Free-entry options strewn with litter
Free beaches are scarce on the way from Faliron to Sounion – the first and second beaches of Glyfada, Kavouri, Limanakia, the beach beside the organized Varkiza beach, Riba’s, Saronida, Fokaia, Mavro Lithari, Anavyssos, Legraina, Sounion and a few in between. They are hard enough to find for locals, let alone hapless tourists, as they are not well signposted and access is difficult. And most present a dismal picture, strewn with litter and with cars parked right on the beach. Even so, every year more people who refuse to pay for a swim frequent these beaches. Given that there will be lots more people around this year, some of the municipalities have have started cleaning local beaches, removing litter and rubble and installing trash cans. One of these is the free beach at Alimos which, Giorgos Liakopoulos, deputy mayor of Alimos, told Kathimerini, has been cleaned, while canteens have been set up and deck chairs and umbrellas are available at a token price. Marathon Municipality has planned to clean up Marathon beach and install trash cans, but private operators will be renting out deck chairs and umbrellas. On the coast facing the Euboean Gulf, only one beach – Avlaki, at Porto Rafti – charges admission (5 euros). The other large, popular beach in that area – Karavi at Schinias – does not charge admission, but the bar charges a minimum of 2 euros per person for refreshments.
