Greece earns third place worldwide in Blue Flag certification – including 102 Cretan beaches

The European Environment Agency announced that the Greece won  430 Blue Flag  awards for beaches and 9 for marinas and  was ranked third worldwide for 2016 (after Spain with 588 Blue Flag beaches and  Turkey with 444 Blue Flag beaches) in terms of Blue Flag certification,

The agency’s annual report also evaluates the quality of the sea water. Greece has earned fourth place in Europe with regard to the quality of its bathing waters for this year, according to data published by the European Environment Agency on Tuesday. The report noted that 97.2 percent of areas inspected were deemed to be outstanding.

Over 1,500 bathing areas, including beaches, lakes and rivers, were inspected last year, out of which 1,499 were defined as top quality spots for swimming, the report said.

Of  the 430 Greek beaches that were awarded the Blue Flag , 102 are in  Crete with Lasithi topping the number of Cretan awards.

CHANIA [29]

Municip. Kandanou Selinou

Voulismeni

Grammeno

Pachia Ammos

Chalikia

Sougia

Municipality Kissamou

Falasarna/Pachia Ammos 1

Falasarna/Pachia Ammos 2

Kasteli/Mavros Molos-Plaka

Municipality Platania

Platanias

Platanias /Limanaki

Kolymvari

Rapaniana

Municipality Chanion

Stalos

Ag. Apostoli 1

Ag. Apostoli 2

Chrissi Akti

Agia Marina

Kalamaki

Marathi

Stavros

Agios Onoufrios

Kalathas

Municipality Apokoronou

Maistrali

Kalyves Xyda

Almyrida

Kyani

Kavros

Kavros /Eliros Mare

Perastikos

RETHYMNO [15]

Municipality Rethymnis

Rethymno 1

Rethymno 2

Rethymno 3

Rethymno 4/Myssiria

Platanias Β/Rethymno 6

Adelianos Kampos A

Pigianos Kampos

Skaleta

Municip. Mylopotamou

Panormo/Limni

Lianos Kavos Lavris

Bali Livadi

Municip. Agiou Vassiliou

Plakias

Rodakino

Agia Galini/Ystero Varkotopi

Souda

IRAKLIO [17]

Municipality Maleviziou

Ellinoperamata

Fodele

Ammoudara 1

Ammoudara 4

Ammoudara 5

Municipality Chersonissou

Limenas Chersonissou 5

Agios Georgios 1

Agios Georgios 3

Anissaras

Agios Georgios 2/Panagia Rizi

Drapanos

Potamos

Potamos A

Kokkini Chani

Agia Pelagia/Menopetra

Kastri/Creta Maris

Municipality Festou

Matala

LASITHI [41]

Municip. Agiou Nikolaou

Spiliada

Poros 1

Poros 2

Elounda

Pigaidakia Eloundas

Schisma

Elounda 1

Driros

Chiona

Plaka

Chavania 2

Agios Nikolaos 1

Agios Nikolaos 2

Agios Nikolaos 3

Ammoudi

Kitroplateia

Ammos/Marina

Almyros

Ammos/Dimotiki

Pilos

Ammoudara

Voulisma

Agios Panteleimonas

Karavostasi

Chavania 1

Mirabello

Municipality Sitias

Sitia 1/Galliko

Vai/Finikodasos

Kouremenos

Chiona

Kato Zakros

Vourlia

Analipsi

Makrygialos Langoufa

Municipality Ierapetras

Ierapetra 1/Dimotiki

Ierapetra 2/Dimotiki

Agia Fotia

Myrtos

Koutsounari/Agios Ioannis

Koutsounari 2

Achlia Schinokapsalon