Kitesurfing Schinias

Wind & Conditions

Sandy national-park beach at Marathon Bay, 40 km north-east of Athens; the southern section of the beach catches the south wind directly onshore, making it the main kite area. South wind is the predominant kiting direction, usable year-round with best conditions in Feb-May and Sep-November; summer Meltemi from the north is side-offshore and less suitable. Shallow, clear water; popular school spot for beginners.

About Schinias

Schinias sits within Marathon Bay national park, roughly 40 kilometres north-east of Athens on the Attic coast. The beach is a long, sandy strip inside a protected national park — one of the few genuinely undeveloped stretches of coastline this close to a major European capital. The park setting keeps commercial development to a minimum, which matters when you arrive with a bag full of kit and need room to rig without threading through sun-loungers and parasols. Kitesurfers head for the southern end of the beach. That's where the layout lines up with the prevailing south wind, giving you a direct onshore window and a clean area to set up and launch. Getting there from Athens is a direct drive of around 40 kilometres northeast, following the road toward Marathon and the national park. When the south wind is running, the southern section delivers. The wind hits the beach onshore, making the launch predictable and the riding area well-defined. The water here is shallow and genuinely clear — you can see the bottom well out from shore, and the bay stays calm when conditions are on. That combination takes a lot of the anxiety out of early sessions, makes gear recovery easy if things go sideways, and explains why this is an established school spot. The usable wind arc runs from east through south to west (90°–270°), with south as the primary kiting direction. The spot is rideable year-round, but the windows that reliably deliver are February through May and September through November. Those shoulder seasons bring consistent south wind without summer's complications. When summer arrives, the Meltemi takes over — a northerly that sits side-offshore at the southern launch and shifts the dynamic considerably. Most riders find those conditions less suited to this part of the beach, though it's worth checking what's actually blowing before writing off a day entirely. Schinias is well-suited to beginners and intermediates. The shallow water is forgiving, the onshore wind provides a natural safety margin if you need to bail toward the beach, and the long stretch of sand gives you room to work without obstacle courses. It's an active school location, so during peak season expect other learners and instructors in the water — give plenty of space upwind and follow standard courtesy around lessons in progress. Marathon Cafe is on site when you're done — coffee, cold drinks, and food without needing to drive anywhere. For anyone based in Athens or passing through, Schinias is the default day-trip answer. Not a wave venue or a big-air playground — just reliable south wind, shallow clear water, and a protected national park as your backdrop.

Best Season

Check the Breeza app for the current rideable window at Schinias.

World Ranking

Not globally ranked, but a kitesurf destination — a local favourite worth a check when the wind lines up.

Location

Schinias, Attica, Greece, Greece

Lat: 38.09, Lon: 24.01