Greece · island

Crete beaches: 2025 bathing-water quality

Crete has 177 official bathing waters in the EEA dataset for the 2025 season. 98.9% were classified Excellent — 1.8 points above the 97.1% across all of Greece — and 0 were Poor. 154 sites have been Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025. By area, the Excellent share is highest around Kissamos (100% of 8) and lowest around Ierapetra (94.7% of 19).

Panoramic view of Phalasarna beach at west Crete — Photo: C messier, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

177

official bathing waters

98.9%

Excellent in 2025

Poor in 2025

Not live: these are annual official classifications. Check the competent authority for today’s notices before swimming.

Before you swim on Crete

Ministry of Environment and Energy with the regional water directorates

Bathing season in Greece: 1 June – 31 October. Almost all Greek bathing waters are coastal; the portal is an interactive map of site profiles.

Annual EEA classes do not show temporary bans, short-term pollution or algae alerts; those are published by the competent authority. National information last checked 2026-11-01.

Season status: Today (6 November 2026) is outside the official bathing season (1 June – 31 October). Official monitoring is tied to the season (a first sample may be taken shortly before it opens), so there are no current official water-quality results now. The next season starts on 1 June 2027.

Greek Bathing Water Profiles →

About Crete

Crete is the largest Greek island, closing the southern Aegean. Almost all of its official bathing waters are on the sea; in Greece the bathing season runs nationally from 1 June to 31 October.

How this page is defined: official EEA bathing waters reported by Greece whose coordinates fall inside a boundary drawn around Crete. Coordinates are reported by the national authority.

Map of official bathing waters

Excellent 175Good 1Poor 0Not classified 1

How to read this map: Each dot is one official bathing water, coloured by its 2025 rating; select a dot to open that site. Coloured areas are the regions; region names link to their pages. Sea and large lakes are blue, neighbouring countries grey. Positions: official EEA coordinates. Boundaries: Eurostat NUTS 2024, generalised (© EuroGeographics); lakes: Natural Earth. Outlines are simplified, so a few shoreline dots can sit just offshore.

Crete by area

Each official site is grouped under the nearest of 10 reference towns, measured in a straight line from its reported coordinates. This is an orientation aid, not a municipal boundary.

2025 EEA classes by area (nearest reference town)
Area	Sites	Excellent	Good	Not classified
Kissamos	8	8 (100%)	0	0
Paleochora	6	6 (100%)	0	0
Chania	26	26 (100%)	0	0
Rethymno	23	22 (95.7%)	1	0
Matala / south coast	12	12 (100%)	0	0
Heraklion	13	13 (100%)	0	0
Hersonissos / Malia	27	27 (100%)	0	0
Agios Nikolaos	28	28 (100%)	0	0
Ierapetra	19	18 (94.7%)	0	1
Sitia	15	15 (100%)	0	0

Most consistent Excellent sites

154 sites were Excellent in all eleven seasons. Ordered by the length of the unbroken Excellent run ending in 2025; the first 24 are shown, the rest are in the area lists above.

ACHLADI 11 seasons · around Rethymno
ACHLIA SCHINOKAPSALON 11 seasons · around Ierapetra
AGIA FOTIA 11 seasons · around Ierapetra
AGIA GALINI 11 seasons · around Matala / south coast
AGIA MARINA - STALOS 11 seasons · around Chania
AGIA MARINA 1 11 seasons · around Chania
AGIA MARINA 2 11 seasons · around Chania
AGIA MARINA 3 11 seasons · around Chania
AGIA PELAGIA 11 seasons · around Heraklion
AGIA PELAGIA 11 seasons · around Hersonissos / Malia
AGIA VARVARA 11 seasons · around Hersonissos / Malia
AGIOI APOSTOLOI - EOT ANATOLIKA 11 seasons · around Chania
AGIOI APOSTOLOI - EOT DYTIKA 11 seasons · around Chania
AGIOS DIMITRIOS 11 seasons · around Hersonissos / Malia
AGIOS GEORGIOS 11 seasons · around Hersonissos / Malia
AGIOS IOANNIS 11 seasons · around Ierapetra
AGIOS NIKOLAOS 1 11 seasons · around Agios Nikolaos
AGIOS NIKOLAOS 2 11 seasons · around Agios Nikolaos
AGIOS NIKOLAOS 3 11 seasons · around Agios Nikolaos
AGIOS ONOUFRIOS 11 seasons · around Chania
AGIOS PANTELEIMON 11 seasons · around Agios Nikolaos
AGIOS PANTELEIMON 11 seasons · around Ierapetra
AKOUMIANI GIALIA - TRIOPETRA MEGALI 11 seasons · around Matala / south coast
AKOUMIANI GIALIA - TRIOPETRA MIKRI 11 seasons · around Matala / south coast

Rated Poor in 2025

None of the 177 official bathing waters on Crete was classified Poor in 2025.

