Crete Blue Flag Beaches 2010

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Crete Gets Most Blue Flag Awards for Greece's Best Beaches 2010

Great Beaches are Clean and Well Run : One of the Benefits for Ex-Pats Living on Crete

For the year 2010 Greece was awarded 421 Blue Flags, a prestigious status for its beaches along with 9 marinas. Greece continues to win many Blue Flag beach awards and one of the attractions for ex-Pats living in Crete.

The region of Crete can boast 97 beaches and one marina, of which Lassithi Prefecture was accredited with 42 blue flag designated beaches and one blue flag yachting Marina.

The Chania Prefecture has 27 beaches, while Heraklion Prefecture claims 14 beaches and Rethymnon Prefecture 13 beaches.

What Defines a Blue Flag Beach?

The criteria used to define a beach's quality includes water cleanliness; whether the beach area bans cars; overnight camping, or that the planning for such necessities such as restrooms has been eco-tested and eco-friendly. Other requirements include the provision of trained lifeguards, convenience of emergency phones and adequate arrangements for use of the beach areas by the handicapped.

What is the Blue Flag programme?

Eco-Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-labelling scheme that is awarded to over 3450 beaches and marinas in 41 countries in Europe, Brazil, Canada, the Caribbean, Morocco, New Zealand, South Africa and Tunisia. In each country an organisation is nominated to represent the scheme. In Greece the NGO is known as the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (HSPN) based in Athens.

Who Manages the Blue Flag Scheme?

From Copenhagen, the Blue Flag programme is managed by the independent non-governmental, non-profit organisation known as the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). FEE applies strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and other services.

What is the Mission of the Scheme?

The Blue Flag mission objective is for sustainable development at accredited beaches and marinas. The programme includes environmental education and information for the public, decision makers and tourism operators. 

Crete's Listed Blue Flag Beaches and Marinas 2010

NOMOS/PREFECTURE of LASITHI [42 Blue Flag Beaches]

Lassithi has the most blue flag beaches of the four prefectures on Crete

Community of Vrachasiou/Vrahassi Sissi - Boufos Beach (geo:lat=35.311775, geo:lon=25.530578)

Municipality Agiou Nikolaou/Aghios Nikolaos Poros Beach No 1, Poros Beach No 2 (geo:lat=35.189180 , geo:lon=25.717255)  Elounda Pigaidakia Eloundas  Schisma  Elounda Beach No 1 Driros Chiona Plaka Chavania Beach No 2 Agios Nikolaos Beach No 1 Agios Nikolaos Beach No 2 Agios Nikolaos Beach No 3 Ammoudi Kitroplateia Ammos/Marina Almyros Ammos/Dimotiki Pilos Ammoudara  Voulisma Agios Panteleimonas

Municipality Sitias/Siteia Sitia Beach No 1/Galliko  (geo:lat=35.207802, geo:lon=26.106360)  Sitia Beach No 2/Petra Sitia Beach No 3/Karavopetra

Municipality Itanou/Itanos (Palekastro) Vai/Finikodasos Kouremenos Chiona Kato Zakros

Municipality Lefkis/Levkis Vourlia Limanaki

Municipality Makri Gialou/Makrigialos Analipsi Makrygialos/Langoufa

Municipality Ierapetras/Ierapetra Ierapetra Beach No 1 /Dimotiki Ierapetra Beach No 2 /Dimotiki Agia Fotia Myrtos Koutsounari /Agios Ioannis Koutsounari Beach No 2 Katharades Beach No 1 Nisos Chrysi (later withdrawn)

NOMOS/PREFECTURE of CHANIA [27 Blue Flag Beaches]

Municipality Pelekanou/Pelekanos/Paleochora Pacheia Ammos (geo:lat=35.237473, geo:lon=23.694491)  Chalikia  Limnaki Grammeno  Voulismeni

Municipality Kolymvariou (Kolymvari) Kolymvari (geo:lat=35.542121, geo:lon=23.783159)

Municipality Platania (Gerani) Maleme Gerani Platanias Platanias /Limanaki

Municipality Neas Kydonias Stalos Ag. Apostoli Beach No 1  Ag. Apostoli Beach No 2 Chrissi Akti Agia Marina Kalamaki

Municipality Chanion/Hania Nea Chora

Municipality Akrotiriou/Akrotiri Marathi Stavros Agios Onoufrios Kalathas

Municipality Armenon/Armeni (Kalives/Kalyves) Maistrali (geo:lat=35.451804, geo:lon=24.175901)  Kalyves Xyda Kyani

Municipality Vamou/Vamos Almyrida (geo:lat=35.449326, geo:lon=24.202495)

Municipality Georgioupolis Kavros  (geo:lat=35.355517, geo:lon=24.280189)  Perastikos

NOMOS/PREFECTURE of RETHYMNO [13 Blue Flag Beaches]

Municipality Rethymnis/Rethymnon Rethymno Beach No 1 Rethymno Beach No 2 Rethymno Beach No 3 Rethymno Beach No 4 Platanias/Rethymno Beach No 6

Municipality Geropotamou/Geropotamos (Perama) Panormos/Limni Lianos Kavos Lavris Bali Varkotopos Bali Livadi

Municipality Finika Damnoni Plakias Souda

Municipality Lambis Agia Galini/Istero Varkotopi

NOMOS/PREFECTURE of IRAKLIO/Heraklion [14 Blue Flag Beaches]

Municipality Gaziou/Gazi Ellinoperamata Fodele Ammoudara Beach No 1 Ammoudara Beach No 4 Ammoudara Beach No 5

Municipality Chersonissou/Hersonissos Limenas Chersonissou Beach No 5 Agios Georgios Beach No 1 Agios Georgios Beach No 3 Anissaras Agios Georgios 2/Panagia Rizi Drepanos

Municipality Mallion/Malia Potamos Potamos A

Municipality Tympakiou/Timbaki Matala

Crete's Blue Flag Marina Award LASITHI/LASSITHI

Municipality Agiou Nikolaou/Aghios Nikolaos Marina Agiou Nikolaou (geo:lat=35.189180, geo:lon=25.717255)  The Agios Nikolaos yachting and pleasure craft mooring site  first won the Blue Flag in the year 2004.  Note: A Marina with a Blue Flag means - the waters are crystal clear - its management is good - to put priority on safety - its management's efforts are environmentally-friendly!

Note: Photograph at page top is a view of one of the Blue Flag Beaches in the centre of Aghios Nikolaos, popular with Greek and foreign families alike. Copyright: BritsinCrete.Net .