How to Visit Katergo Beach in Folegandros, Greece
Katergo Beach was our favorite beach on Folegandros. It might even be one of our favorite beaches in Greece.
But it wasn’t just the clear blue water that made us love Katergo. Getting there was part of the adventure. The beach also felt wild, remote, and completely different from many of the beaches we visited in Greece.
Katergo Beach takes a little planning to visit since it’s only accessible by boat or on foot. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to get there, what to bring, and why we think hiking there and taking the boat back is the best way to experience Katergo Beach.
Is Katergo Beach Worth Visiting?
Absolutely, yes! Katergo Beach was our favorite beach on Folegandros and one of the most memorable beaches from our time in Greece.
Dramatic cliffs surround the beach on either side, with a pebbled shoreline and incredibly clear blue water that’s perfect for swimming. What we loved most, though, was how untouched the beach felt.
There are no beach clubs, restaurants, bathrooms, or rows of sunbeds. It’s just you, the beach, and the Aegean Sea.
If you’re looking for a beautiful, unspoiled beach and don’t mind putting in a little effort to get there, Katergo Beach is absolutely worth visiting.
How to Get to Katergo Beach
You cannot drive directly to Katergo Beach, which is part of what keeps it feeling so wild and undeveloped. The beach itself is only accessible by foot or boat, but if you have a car or ATV, you can drive to the trail head and hike the rest of the way.
We decided to hike all the way from Karavostasis to Katergo Beach and take the boat back, so we’ll break down each option and help you decide which one works best for you.
Hiking to Katergo Beach
You can hike directly from the port town of Karavostasis to Katergo Beach, which is exactly what we did. From the port, the hike is about 2.5 miles (4 km) one way and took us around one hour.
The first 1.6 miles are along a paved road with relatively little traffic. Along the way, you’ll pass several beaches, including Pountaki Beach and Livadi Beach. This part of the walk has some beautiful scenery.
Eventually, you’ll reach the small parking area for Katergo Beach. From here, you have roughly 0.8 miles of hiking on a dirt trail. If you have a car or ATV, you can drive to this parking area and only hike the final section to the beach.Â
There are signs pointing toward Katergo, but we also used this AllTrails map to make sure we were heading in the right direction.
And this is where the hike gets really good! Before making the final descent, you’ll get an incredible view of Katergo Beach and the coastline from above. The last section is downhill toward the beach and has some loose dirt and rocks, so take your time.
One important thing to know: this hike is very exposed with little shade. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat, and good walking shoes especially if you’re hiking during the summer.
Taking the Water Taxi to Katergo Beach
If you aren’t feeling the hike, you can take a water taxi directly from Karavostasis to Katergo Beach. The ride takes only about 10 minutes, making this by far the easiest way to reach the beach.
During our visit in July 2026, Folegandros Travel operated the water taxi. Round-trip tickets cost €15 per person, or you could purchase a one-way ticket for €8 if you wanted to hike one way like we did.
Tickets could be purchased at the Folegandros Travel office in Karavostasis or with cash directly on the boat.
One fun bonus of taking the boat to Katergo is a stop at Georgitsi Cave along the way. Sadly, we missed this since we only took the boat back from the beach!
During our July visit, boats started running around 11:00 AM, with the last return from Katergo around 6:30 PM. Schedules can change, so check Folegandros Travel’s current schedule before planning your beach day. We found their updated times on social media, and you can also contact them through WhatsApp.
The boat back to Karavostasis was comfortable and incredibly easy and after hiking there and spending the afternoon at the beach, our legs were pretty happy about that decision. 😂
If you’re looking for a more private experience, you can also visit Katergo Beach as part of a private boat tour or boat rental around Folegandros. We didn’t personally try either option, so we can’t recommend a specific experience, but they could be worth considering if you want to explore more of the coastline in the same day.
Driving + Hiking
If you have a car or ATV, you can drive most of the way to Katergo Beach and park near the start of the dirt trail.
From the parking area, it’s about a 0.8-mile (1.3 km) hike down to Katergo Beach. Just remember: what goes down must come back up! 😂 Be prepared for an uphill hike on your way back, especially during the heat of summer.
This is a great option if you want to experience the hike and incredible views from above without walking all the way from Karavostasis.
What to Bring to Katergo Beach
Katergo Beach is completely undeveloped, so you’ll need to bring everything you want for the day with you. There are no restaurants, bathrooms, shops, or beach clubs once you arrive.
Here’s what we recommend bringing:
- Plenty of water: Especially if you’re hiking to the beach. There is nowhere to refill your water at Katergo.
- Lunch and snacks: We stopped at the market beforehand and, of course, grabbed our favorite Greek beach snack: a chicken pie. 😂
- Beach umbrella: There isn’t much shade, so we were very glad we brought our own. We bought ours on the mainland, but during our visit we saw umbrellas for around €15 at some markets on Folegandros.
- Beach towels: There are no sunbeds, so you’ll be setting up directly on the beach.
- Sunscreen and a hat: You’ll want sun protection both at the beach and during the hike.
- Good walking shoes: If you’re hiking either direction, I’d definitely wear something sturdier than flip-flops.
- Cash: Useful for the water taxi and worth having in case you decide to take the boat back.
Basically, plan as though you’re spending the day at a remote beach because you are!
Our Recommendation: Hike There, Boat Back
If you’re able, we think the best way to experience Katergo Beach is to hike there and take the water taxi back to Karavostasis.
Hiking gave us a chance to see more of Folegandros on foot. We passed several beaches along the way and got that incredible first view of Katergo from above.
Then, after a few hours of swimming and relaxing on the beach, we hopped on the water taxi back to Karavostasis. Not only did we get to see the coastline from a completely different perspective, but we also didn’t have to hike back up the trail after a long beach day. Win-win! 😂
If you’re comfortable with the hike, we’d do it this way again in a heartbeat.
Final Thoughts
Katergo Beach will forever be one of our favorite beaches in Greece. The adventure of getting there, the dramatic scenery, and the fact that it feels so remote while still being relatively easy to reach make it truly special.
For us, Katergo was so much more than just a beach day. It’s one of those places we’ll remember long after our trip to Greece.
If Katergo Beach has convinced you to add Folegandros to your Greece itinerary, check out our Folegandros travel guide for everything we learned during our five days on the island.
