If you are staying in Athens for your vacation and looking for a nice beach to swim, this article is for you!
We did our annual research and we present you the swimming water quality of the coasts around Athens International Airport!
We used three different resources to asses the water quality.
Ministry of Environment and Energy
The Ministry of Environment and Energy has created the “Greece Bathing Water Identity Register”. This is a database of coastal sampling results. Here we examined the Area from Porto Rafti to Rafina according to the last measurement made on 05-28-2024. Although we found slightly increased indications only at the junction beach in Artemis, they still remains at safe levels. The rest of the coasts were found to be exemplary clean as you can see in the table below:
Table published by East Attica Cruises on our “Blue Flag” educational flyers
Panhellenic Center for Ecological Research
Our second source was PAKOE, which for the 45th consecutive year informs Greek citizens about the quality of the water so that they can enjoy their baths safely. We investigated measurements made on 09-05-2024 for the area of the coasts of Eastern Attica, from Thymari beach to Agia Marina. Of these, 41 of the 43 beaches were found suitable for swimming. Only two beaches in the port of Agia Marina were considered unsuitable! You can see the detailed table here in Greek!
Blue flag Award
The third source of evaluation is the “Blue Flag” award. The “Blue Flag” is a symbol of quality. Awarded participants have to follow strict criteria for organized beaches and marinas managed by coastal municipalities, hoteliers and other agencies. The voluntary “BLUE FLAG” Program began in the 80s. Today, 52 countries from almost all continents participate in this voluntary program. In the area from Sounio to Marathon, 6 beaches, a Marina and a Tourist boat were awarded with the “Blue Flag”.
That unique boat was our “Resalto”. With her, we undertake to travel you to blue and crystal clear beaches of the area!
The award-winning coast map for Attica (Athens) is here!
If you had an opportunity to dive in the waters of Eastern Athens Coast, even the most skeptical would be convinced about the purity of the waters. Here you could find rich Poseidonia meadows, a seabed full of shells, sponges, starfish, sea urchins and a variety of marine fish. You will still meet mollusks, turtles and mammals – seals and rarer dolphins. A live seabed can only mean one thing, a clean seabed. Eastern Attica compared to the Western Riviera has less ship mobility, a smaller fleet of boats, historically fewer polluting accidents (wrecks, leaks, etc.) and a lack of polluting coastal industry (Shipyards, Refineries, etc.)
We prepared a collage with the sea animals that can be found in the area. Source: i-naturalist app
In 2024, learn about the clean beaches of Athens and enjoy the sea!