A Thessaloniki kayak tour leaves the city for the Epanomi coast, where paddlers reach a sandy cape, a protected lagoon and a famous shipwreck on the Thermaic Gulf. Guided tours across the country sit on Greece Tours.
This page covers the bookable tour, the coast, the views, who can join, seasons, kit and planning.
What is a Thessaloniki kayak tour?
A Thessaloniki kayak tour is a paddling trip in sea kayaks on the Thermaic Gulf, run outside the city centre. A sea kayak is a narrow boat built for open water, and you move it with a long, double-bladed paddle.
Thessaloniki is the second-largest city in Greece. It sits on the Thermaic Gulf, at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. The paddling on a Thessaloniki kayak tour happens on this same gulf. You can read more about Thessaloniki city before you plan the day.
Sea kayaks differ from whitewater kayaks. They seat one to three paddlers and favour straight-line paddling, cruising speed and comfort over sharp turns. Sea kayak journeys range from hours to weeks, and a half-day paddle sits at the short end.
Unlike an open canoe, a kayak has an enclosed deck, and each cockpit seats one paddler. A spray deck can cover the cockpit to keep waves and splashes out. The word kayak comes from the Inuktitut word qajaq.
The city’s own waterfront holds the Port of Thessaloniki, a major transport hub for Greece and southeastern Europe. The paddling coast lies at Epanomi instead, south of the city.
Which Thessaloniki kayak tour can you book?
The Thessaloniki kayak tour you can book is the GetYourGuide listing “Thessaloniki: Private Epanomi Sea Kayak Tour for Beginners”. It is a 2.5-hour outing for small private groups, and every booking comes with free cancellation.
The card for this Thessaloniki kayak tour adds these booking terms:
- Start point: the Epanomi coast, named in the tour title.
- Booking notice: reserve at least 10 hours in advance.
- Adults: ages 18 to 99, up to 8 per booking.
- Children: age 17 and younger, sold as a separate ticket type.
- After the paddle: a lounge sells food and drinks.
The card does not list a guide, kayaks or safety gear as included items. Confirm the equipment details on the booking page before you pay.
To book, you pick the number of adults and children on the card. Then you press “Check availability” to see the open dates. English is the default tour language, with Greek as the second option.
The words “for Beginners” in the title mark this Thessaloniki kayak tour for first-time paddlers. The card names no paddling experience as a requirement. The private format means only the people on your booking join the session. You set the pace with your own group, not with strangers.
A Thessaloniki kayak tour leaves the rest of your day free for the city. Back in town, its Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments form a World Heritage Site. For more ideas, see our list of things to do in Thessaloniki.
Where does a Thessaloniki kayak tour paddle?
A Thessaloniki kayak tour paddles along the Epanomi coast, south of the city. This shore lines the Thermaic Gulf and reaches a sandy cape with a protected lagoon and an imposing shipwreck, all within one stretch of coast.
Epanomi is a town south of Thessaloniki, in the municipality of Thermaikos. Its coastline stretches for 40 km, and its cape marks the edge of the Thermaic Gulf. The organised beaches here earn the Blue Flag each year. The GetYourGuide listing for this Thessaloniki kayak tour names Epanomi as its base.
The Epanomi Lagoon lies at Cape Mytikas, 5 km south-west of the town. It is a shallow coastal lagoon with brackish water, shaped by waves and wind. A sandy shore, sand dunes, salt marsh and streams surround it. Greek law lists the lagoon as a wildlife refuge, and it belongs to the EU’s Natura network of protected sites.
The same wetland holds the Epanomi Shipwreck, called Navagio tis Epanomis in Greek. This imposing wreck stands out on this stretch of coast. The church of Agios Nikolaos also stands inside the wetland zone.
Which sights line the coast on a Thessaloniki kayak tour?
A Thessaloniki kayak tour shows the open Thermaic Gulf and Mount Olympus on clear days. You also see the sandy cape and the Epanomi Lagoon birds. Paddlers get a low, sea-level view of the Epanomi Shipwreck from a safe distance.
Seen from a kayak, the Thermaic Gulf opens wide to the south, with the Chalkidiki peninsula along its eastern side. The gulf is about 100 km long.
Across the gulf rises Mount Olympus, Greece’s highest mountain. Its top peak, Mytikas, shares a name with the Epanomi cape and rises to 2,917 m. The massif lies about 80 km south-west of Thessaloniki. Photos from Epanomi beaches show the massif across the water. A Thessaloniki kayak tour on a clear morning gives you the same view from your seat.
The Epanomi Lagoon ranks among the key wetlands of northern Greece. More than 217 bird species have been recorded there, and about 38 of them nest on site. Look out for these birds on a Thessaloniki kayak tour:
- flamingos, tall pink wading birds
- little egrets, a small white heron
- cormorants, dark diving seabirds
- shelducks, the lagoon’s main duck
- avocets and black-winged stilts
- terns and Mediterranean gulls
A kayak puts you at water level beside the Epanomi Shipwreck. Keep a safe distance from the wreck, and never touch or climb on old ship metal. Old wrecks hide sharp edges that can cut skin or a kayak hull.
Behind the cape, the shallow lagoon and its sand dunes complete the view. For more swimming spots along this coast and beyond, see our page on Thessaloniki beaches.
