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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