Changes from 2024 to 2025

Improved (0)

None.

Declined (1)

ASOMATOS - PREVELI Excellent → Good

How Crete rated since 2015

Counts for the sites in today’s 2025 inventory; the Excellent share is calculated over classified sites only.

Season	Classified	Excellent	Excellent share
2025	176	175	99.4%
2024	176	176	100%
2023	176	176	100%
2022	176	176	100%
2021	177	176	99.4%
2020	177	176	99.4%
2019	170	170	100%
2018	170	170	100%
2017	157	156	99.4%
2016	157	157	100%
2015	157	156	99.4%

All 177 official bathing waters on Crete

Grouped by area, alphabetical within each group. Open a site for its 2015–2025 history, nearby alternatives, weather forecast and the national profile link.

Around Kissamos 8 sites · 100% Excellent

FALASARNA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GRAMVOUSA - BIGLIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GRAMVOUSA - PACHEIA AMMOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KASTELLI KISSAMOU ANATOLIKA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KASTELLI KISSAMOY DYTIKA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOLYMPARIA - RAPANIANA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOURFALONAS - DRAPANIAS - MITHUMNA - NOPIGIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
SFINARI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Paleochora 6 sites · 100% Excellent

CHALIKIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ELAFONISI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GRAMMENO Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PACHEIA AMMOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
SOUGIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
VOULISMENI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Chania 26 sites · 100% Excellent

AGIA MARINA - STALOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIA MARINA 1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIA MARINA 2 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIA MARINA 3 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOI APOSTOLOI - EOT ANATOLIKA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOI APOSTOLOI - EOT DYTIKA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOS ONOUFRIOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AKTI MARATHI 2 Excellent Excellent 6 seasons in a row
ALMYRIDA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
CHRYSI AKTI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GERANI - PLATANIAS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ILIGGAS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KALAMAKI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KALATHAS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KALYVES Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOUM KAPI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KYANI AKTI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LIMANAKI PLATANIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LOUTRAKI [AKROTIRI] Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MALEME Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MARATHI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
NEA CHORA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PAHIA AMMOS STAVROU Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
STAVROS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
TARSANAS Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
VLITES Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Rethymno 23 sites · 95.7% Excellent

ACHLADI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ASOMATOS - PREVELI Good Excellent → Good since 2024
BALI - LIVADI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DAMNONI Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
EPISKOPI 1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
FRAGOKASTELLO Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
GEORGIOUPOLI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KAVROS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KORAKAS - RODAKINO Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOUMPES Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
OMPROS GIALOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PANORMO Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PANORMO - LIMNI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PARALIA LIANOU KAVOU - LAVRIS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PIGIANOS KAMPOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PLAKIAS 1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PLAKIAS 2 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
POLYRIZOS Excellent Excellent 6 seasons in a row
RETHYMNO Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
SCHOINARIA Excellent Excellent 6 seasons in a row
SKALETA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
SOUDA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
VARKOTOPOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Matala / south coast 12 sites · 100% Excellent

AGIA GALINI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AKOUMIANI GIALIA - TRIOPETRA MEGALI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AKOUMIANI GIALIA - TRIOPETRA MIKRI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AKTI KOMOU Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
CHRISOSTOMOS Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
KALOI LIMENES Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
KOKKINOS PYRGOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOKKINOS PYRGOS 2 Excellent Excellent 6 seasons in a row
LENTAS Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
MATALA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PLATIA PERAMATA Excellent Excellent 6 seasons in a row
SAKTOURIA - AGIOS PAVLOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Heraklion 13 sites · 100% Excellent

AGIA PELAGIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AMMOUDARA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AMNISSOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ESTAVROMENOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
FODELE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KARTEROS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KLADISSOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOKKINI CHANI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LINOPERAMATA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LYGARIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MADE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MONONAFTIS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PALAIOKASTRO Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Hersonissos / Malia 27 sites · 100% Excellent

