Nearly 600 beaches in Greece were recognised by this year's "Blue Flag" program as the cleanest, putting the country in second place, only behind Spain.
Residents, representatives of tourist organisations, and the Municipality of Aristotelis expressed pride for the Blue Flag distinctions achieved by the beaches of Halkidiki, especially Kampoudi Beach of Ouranoupoli, which is consistently among the cleanest beaches in the world.
Kampoudi has been awarded with three Blue Flags every year since 1951, distinguishing it as one of the best beaches in Greece.
"Kampoudi Beach, located near Ouranoupolis in this region, has been awarded three Blue Flags each year since 1951. It’s a long, sandy beach that is easily accessible by road, has shallow waters ideal for kids and is well-equipped with disability-friendly facilities such as ramps in different parts of the beach. Sail around the beach or rent a boat and explore the island," Condé Nast Traveler said of Kampoudi Beach.
Commenting on the Condé Nast Traveler article, the Mayor of Aristotelis, Stelios Valianos, said, "Yet another international publishing house, with a huge readership worldwide, both in its printed publications and on the internet, chose to highlight a beach of the Municipality of Aristoteli as the leading one in Greece and among the top in the world."
"This development is the best justification of the trust we have shown in the comparative advantages of our country, investing in tourism development methodically and efficiently. We continue on the same path with the same commitment and pride for the whole of Halkidiki, which, with 104 Blue Flags, is the first prefecture in all of Greece, with 17 of them in the Municipality of Aristotelis," he added.
It is recalled that this year's "Blue Flag" program for the cleanest beaches highlighted Greece with 625 awarded beaches, placing the country in second, behind Spain (639), among 53 countries participating in the program.
The 17 Blue Flags of the Municipality of Aristoteli on the list:
1) St. Pavlos/Alexandros Palace Hotel
2) Alykes
3) Ierissos/Municipal 1
4) Ierissos/Municipal 2
5) Ierissos/Municipal 3
6) Kampos
7) Kampoudi 1/Akti Ouranoupoli
8) Kampoudi 2/Theoxenes
9) Kampoudi 3/Akrathos
10) Komitsa
11) Mount Athos Ierissos
12) Nea Roda 2
13) Olympiada
14) Ouranoupoli 1/Xenia Ouranoupolis
15) Ouranoupoli 2/Eagles Palace
16) Ouranoupoli 3/Aristoteles
17) Porto Agios/Agionissi Resort
What is the Blue Flag?
The Blue Flag program, run by the Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary awards for beaches, marinas, and tourism boats, awarded based on a series of stringent environmental, educational, water safety-related, safety-related, and access-related benchmarks that must be met and maintained by the operators. For travelers, seeing the accolade means going to a place where you can expect stunning beauty as well as a commitment to sustainability and top-notch amenities.
How is a Blue Flag awarded?
The municipality of the particular country usually applies for a Blue Flag and sends it to the National Operator. The National Jury evaluates applications for compliance and gives an approval or rejection on the national level. Approved applications and dispensation cases are forwarded from the National Jury to the International Jury. The International Jury carries out an evaluation and decides which beaches and marinas receive the Blue Flag for the season. The International Jury consists of eminent members from the FEE Board, UNESCO, the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
All Blue Flags are awarded for one sailing/swimming season (typically from June to mid-September) and are withdrawn at the end of it. By renewing awards each season, the program ensures that beaches are constantly living up to the criteria. To date, 5038 beaches, marinas, and boats across 51 countries have been certified. Here in descending order are the top 10 countries with the most Blue Flag beaches to help you plan your next trip.
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