Greece has once more been ranked second in the world on the Blue Flag quality award list for beaches, marinas and sustainable tourism boats, according to the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (EEPF).
The country was listed second among 47 countries, featuring 515 beaches, 15 Greek marinas and four sustainable tourism boats. In 2018, 519 Greek beaches, 15 marinas and one sustainable tourism boat were honoured. For yet another year, Halkidiki was the Greek destination that played host to most of the awarded beaches – 92 in total, with our very own Ammon Beach to be included among them.
The Ammon Beach has been receiving the Blue Flag Award over the past few years and especially since the completion of the recent renovation of the hotel that has been operating since the 1960s.
Located right in front of the hotel and only a heartbeat away from the city centre of Kallithea, the Ammon Beach has long served as a pinnacle for both locals, tourists and even visitors from Thessaloniki. In its current state, the Ammon Beach, features luxury sun loungers and parasols, a motorboat mooring station, water sports club and the recently launched Greco’s Mediterranean Cuisine that serves as an a la carte luncheon option for both hotel and external guests.
Sun loungers are free for hotel guests but payment is required for non-hotel guests with availability being offered on a first come, first served basis. Access to Greco’s Mediterranean Cuisine is available via telephone reservation.
The beach is located right next to the remainders of the Ancient Temple of the Ammon Zeus that is considered one of the most important antique monuments of Northern Greece.
The iconic Blue Flag is a world-renowned voluntary eco-label, awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators, trusted by millions around the globe. The program is operated under the auspices of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. In Greece, the program’s coordinator is the EEPF.
The aim of the Blue Flag program is to promote organized, sustainable tourism, and among the many criteria for receiving a flag are guidelines for how to protect the environment. For example, in order to receive a flag, water samples must be collected and analyzed once a month in the off-season, and information about bathing water quality and local ecosystems must be displayed at the beach.
Environmental education activities must also be provided and promoted to beach-goers, among other things.
