Greek beaches top 5 cleanest in Europe

Swimmers can enjoy safe and extra clean waters at 97 percent of the country’s beaches, according to the Special Secretariat for Water — under the Environment, Energy and Climate Change ministry — and the European Environment Agency, ranking the country’s beaches among the EU’s top.

The European Environment Agency inspected 92 percent of the country’s bathing beaches and found that Greek waters are of the highest quality for swimming, giving Greece an overall rating of 97.2 percent, placing the country fourth in Europe.

The Special Secretariat for Water, meanwhile, responsible for the development and implementation of programs related to the protection and management of Greece’s water resources and the coordination of authorities dealing with the aquatic environment, also ran tests and found that the water at the majority of Greece’s beaches is of excellent quality.

In addition, in May, 430 of the country’s beaches and nine marinas clinched third spot during the 1st International “Blue Flags” Awards ceremony held in Halkidiki.  Run by independent non-profit organization Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), the Blue Flag Program labels beaches and marinas appropriate for swimming based on cleanness, water quality, organization, safety and services, environmental management and protection and certifies the best every year ahead of summer.