A total of 545 Greek beaches have been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag award for 2021, putting the country in second place among 49 countries, according to the annual quality certification list published by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

The Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece, renowned for its golden sand and turquoise waters, swept most of the 545 awards, earning 96 flags.

In Attica, the popular beaches of Varkiza, Voula and Vouliagmeni all passed muster, as did the islands of Kythira, Poros and Aegina, which come under the same regional jurisdiction.

A map with all the locations in Greece and elsewhere that were awarded this year is available at www.blueflag.global.

The Blue Flag is awarded for quality of the bathing waters, safety, services and environmental sustainability. 

This article was first published on ekathimerini.com.