Psarou: a small bay with the island’s biggest prices

Psarou is a small sheltered cove on the south coast of Mykonos, with fine sand, unusually clear water and, in season, a line of yachts anchored just offshore.

An at a glance card for Psarou beach. What it is: A small sheltered cove. Known for: Yachts and high prices. Swimming: Calm and clear. Loungers: Booked well ahead. Reaching it: Narrow road, or sea bus. One row is marked out as the thing that decides the visit. The conclusion reads: The sand is public even where the front row is not. No prices appear.
The sand is public even where the front row is not.

Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.

Why it costs what it costs

The bay is small. That is the whole economics of it: limited frontage, a famous beach club, and demand from people for whom price is not the deciding factor. Front-row loungers are commonly reserved days or weeks ahead in high season, and minimum spends are normal.

If you want to see it without the outlay, come early in the day or out of the peak weeks, swim, look, and move on. The sand is public, as everywhere in Greece, even where the loungers are not.

What the swimming is like

Genuinely good, and better than the party beaches: sheltered from the prevailing wind, clear, and calm enough for easy snorkelling around the edges of the bay. It is one of the few Mykonos beaches where the water alone justifies the trip.

Practical notes

  • Book ahead if you want a lounger in July or August, or accept whatever is left.
  • Parking is tight, and the road down to the bay is narrow.
  • The sea bus from Platis Gialos stops here in season, which avoids the parking problem entirely.
  • Shade is rented, not natural.

Which beach instead

If the price is the objection rather than the style, Platis Gialos next door offers the same coast with more space and lower prices, and Elia trades the glamour for length and calm. Our where to stay in Mykonos guide is equally blunt about the island’s price levels.

Last checked August 2026. Prices and booking practice change every season - see our editorial policy.

Common questions

Why is Psarou beach so expensive?

It is a small bay with limited frontage, a famous beach club and demand from a wealthy crowd, which pushes lounger prices and minimum spends to the top of the island’s range.

Do you need to book Psarou beach in advance?

For a front-row lounger in high season, yes, often days or weeks ahead. Walking on to the sand needs no booking.

Is Psarou good for swimming?

Yes. It is sheltered, calm and clear, and better for swimming and snorkelling than the noisier party beaches.

How do you get to Psarou?

By car down a narrow road with limited parking, or by the seasonal sea bus along the south coast from Platis Gialos.

Is Psarou worth visiting on a budget?

Visit early or out of season, swim, and skip the loungers. The beach itself is public even when the front row is not.

Next

Read best beaches in Mykonos, Platis Gialos, or where to stay in Mykonos.