Located at the central neck of the island, at the narrowest point between the north and south coast, are the beaches of Mikro Steno and Steno. Mikro Steno is a smaller, mixed sand-shingle beach in a shallow east-facing bay within the larger Steno Bay area. The sea is calm and shallow and there are a few trees along the small beach providing natural shade cover.
Steno Beach is a much larger beach of mostly soft, golden sand with some rocky and shingle patches. It sits in a wide, south-facing bay where the water is calm, shallow and free of rocks and seaweed.
At the western end is a small beach cantina serving a limited selection of food and drinks, with some sunloungers and umbrellas available. Most of the beach is unstructured (no sunbeds/umbrellas), but a few trees provide some natural shade towards either end.
At the eastern end is a beach bar playing music and offering drinks with waiter service to a selection of sunbeds.
Steno Beach is, in our opinion, the best beach in Astypalea and is worth visiting.