Greece has once again secured second place worldwide in the 2026 Blue Flag rankings, with 624 beaches across the country receiving the prestigious environmental award.
The result places Greece second among 51 participating countries, with Greek beaches accounting for approximately 14 per cent of all Blue Flag beaches worldwide.
Attica is also strongly represented, with 17 beaches receiving Blue Flags this year, including popular destinations along the Athens Riviera and the wider Attica coastline.
Among the best-known award-winning locations are Sounio, Glyfada and Vouliagmeni, alongside beaches in the Saronic Gulf and eastern Attica.
The 17 Blue Flag beaches in Attica
The 2026 Blue Flag beaches in Attica are:
- Brexiza – Municipality of Marathon
- Intersection, Lake – Municipality of Spata-Artemidos
- Avlaki – Municipality of Markopoulo Mesogaia
- Sounio / Grecotel Cape Sounio – Municipality of Lavreotiki
- Lagonisi 1 – Grand Beach / Grand Resort Lagonissi – Saronic Gulf
- Lagonisi 2 – Mediterraneo / Grand Resort Lagonissi – Saronic Gulf
- Lagonisi 3 – Kochylia / Grand Resort Lagonissi – Saronic Gulf
- Mavro Lithari / EverEden Beach – Saronic Gulf
- Astir Beach Vouliagmenis – Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni
- Voula A – Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni
- Vouliagmeni – Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni
- Glyfada – Municipality of Glyfada
- Glyfada A – Municipality of Glyfada
- Glyfada B – Municipality of Glyfada
- Kinetta / Kinetta Beach Resort & Spa – Municipality of Megara
- Agia Marina – Municipality of Aegina
The strong showing from the Athens Riviera highlights the continuing appeal of the capital’s coastal destinations, particularly during the summer tourism season.
Greece records 624 Blue Flag beaches
Greece’s 624 awarded beaches represent around 14 per cent of the Blue Flag beaches worldwide.
Beyond Attica, Crete remains the country’s leading region, with 154 awarded beaches, while Halkidiki is the leading prefecture, with 93 Blue Flags along its coastline.
Internationally, the 2026 programme awarded a total of 4,378 beaches, 747 marinas and 158 tourist boats across the 51 participating countries.
The Blue Flag is awarded following assessments covering a range of environmental and operational criteria, including bathing water quality, environmental management, safety, accessibility, cleanliness and information provided to visitors.
Nine Greek beaches lose their Blue Flag
While Greece achieved an impressive overall result, nine beaches were removed from the national and international 2026 Blue Flag lists following inspections that found they did not meet certain programme requirements.
The beaches are located on Paros and Chios.
Paros
- Akti Livadia
- Logaras Beach
- Marpissa Beach / Golden Beach
- Akti Pounta
Chios
- Agios Isidoros Beach
- Agia Paraskevi Beach
- Giosonas Beach
- Daskalopetra Beach
- Kontari Beach
According to the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, which manages the Blue Flag programme in Greece, assessors carried out unannounced inspections and identified deficiencies relating to specific programme criteria.
These included the provision of services to bathers and visitors, accessibility for people with disabilities, visitor safety, cleanliness and the provision of correct information.
Importantly, the society said the withdrawal of the Blue Flag from the nine beaches was related to organisation and compliance with programme requirements, rather than a deterioration in bathing water quality.
The Blue Flag programme remains one of the world’s best-known environmental certification schemes for beaches and marinas, helping visitors identify destinations that meet strict standards for environmental management, safety and visitor services.
For Greece, the 2026 results once again underline the country’s strong position as one of the world’s leading coastal tourism destinations.
