Giola Lagoon, located near the village of Astris in Thasos, is often called the most beautiful natural swimming pool in the world. Giola Lagoon is also known as “Aphrodite’s Tear”. According to the local legend, the pool was created by Zeus for Aphrodite to bathe in. And, for sure, this unique water reservoir gives you a divine swimming experience.
The pool is about 20 meters long and 15 meters wide, surrounded by rocks up to 8 meters tall. So if only swimming is not enough for you, you can go cliff jumping.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Giola is in shoulder season – early June or September. The weather is still good, but you will meet fewer tourists. If you are visiting the place during the summer months, go there as early as possible, because the pool gets crowded during the day.
How to get there
You can visit the natural pool in Thasos by car or boat. It may be not the easiest place to reach by car as you need to take a dirt road, but it is worth it. A couple of parking places available nearby (this or this), so use your phone or GPS and drive to one of them.
If you want to visit Giola natural pool by boat, several Thasos Boat tours stop at the pool. Usually it just shortstop for 15-20 minutes, so if you want to spend more time, it’s recommended to go by car.
Hotels near Giola Natural Pool
There are many places to stay in Astris. You can check them there. We would recommend Astris Sun Hotel, located 4km from Giola natural pool.
Useful information:
- There’s no shade, sunbeds or umbrellas near the pools. So don’t forget your hat and sunscreen.
- There’s a small taverna and cafe near the pool to get food or drinks. But there are no other shops nearby so have water or snacks with you when visiting.
- Aqua shoes are recommended.