AGIA PELAGIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIA VARVARA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOS DIMITRIOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOS GEORGIOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AKTI NAVARCHOU NEARCHOU Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ANALIPSI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ARKALOCHORI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
BOUFOU Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
CHERSONISOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DRAPANOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GOUVES 1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GOUVES 2 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GOUVES 3 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KATO GOUVES Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KLONTZANI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOKKINI CHANI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LIMANAKI ANALIPSIS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LIMIN CHERSONISOU 1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LIMIN CHERSONISOU 2 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MILATOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
POTAMOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
POTAMOS 1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
SARANTARI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
SISY - LIMANI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
STALIDA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
TSOUTSOURAS 1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
VLYCHADA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Agios Nikolaos 28 sites · 100% Excellent

AGIOS NIKOLAOS 1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOS NIKOLAOS 2 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOS NIKOLAOS 3 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOS PANTELEIMON Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ALMYROS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AMMOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AMMOS [MARINA] Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AMMOUDI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AMOUDARA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
CHIONA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DIMOTIKI AKTI CHAVANIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DIMOTIKI AKTI CHAVANIA VOREIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DRIROS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ELOUNDA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ELOUNDA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GARGADOROS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KALO CHORIO Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KARAVOSTASI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KITROPLATEIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MIRABELLO Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PACHEIA AMMOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PIGADAKIA ELOUNDA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PLAKA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
POROS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
POROS VOREIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
SCHISMA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
THOLOS Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
VOULISMA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Around Ierapetra 19 sites · 94.7% Excellent

ACHLIA SCHINOKAPSALON Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIA FOTIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOS IOANNIS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
AGIOS PANTELEIMON Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ARVI Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
CHRYSI - GAIDOURONISI Not classified
FERMA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
GRA LIGIA Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
IERAPETRA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
IERAPETRA 3 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
IERAPETRA DIMOTIKI PLAZ Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KALAMOKANIAS Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
KASTRI Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
KATHARADES Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOINOTIKI PLAZ MAKRYGIALOU Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOUTSOUNARI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MYRTOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PSARI FORADA Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
TERTSA Excellent Excellent 6 seasons in a row

Around Sitia 15 sites · 100% Excellent

ANALIPSI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ANALOUKAS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
CHIONA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
DIASKARI Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
ERIMOUPOLI Excellent Excellent 6 seasons in a row
KATO ZAKROS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
KOUREMENOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LAGOUFA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
LIMANAKI - GOUDOURA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
MEGALI PARALIA XEROKABOU Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
MOCHLOS - XEROSTERNIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
PAPADIOKAMPOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
SITEIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
VAI - FOINIKODASOS Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
VOURLIA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row

Compared with other destinations

#	Destination	Country	Sites	Excellent	Poor
1	Corfu	Greece	66	100%	0
2	Lake Garda	Italy	128	99.2%	0
3	Crete	Greece	177	98.9%	0
4	Halkidiki	Greece	90	98.9%	0
5	Sardinia	Italy	664	96.8%	1
6	Istria (Croatia)	Croatia	217	95.9%	0
7	Costa Brava	Spain	86	94.2%	1
8	Algarve coast	Portugal	106	93.4%	0
9	Lake Balaton	Hungary	148	85.1%	0
10	Menorca	Spain	30	80%	0
11	Corsica	France	223	75.8%	20
12	Rhodes	Greece	52	75%	0
13	Mallorca	Spain	113	68.1%	3
14	Ibiza & Formentera	Spain	48	66.7%	0
15	French Riviera (Alpes-Maritimes)	France	151	63.6%	3

Destinations differ in size, water type and how densely sites are designated, so the table gives context rather than a quality verdict.

Quick answers

How many bathing waters on Crete were rated Excellent in 2025?: 175 of 177 (98.9%) in the official EEA 2025 classification; 1 were Good, 0 Sufficient and 0 Poor, and 1 had no class.
Which sites on Crete have the best long-term record?: 154 were Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025, for example ACHLADI, ACHLIA SCHINOKAPSALON, AGIA FOTIA. See the full ranking.
Were any bathing waters on Crete rated Poor?: No. None was classified Poor in 2025.
Where do I check whether swimming is allowed today?: On Greek Bathing Water Profiles (Ministry of Environment and Energy with the regional water directorates). Temporary bans, pollution alerts and closures are published there and on signs at the beach, not in the annual EEA class. Each site page here also shows a weather forecast with heavy-rain context.

Greece overview · All coastal bathing waters in Greece · All destinations · How the classes are calculated

Source

European Environment Agency (EEA), bathing-water data and coordinates reported by Greece, licensed CC BY 4.0. Areas, counts and rankings are calculated by BathingWaterFinder from those official records.