Dimitrios Shipwreck

The rust-red hulk of the Dimitrios sits half-buried in the sand on Selinitsa beach, a few hundred metres up the coast from Gythio — one of the most accessible and photogenic shipwrecks in Greece, with no diving required. The ship is intact but listing heavily to starboard, the bow corroded through in places and the bridge a hollow shell.

Walking out to the wreck is straightforward — Selinitsa is a long, mostly empty stretch of sand without facilities, and the ship is about 500 metres from where the dirt track from the road meets the beach. Best in early morning or late afternoon for the light. Roughly 5 km north of Gythio town; reachable by car, taxi or determined walking.

things to do sight
A story
The Dimitrios was a Greek cargo ship that ran aground on Selinitsa beach in December 1981 after losing its anchor in a winter storm; the crew abandoned ship and Greek authorities never claimed the wreck. Local rumour blames cigarette-smuggling — when investigators arrived a week later the cargo hold was empty — but the official version remains "abandoned through misadventure". Either way, the rusting hulk has been listing on the beach for over forty years.