September in Crete is widely considered one of the best times to visit, offering a perfect blend of warm, summer-like weather without the intense heat of July and August. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the ideal conditions and explore as many of the blue-flag awarded beaches as possible.
The Blue Flag is a symbol of quality, for over 50 countries, awarded to beaches, marinas and boats managed by coastal municipalities, hotel owners and other authorities. The goal of the program is to keep beaches that gather a large number of visitors clean and safe. Municipalities, hotel owners and the local community work together to apply for the blue flag award and the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), based in Denmark, examines the applications and decides on the awards. The award is valid for one year and the following year the interested parties must apply to the committee again.
The criteria of the program are very strict and refer to the cleanliness and organization of the sea and the coast, the safety of visitors and the protection of nature. The water quality must be excellent and this is proven by sample checks. Coastal cleaning must be regular and adequate and sewage must not be dumped. There must be action plans in case of marine pollution. Vehicles on the coasts and free camping should be prohibited. There should be adequate sanitary facilities. There should be lifeguards and accessibility for people with disabilities. Environmental education actions should be implemented and printed information should be provided to the public on how to behave on the coasts as well as in all coastal areas with sensitive flora and fauna.
Please read our article "Blue Flag Beaches" and learn more about them.
