Summary

Apokoronas has been awarded 16 Blue Flags this year, making it the top-ranked municipality in the Chania regional unit by number of certified beaches, according to the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature. The internationally recognised certification is awarded annually based on strict criteria covering water quality, cleanliness, safety and environmental management. For residents and visitors, the awards confirm that the area's beaches meet verified international standards for the coming swimming season.

Apokoronas leads Chania region with 16 Blue Flag beaches

Apokoronas has secured 16 Blue Flags for the 2026 season, placing it ahead of every other municipality in the Chania regional unit by number of certified beaches. The announcement was made by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, which administers the Blue Flag programme in Greece on behalf of the international Foundation for Environmental Education.

The Blue Flag is one of the world's most widely recognised voluntary eco-labels for beaches. To qualify, a beach must meet strict, independently verified criteria across four categories: bathing water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and services. Certification is granted for a single season and must be renewed each year, meaning beaches must consistently maintain their standards.

What it means in practice

For anyone planning a day at the beach in Apokoronas, the Blue Flag is a reliable indicator of clean water, functioning facilities, rescue equipment on site, and managed beach operations. Water samples are taken at fixed intervals throughout the bathing season and tested against EU bathing water standards — a flag can be withdrawn mid-season if results fall short.

Apokoronas stretches along the north coast of western Crete, with beaches running from the area around Drapanos eastward toward the Gulf of Almyros. The 16 certified sites span this coastline and represent the largest concentration of Blue Flag beaches in the Chania area.

How the result was achieved

According to the municipality, the certification reflects daily cleaning and maintenance work by municipal staff, the involvement of local businesses operating on the beaches, and contributions from volunteers. The Blue Flag criteria also require that beaches provide information boards on local ecosystems and environmental guidelines for visitors.

The certification is valid for the 2026 bathing season.

PRESS RELEASE OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF APOKORONAS — "16 Blue Flags for Apokoronas – A great distinction for the people of Apokoronas"

May 15, 2026, 12:51 PM

The Municipality of Apokoronas writes yet another great success story for the place and its people: according to the official announcements of the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, Apokoronas wins 16 Blue Flags and emerges as the top municipality in the Regional Unit of Chania by number of awarded beaches.

Behind this great distinction, however, stand the people of Apokoronas — the workers who fight daily for cleanliness and organisation, the professionals who keep the local economy alive, the citizens who truly love their place and protect it as if it were their own home.

The beaches of Apokoronas are part of our lives, and that is why this distinction acquires special value — because it was born out of collective effort, daily dedication and a genuine relationship between the people and their place.

Blue Flags are awarded under strict international criteria covering water quality, cleanliness, safety, organisation and environmental protection. The fact that Apokoronas stands at the top of Chania proves that a place can move forward without losing its soul and authenticity.

The Mayor of Apokoronas, Charalampos Koukianakis, stated:

"The 16 Blue Flags belong to all the people of Apokoronas. They belong to the ordinary people of this place who never learned to ask for things the easy way, but to struggle, to create and to keep their place standing with dignity.

Apokoronas is not a place of luxury and display. It is a place of work, values and decent people. And that is exactly what is being recognised today. What is being recognised is the daily effort to keep our beaches clean, our place beautiful and our nature alive.

I want to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who contributed to this great success: the municipal employees, the professionals, the volunteers and every citizen who respects and loves Apokoronas. This distinction is proof that when a people believes in its place, great things can be achieved."

The Municipality of Apokoronas continues, with planning, responsibility and a deep social commitment, to invest in the protection of its natural wealth, the improvement of everyday life, and the creation of a place that will make not only its visitors proud, but above all its own people.