The meltemi is the northerly/northeasterly wind of the Aegean, blowing mainly from mid-July to late August and often lasting for days. The logic is simple: a shore that faces into the wind builds waves, one that faces away stays flat. Of the 275 beaches on Beach Radar, 178 face at least 90° away from the meltemi's direction.
🏖️ See the live ranking →Based on the average orientation of each region's shores, these sit in the lee of the meltemi: Epirus, Lefkada, Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Halkidiki, Crete, Cyclades, Attica, Peloponnese, Dodecanese. More exposed: Pilio & Sporades.
The ranking comes from the orientation and shelter index of each shore. The live score on each page shows what holds on the day you ask.
Data: Open-Meteo · Mapping: OpenStreetMap · Page last updated: 2026-08-15