Ftelia is not a swimming beach. On the days it’s at its most impressive — when the meltemi is running at 4–5 Beaufort and the sea is a violent dark blue — you’d be a fool to go in. What Ftelia offers instead is one of the most dramatically beautiful shorelines on the island: a long arc of pale sand, driftwood, wind-flattened scrub, and the kind of sea that reminds you the Aegean has always been described as dangerous. Windsurfers and kitesurfers know this beach well. Everyone else has largely left it alone.
The Shore
Ftelia is an exposed, sandy bay on the north coast, roughly 3 kilometers long and almost completely flat. The landscape behind the beach is low and open — saltwater marsh and scrubland, with a handful of agricultural buildings visible in the distance. The western section of the bay remains largely raw and unorganized; the eastern section, around the Alemagou area, has a beach bar and windsurfing and kitesurfing infrastructure that operates in season.
The sand is fine and windswept, constantly shifting. On windy days, which is most of summer, walking the full length of the beach requires some tolerance for sand in your face. The reward is the sense of being somewhere genuinely different from the polished south coast.
On rare calm days, Ftelia is swimmable — the water is clear and cool and the beach is at its most peaceful. These days are unusual enough in July and August to feel like a gift.
Windsurfing and Kitesurfing
Ftelia is one of the best windsurfing spots in the Cyclades during the meltemi season. The bay is long enough for extended runs, the wind is consistent, and the shore break is manageable for experienced riders. A rental and lesson operation runs from the beach in summer, though the quality of instruction varies by season.
Kitesurfers also use Ftelia, though the space is sometimes contested with windsurfers on busy days. If you’re planning a session, arriving early morning gives the best launch conditions before the full afternoon wind builds.
Getting There
Ftelia is approximately 10 kilometers from Chora, on the road past Ano Mera toward the north coast. The final section of road is paved but narrow. Drive time is around 20 minutes. There is no bus service. Parking is informal, on flat ground near the beach access. There are usually a few other cars on good wind days.
Practical Tips
- This is a beach to visit for the landscape and atmosphere, not for swimming. Accept that before you go.
- Bring everything: water, food, shade if you can manage it, and protection against the sand.
- If you’re considering windsurfing, check the operator’s availability before arriving — the rental operation doesn’t always run in low season or when conditions are too extreme.
- The drive from Ano Mera to Ftelia passes through a part of the island most visitors never see — open fields, old farmhouses, stone walls. Allow time for it.
Why It Stands Out
Ftelia is the antidote to every image of Mykonos that involves someone lying on a sunbed with a drink. It is loud, windswept, occasionally uncomfortable, and entirely its own thing. For a specific kind of traveler — one who finds interest in the island’s wilder geography — it is one of the most memorable spots on Mykonos.