We are aware that beaches awarded the Blue Flag designation offer exceptional water cleanliness and coastal quality, making them our preferred choice for swimming.

What does the blue flag mean for beaches?

The Blue Flag is an international award presented by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) since 1987. The objective of the award is to recognize beaches and marinas worldwide that meet high standards in terms of cleanliness, environmental protection, safety, and services.
The Blue Flags are awarded based on a strict assessment and evaluation of each location. The main criteria for receiving the Blue Flag include water quality, environmental management, safety, and visitor services. In order to receive the Blue Flag, a beach or marina must meet certain standards, including water cleanliness, waste management, availability of public restrooms, visitor safety, and nature conservation measures.
The Blue Flag award is given annually and has a validity period of one year. After that period, the locations must undergo a reassessment in order to maintain or renew their Blue Flag status.

The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (EEPP) has announced that this year, 617 Greek beaches, 18 marinas, and 6 excursion boats have been awarded the international quality “Blue Flag” award. This means that these locations have met the strict criteria for receiving the award.

Greece is once again ranked second among 52 countries worldwide, with 15% of all awarded flags in 2023.

The Halkidiki region in northern Greece tops the list with 94 Blue Flags, followed by Rhodes with 57 and Lassithi in Crete with 48. The “Blue Flag” award is given to beaches, marinas, and tourist boats that meet stringent criteria for cleanliness, organization, information, safety, and nature protection. The water quality at these locations must be rated as “excellent.” Accredited laboratories perform water quality control. The award is valid for one year, and Greece takes pride in its large number of awarded beaches and marinas.

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Which beaches in Greece have the blue flag in 2023?

Blue flag beaches on Thassos

LImenas, Limanaki Beach
Makriamos
Pefkari 2/Alexandra Beach Hotel
Prinos Dasilio 2/Ilio Mare Beach Hotel
Chryssi Ammoudia/Golden Beach Camping

Blue flag beaches on Sithonia

Armenistis
Eleon
Elia 2/Anthemus Hotel
Kalogria
Koutloumousiou
Lagomandra/Lagomandra Beach Hotel
Livrochio 1
Makria Lagada/Porfi Beach Hotel
Neos Marmaras
Nikiti 2
Paradisos
Platanitsi
Porto Carras 1/Kochi
Porto Carras 2/Sithonia Meliton
Salonikiou
Sarti 1
Sykia
Toroni
Gerakini
Gerakini/Ikos Olivia Hotel
Kalives
Metamorfosi
Sargani/Blue Dolphin Hotel
Psakoudia Eaist Coast
Psakoudia West Coast

Blue flag beaches on Kassandra

Afitos /Afitis Hotel
Afitos /Varkes
Elani
Kalithea /Ammon Zeus Hotel
Kalithea gradska plaža
Kanistro/Miraggio Hotel
Citiy Beach Nea Skioni
Kriopigi 2/Alexander Τhe Great Beach Hotel
Kriopigi 4/Kassandra Palace Hotel
Kryopigi gradska plaža
Loutra Agias Paraskevis
Mendi Kalandra
Mola Kaliva
Paliouri Kanistro
Pefkohori - Yalla-Flegra
Pefkohori-Fyki Beach
Polihrono 3
Polihrono- Azur Hotel
Polihrono - Cocones Beach
Possidi/Possidi Holidays Resort
Possidi Pohoda
Possidi Centre
Possidi/Cocus
Posidi-Egeopelagitika
Sani 2/Sani Beach
Sani 3/Sani Club
Sani Asterias
Sani Dunes
Siviri city beach
Skala Furka
Hanioti 1
Hanioti 3/Grecotel Margo Bay & Club Turquoise

Nea Propontida Municipality
Vergia
Geoponika-Mykoniatika
Dionysiou
Eleonas/Ikos Oceania
Mouries
Nea Heraklia
Nea Heraklia-Sahara
Nea Kallikratia
Nea Moudania
Nea Plagia
Nea Potidea Propontidas
Nea Potidea/Portes Beach
Nea Potidea-East of the Toroneo Canal
Portaria
Portes/Portes Lithos
Roa
Sozopoli Centre
Sozopoli/Naftilos
Triglia
Flogita

Blue flag beaches on Athos

Agios Pavlos/Alexandros Palace Hotel
Alikes
Jerisos/Municipal 1
Jerisos/Municipal 2
Jerisos/Municipal 3
Kampos
Kampudi 1/Akti Ouranoupoli
Kampudi 2/Theoxenia
Kampudi 3/Akrathos
Komitsa
Mount Athos
Nea Rodda 2
Olympiad
Ouranoupolis1/ Xenia Ouranoupolis
Ouranoupolis2/ Eagles Palace
Ouranoupolis3/ Aristoteles
Porto Agio/Agionissi Resort

Blue flag beaches in Thessaloniki area

Asprovalta
Nea Vrasna
Paralia Vrasnon
Porto Fino
Serraiki Akti
Stavros East
Stavros West
Stavros Center
Agia Triada
Mihanjona/Tourmpali
Nei Epivates
Perera / Kochyli
Perea/Platia Mnimis

Blue flag beaches in region of Olympus

Variko
Leptokarya
Litochoro
Neoi Poroi
N.Panteleimonas-Skotina
Plaka
Platamonas

Blue flag beaches on Lefkada

Agios Nikitas-Pefkoulia
Agios Giannis
Kathisma 1
Lefkada-Gyra
Mikros Gialos-Poros
Ponti

List all beaches with a blue flag in all Greece you can find here.

Why are some beautiful and clean beaches without a Blue Flag, while others, less attractive, have it?

The reason is that a beach must apply for the Blue Flag and meet certain criteria, such as providing showers, changing cabins, ramps for people with disabilities, and other similar facilities. If the municipality does not provide these amenities, the beach will not receive the Blue Flag, even if it is cleaner and more well-maintained than others. On the list of beaches with the Blue Flag, you may notice lesser-known and often less attractive beaches in a particular region, but these are hotel beaches where the hotels have an interest in applying for the Blue Flag as it enhances their promotion and the quality they offer to guests. Guests feel secure knowing that the beach is clean, bacteriologically and chemically safe, and has all the necessary elements such as lifeguards and showers, among others. Of course, there is monitoring for the Blue Flag, and a beach can lose its status if it fails to meet all the requirements during the season.

However, it often happens that a beach only formally meets the conditions but not functionally. For example, the beach in Nikiti has a lifeguard, which is a requirement for obtaining the Blue Flag, but the lifeguard is stationed in an area with almost no swimmers, so there is a risk that in the event of an emergency, the lifeguard may be late in intervening or unable to save a life. Additionally, there are other formalities that beaches with the Blue Flag fulfill, but in practice, they may not hold much significance or function properly.

You can see the list of all blue flag beaches in Greece on the page here.

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