Papanero beach is situated between Agios Ioannis and Damouhari, two villages belonging to the municipality of Mouresi, on the northeastern side of the Pilion peninsula, which is in continental Greece, at approximately half way between the main cities of Athens and Thessaloniki.

The Pilion peninsula is part of the prefecture of Magnisia, which belongs to the Thessaly region. Magnisia is the area all around the Pagasitic Gulf (Pagasitikos Kolpos) with the main city and port of Volos. The Sporades islands just east of the Pilion (Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonnisos just to mention the three most important) also belong to Magnisia. 

So the peninsula is situated between the very calm waters of the Pagasitic Gulf in the west, and the sometimes rougher Aegean Sea in the east. 

The Pilion peninsula is a very mountainous region. The northern part of the peninsula just east of Volos has peaks up to 1600 metres above the sea level (and well-known skiing possibilities during the winter). 

As a consequence, the coast is very steep, especially on the eastern side, and has splendid bays and beaches, of which Papa Nero is the longest and probably the best in ABC-terms (combination of Accessibility, Beauty and Calmness).