Who can join a Thessaloniki kayak tour?
A Thessaloniki kayak tour is open to adults and children. The GetYourGuide card for the Epanomi paddle books adults aged 18 to 99 and children aged 17 and younger, with a separate ticket for each age group.
The card shows no age notes and no swimming or fitness terms. Families planning a Thessaloniki kayak tour with young children or non-swimmers check those details on the card before they book. For more family days out, see our Thessaloniki with kids page.
Two kinds of boat suit a first paddle. Sit-on-top kayaks have no enclosed cockpit, so the paddler sits on top of the deck. Closed-deck sea kayaks seat the paddler inside a cockpit, lower in the water.
A solo sea kayak runs about 3 to 5.5 metres long. Tandem kayaks seat two people and reach up to about 8 metres, which suits couples, friends or a parent with a child. A wider hull adds stability for first-timers.
Tell the operator about any medical condition or recent injury when you book. The guide can then plan rest breaks and pair a less confident paddler with a stronger partner in a tandem kayak.
First-timers on a Thessaloniki kayak tour need only four basics:
- Wear the life jacket for the whole trip.
- Sit upright, with feet braced against the footrests.
- Dip the paddle on alternate sides to hold a straight line.
- Stay close to the guide and the group.
Which season suits a Thessaloniki kayak tour?
A Thessaloniki kayak tour suits late spring to early autumn, when days are warm. In July and August, average daily highs in the city reach 32.3°C, so morning or late-afternoon paddles avoid the strong midday heat.
The Wikipedia climate table for Aristotle University of Thessaloniki gives these average highs:
- Winter: 11.8°C in December, 10.6°C in January and 12.4°C in February.
- Spring: 15.6°C in March, 19.7°C in April and 25.2°C in late spring.
- Summer: 30.0°C in June and 32.3°C in July and August.
- Autumn: 27.8°C in September, 22.1°C in October and 16.6°C in November.
Summers are hot and moderately dry, with an average of 32 days a year above 32°C. A sea breeze from the Thermaic Gulf helps moderate the heat in the city. Read our Thessaloniki in summer page for more warm-weather plans around a Thessaloniki kayak tour.
Winters are cool, with cold nights and morning frost. January is the coldest month, and the city is windy in winter. Cold air makes winter a poor fit for a Thessaloniki kayak tour.
The Vardaris is a strong northerly wind that blows down the Vardar valley. It brings cold conditions to Thessaloniki and the Axios delta. It forms when air pressure over eastern Europe is higher than over the Aegean Sea, a pattern common in winter.
Wind changes sea conditions fast. A strong breeze builds waves and chop, and paddling into it takes more effort. Check the wind forecast before a Thessaloniki kayak tour, and follow the guide’s call on the day.
What do you bring on a Thessaloniki kayak tour?
Pack light for a Thessaloniki kayak tour. Wear clothes that can get wet and footwear that stays on in the water. Add sun protection that cannot blow away and drinking water. Keep a towel, dry clothes and your phone in a dry bag.
- Swimwear or quick-dry clothes
- Water shoes, or sandals with heel straps
- A sun hat with a chin strap
- Water-resistant sunscreen, put on before you launch
- Sunglasses on a cord or strap
- A light long-sleeved top to shield the shoulders and arms from the sun
- A full bottle of drinking water
- A towel and a set of dry clothes for the ride home
- A dry bag or a waterproof phone case
Expect to get wet on a Thessaloniki kayak tour. Paddles drip, waves splash over the bow, and climbing in or out of the boat soaks your legs. Leave valuables such as jewellery, spare cash and documents ashore or locked in your car. Seal your phone in the dry bag before you push off.
On a Thessaloniki kayak tour, watch the guide and follow each hand signal at once. Keep your kayak close to the group and never paddle ahead alone. Call out to the guide straight away if you tire or feel unwell. Prefer to stay dry? A Thessaloniki boat tour shows the gulf from the deck instead.
What do travellers ask about a Thessaloniki kayak tour?
How long does a Thessaloniki kayak tour take?
The GetYourGuide card lists the Thessaloniki kayak tour at 2.5 hours. Its short summary mentions a 3-hour paddle, so confirm the start and end times on the card when you book. Add the drive from the city, out to the coast and back. Eat a light meal before you set off.
Do you need experience for a Thessaloniki kayak tour?
The GetYourGuide card for this Thessaloniki kayak tour states no experience level. Check the card before you book. Tell the guide at the start of the trip if you have never held a paddle. Ask for a short practice near the shore, so you learn to steer and stop before the group heads out.
How do you get to Epanomi for a Thessaloniki kayak tour?
Epanomi lies 25 km from central Thessaloniki, about 30 minutes by car. OASTH bus 69 links it with IKEA on the city’s east side, where lines 2K and 3K reach the centre. In summer, express line 70 reaches the centre with minimal stops. Plan the city leg with our notes on getting around Thessaloniki.
Can you swim during a Thessaloniki kayak tour?
The GetYourGuide card does not mention swim stops. Check it before you book, or send the operator a question through GetYourGuide. Wear swimwear under your clothes in case a stop comes up. If the guide calls one, swim only where the guide points and stay close to the kayaks at all times.