If you have spent a summer week in the Cyclades, you know the pattern: a flawless forecast, then the meltemi arrives — the dry north wind that can blow for two or three days straight, turning open, north-facing beaches into a sandblasted chop and flipping umbrellas down the shore. The beaches below are the exception. Each one is described in our verified inventory as sheltered from the prevailing northerlies — tucked into a south- or west-facing bay, behind a headland, or inside a natural cove — so they stay more swimmable on the days the exposed beaches don't.
This is an honesty-first list: a beach only appears here if its own data says it is protected from the meltemi or prevailing north wind. Beaches that are exposed to the north wind — including the famous windsurf and kitesurf spots — are deliberately excluded, even when they're calm on a still day. Wind direction still matters: a meltemi-sheltered bay can be exposed to a less common southerly, so check the forecast on travel day. For the broader picture, see our calm-water beaches guide.
