rest of the island’s surf spots are totally flat. The waves here are fast, steep right-handers that barrel over a shallow rocky shelf for 50 to 100 meters on a good day, and they’re almost never crowded because you have to scramble over the sharp rocks to get to the takeoff spot, which most casual beachgoers won’t bother with. It’s a favorite of visiting pro surfers who come to Spetses to escape the crowds of the more famous Greek surf spots.

It’s also a fantastic windsurf spot on days when the meltemi is blowing hard, because the headland blocks the worst of the gusts, creating a sheltered area with 10 to 15 knot side-shore winds that are perfect for intermediate windsurfers who want to practice riding small wind waves without getting tossed around. The only thing to keep in mind is that the rocky shelf is full of sea urchins, so you’ll need to be careful where you step when you get out of the water, or wear thick-soled water shoes to avoid getting stuck.

• Best time to visit: Mid-August, when the summer swell is at its most consistent, and the water temperature hits 27°C so even if you wipe out and scrape your knee on the rocks, you won’t get hypothermia. The water is also clearest at this time of year, so you can spot the sea urchins before you step on them.
• Booking tip: Don’t waste your money on a guided surf trip here unless you’re an absolute expert. The local surfers who hang out at the tiny beach bar nearby will give you free, detailed tips on the best takeoff spots and where to avoid the sea urchins for no charge, if you buy them a beer first — it’s way cheaper and more personal than a formal guided tour.

5. Old Port Sunset Wind Run

If you don’t feel like hiking out to remote coves or dealing with rocky reef breaks, the old port of Spetses has a little-used windsurf run that’s perfect for casual riders who just want to have fun without the stress of big waves. The run goes from the small, quiet marina at the back of the port out to the tiny uninhabited island of Spyridonas, which is only 500 meters away, and the water inside the port is totally flat and sheltered, so you can practice steering and balance before you head out into the open water. The run is super popular with local windsurfers who come after work to unwind, but it’s rarely crowded with tourists.

It’s especially magical at sunset, when the pink and orange light hits the old Venetian-style houses on the waterfront, and you can windsurf back to shore while watching the sun dip below the horizon. It’s also a great spot for beginner surfers who want to practice popping up on small, mellow wind-generated waves that are way smaller and less intimidating than the open ocean breaks you’ll find on the rest of the island.

• Best time to visit: Late May to early June, or late August to mid-September. The sunset is late enough that you have plenty of daylight to finish your run before it gets dark, and the port is still quiet enough that you don’t have to dodge fishing boats and luxury yachts while you’re learning.
• Booking tip: The small, family-run surf shop right on the port promenade offers a “sunset special” rental package that includes a board, a wetsuit if you need it, and a free cold drink at their beach shack after your session for €25 — that’s half the price of the rental packages offered by the big beachfront hotels, and the staff will give you free tips on the best route to take for the sunset run.

The thing about Spetses is that it still feels like a well-kept local secret, even with all the fancy tourists who come for the horse carriages and the celebrity villas — these surf and windsurf spots are never going to be overrun like the breaks in Mykonos or Santorini, because you have to put in a little work to find them, whether that’s hiking down a dirt path or asking a local for directions. If you’re looking for a Greek island trip that’s equal parts pretty old-world charm and laid-back water sports fun, without the crowds and the jacked-up prices of the more popular spots, Spetses is exactly what you’ve been looking for.