Giola Lagoon

Giola is a natural basin about twenty metres long cut into the coastal rock a few metres above the sea, filled and refreshed by waves breaking over its seaward lip, with water that is calm, clear and warmer than the open Aegean. Local tradition calls it the tear of Aphrodite. The pool is deep at one end, and jumping in from the surrounding ledges is the main activity, along with sunbathing on the rock. Getting there requires driving a rough unsurfaced track off the coast road and then walking ten to fifteen minutes down a stony path, which keeps casual traffic away but not enough to prevent it being busy in high season. There is no shade, no facilities and nothing to stop anyone from taking risks on the rocks.

What you actually see

• The rock pool - a natural basin of clear water above the sea.
• The jumping ledges - rock platforms around the deep end.
• The coastal rock - wave-cut shelves and the open Aegean beyond.
• The approach path - a stony descent from the track above.

When to go

Late spring and September for warm water without the summer press; midday sun makes the water most inviting but the rock uncomfortably hot. Avoid in rough seas, when waves wash over the pool.

Honest expectations

The access track damages ordinary cars, and the walk down is on loose stone. There is no shade, no water and no lifeguard, and injuries from jumping happen. In July and August the pool can hold dozens of people at once.

Nearby

Astris and Potos beaches lie west; the island's circuit road continues around the coast.