With temperatures heating new records, Athenians and tourists flock to nearby beaches in Athens Riviera in the south of the Greek capital or they go further to the beaches in eastern, northern and western Attica. Some take a ride even further, a day trip in the North or to Evia and northern Peloponnese. So many beautiful beaches, organized or free, some with blue flags or not, some popular and some just hidden germs you discover randomly go just … somewhere. So many options and choices, but also some dilemmas.
Are the waters that seem clear and fresh are also appropriate for our …gorgeous bodies or we take some unpleasant risks?
Every summer, toward the end of May beginning of June, the Panhellenic Center for Ecological Research (PAKOE) does its quality water testing at the beaches in Athens, Attica, islands of the Saronic Gulf and several other parts throughout Greece.
Also in 2025, the PAKOE did its research, took water samples and analyzed them micro-biologically in their laboratories. Waters from a total of 397 beaches in Athens and the broader area of Attica were tested in E.coli and enterococcus and posted its results online.
The first round of water sampling took place in May, covering 202 locations throughout Attica, both in organized and free-to-access beaches.
According to PAKOE, 153 beaches (76%) were deemed suitable for swimming, while 49 beaches (24%) were found unsuitable due to high levels of microbial contamination.
Suitable beaches are marked blue with a K for appropriate, while unsuitable beaches are marked red with A for inappropriate.
Tested beaches were from Piraeus to Vouliagmeni, SE Attica, and the beaches in-between such as Palaio Faliro (all 3 marked A!), Alimos, Glyfada, Voula, Kavouri up to Sounion and etc.
Beaches unsuitable for swimming from Piraeus to Anavyssos:
Piraeus – Piraiki: Themistokleous Coast (two locations)
Palaio Faliro: Flisvos Beach (multiple spots including Palmyra & Nautical Club) – Batis Beach – Edem Beach
Alimos – Kalamaki: Alimos Beach (beginning section)
Voula: Konstantinos Karamanlis Avenue Beach
Vouliagmeni: Poseidon Winter Swimmers Club Beach
Varkiza: Varkiza Beach (middle section) – [Listed as suitable in internal records; confirmation may be needed]
Koropi: Marmaras Beach -Loumbardas Beach (two spots) -Agia Marina Beach (two spots) – Althea Beach
Saronikos – Kalyvia & Anavyssos: Kalyvia Thorikou Beach – Agios Nikolaos Beach – Palaia Fokaia Beach (three spots)
CHECK PAKOE Lit & MAP
You can check the beaches on PAKOE website HERE – in Greek – or HERE where you can move the cursor on the map and check directly.
A second round of water sampling took place in June and the findings and category results were uploaded on PAKOE’s website on separate posts HERE.
Until 2018 the PAKOE posting was more easy to access but they had to pay a lot for the use of google map, so the presentation had to change.
PS Remember when there was no technology and we enjoyed the crystal-clear waters in a lovely landscape on a small and under-developed island to find out later where the toilet pipes from the picturesque white-washed houses were landing?
Older generations, yes Boomers and Gen X, who survived playing in soil and swimming everywhere, have nothing to fear, I guess…
