Destinations news Study: Travelers Name Greece Top Pick in Europe for its Beaches by Maria Paravantes 25 August 2022 written by Maria Paravantes 25 August 2022 2 comments Share 0FacebookTwitterLinkedinWhatsappEmail 28 Beach in Greece. Photo source: Holidu / Dimitris Kiriakakis, Unsplash Greece is the most popular European country for beach lovers this year, according to the Best Beaches Index 2022 released by vacation rentals search engine Holidu. According to Holidu’s “Most Popular Countries for Beaches in Europe” listing based on Google rankings, Greece is in the lead garnering 5.4k Google searches every month and 142k+ Instagram hashtags. Top picks for beach-seeking travelers planning trips to Greece and searching for info on Google are Crete, Naxos and Mykonos. “Make sure Greece is at the top of your list this year, as you won’t want to miss out,” says Holidu. Besides Greece, second in line is Italy with 5.4k Google searches per month and 71k+ Instagram hashtags, followed by Portugal with 3.6k Google searches each month and 61k+ Instagram hashtags. Completing the Top 5 list are France with 3.6k Google searches per month and 42k+ Instagram hashtags and Ireland with 880 Google searches per month and 42k+ IG hashtags. Beach in France. Photo source: Holidu / Oscar Nord, Unsplash The study included all European countries and the ranking was drawn up using the average number of monthly searches on Google in the last 12 months for each of the country names combined with the keyword: “beaches”, the Instagram hashtags for this keyword, and its variations. Beach in Ireland. Photo source: Holidu / Sumit Chinchane, Unsplash It should be noted that 581 Greek beaches are among the world’s cleanest awarded this year with Blue Flag quality certification. Greece ranked second in the world after Spain, which was ranked 6th in Holidu’s “Most Popular Countries for Beaches in Europe” listing, with 8.1k Google searches per month and 29.9k+ Instagram hashtags. The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognized voluntary eco-labels, awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators. Join the 15,000+ travel executives who read our newsletter Follow GTP Headlines on Google News to keep up to date with all the latest on tourism and travel in Greece. Share 0 FacebookTwitterLinkedinWhatsappEmail Maria Paravantes Chicago-born and raised, Maria Paravantes has over two decades of journalistic experience covering tourism and travel, gastronomy, arts, music and culture, economy and finance, politics, health and social issues for international press and media. She has worked for Reuters, The Telegraph, Huffington Post, Billboard Magazine, Time Out Athens, the Athens News, Odyssey Magazine and SETimes.com, among others. She has also served as Special Advisor to Greece’s minister of Foreign Affairs, and to the mayor of Athens on international press and media issues. Maria is currently a reporter, content and features writer for GTP Headlines. previous post Greek Tourism Ministry Promotes Visits to Wineries, Breweries, Olive Mills next post TUI Seeks Scientific Validation of Environmental Targets for Airlines, Cruise Ships and Hotels You may also like Test post 6 June 2025 Greece’s Hotel Market Sees Major Investments Over Four Months 5 February 2025 Greek Tourism Ministry Monitors Santorini Situation as Seismic Activity Continues 5 February 2025 Global Air Passenger Demand Reaches Record High in 2024, IATA Reports 5 February 2025 Greek PM Reassures Public About Santorini’s Ongoing Seismic Activity 5 February 2025 Milos: Ministry Suspends 5-star Hotel Construction Near Sarakiniko Beach 5 February 2025 2 comments Carl+Simpson 26 August 2022 - 19:27 Many large hotels are taking over sections of beaches and also some restaurants taking bits of beach all the n a bud to charge people for sun beds so yes the beaches are popular but the downside they are suppose to be free and not charge people to use them. Reply Fotis 28 August 2022 - 08:08 Beaches are free in Greece, they are public property and anyone can use them. Sun beds are charged because someone paid for them and they are running a business. Access to a beach can also be charged, if the only way to get to it, by land, is to go through someone’s private property. Even so, multiple owners that face the beach, side by side, must provide public access at determined intervals. The exception is a property that takes up an entire bay. But even in that case, anyone may access the beach itself from the water or from another access point. If someone buys an entire island, they only own down to a certain point – they still can’t own its beaches. Bring you own sun bed, shade and towel and no one can tell you to leave! Reply Leave a Reply to Carl+Simpson Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