Perhaps there is nothing better in the summer months than enjoying the sea at the shore, with a cold drink on your beach chair, under the umbrella. However, nice things, especially in Attica, come at a cost. And an expensive one: up to 235 euros one must pay to enjoy their swim—not at the front table, but… the front beach chair by the sea.

Beachgoers are divided into two categories: those who make a reservation so that when they arrive at the beach their beach chair awaits them—at a salty price—and those who follow the traditional towel-on-the-sand solution. For the first category, prices this year remain as “hot” as last year, with a slight decrease, while for the rest it seems there is more space at more beaches.

A pivotal role in this seems to have been played by the MyCoast app, which allowed citizens to report illegalities on beaches electronically, reports followed by inspections and fines. For this summer, MyCoast even inaugurates the use of Artificial Intelligence that scans satellite images to detect offenders and take appropriate action.

My expensive beach chair
It’s not enough to just pay well for a beach chair. If one wants a guaranteed spot by the sea, they must have made a reservation. For reservations at Attica’s beaches and beyond, there are relevant apps that allow electronic bookings at beaches offering this option, with parking spot, date and time booking, and electronic payment. All this—and much more—for a… dip in the sea!

The apps provide booking capability for the whole country, though the greatest interest is along Attica’s coastline. Thus, new habits emerge, with beachgoers planning their swim, making reservations, and upon arrival showing the unique code received by email prepaying the beach chair. Then they head to their reserved beach chairs to enjoy a range of services and benefits, from free parking to free product consumption up to a certain amount or complimentary cocktails. Or in some cases, simply nothing.

Costs example:
In Vouliagmeni, the weekend reservation cost for a beach chair set reaches 235 euros, and 175 euros on weekdays. Last year, the corresponding costs were 220 and 160 euros. For 180 euros on weekends and 150 on weekdays, in Kavouri one can book a “cabin,” basically a simple shack with two poufs and beach towels. On the same beach, the umbrella—which includes two chairs—costs 130 euros on weekends and 90 on weekdays. Last year’s prices were 150 and 105 euros respectively.

Prices for beach chairs remain salty, although generally they have decreased compared to the same period last year or stayed the same. In Sounio, the beach chair set holds the same price as last year, 80 euros on weekends and 50 on weekdays, while in Lagonisi, the highest weekend cost, where the first row beach chair reservation costs 100 euros, the same as last year, but the weekday service now costs 30 euros compared to 50 euros last year.

In Voula, beach chair reservations cost 80 euros on weekends and 50 euros on weekdays. Not cheap, but cheaper than last year when it was 90 and 60 euros respectively. Dramatic price drops occurred in Varkiza, where first and second row beach chair reservations cost 40 euros on weekends versus 80 euros last year, and 30 euros on weekdays versus 60 last year. Here, umbrella reservations (set with 2 chairs) other than first and second row cost 30 euros on weekends and 20 on weekdays. Thus, this beach ranks among the more economical weekday options, along with Schinias, where umbrella reservations cost 30 euros on weekends and 14 euros on weekdays.

Elsewhere in Greece, a similar scenario prevails.
In Halkidiki (Kassandra), for example, until July 11th one can reserve an umbrella or “cabin” (two chairs plus pouf) for 15 euros, while from July 12th the price rises to 25 euros. In Skopelos, at Stafylos beach, an umbrella reservation with 2 chairs costs 30 euros; in Kea, the first row costs 40 euros and others 30 euros; in Gytheio, umbrellas cost 12 euros, cabins 50, and even towels are charged 12 euros each.

MyCoast from… space
The “towel movement” of citizen groups wanting to protect free access to beaches uncovered blatant illegal beach occupations, even in protected areas. It mobilized the authorities—from Rhodes, where the movement started, to Paros, where the most spectacular and effective action took place (using aerial photos proving beach occupation)—and then across the country citizens claimed their right to free access to the shoreline, which, as proven, had been illegally appropriated by entrepreneurs who even hired personnel to verbally or violently prevent citizens from laying their towels.

MyCoast, created by the state to tackle these illegalities and turned into a citizen protection tool and a “hammer” against illegal beach occupation, made an impressive debut in 2024. Drones used to monitor beaches, plus the ability to file electronic and phone, signed or anonymous complaints, revealed illegally placed beach chairs, built cabins and beach bars, even fences on public beaches, resulting in fines up to 220,000 euros. But that was only the beginning.

This year, MyCoast goes a step further, using Artificial Intelligence and space technology. Specifically, the Hellenic Space Center provides high-resolution satellite photos to MyCoast’s AI app making its debut this summer. The AI system, already trained with satellite data from various coastal areas, analyzes the photos from the Space Center, recognizing installations like bungalows, even beach chairs and umbrellas. Based on the space coverage analysis compared to conventional forecasts, MyCoast’s AI system identifies cases of illegal beach use and informs the competent authorities to impose penalties. Impressively, it can also initiate this process by examining complaints made for a specific area.

Of course, other app services remain available. Citizens can enter the app and check the businesses operating on the beaches. They can also electronically file complaints about illegalities they observe.

After the complaint
After a complaint is filed, apart from AI, the hammer lies in the hands of Public Property Service inspectors who receive satellite and drone photos and determine the extent of fines based on the severity of the violation. There are also on-site inspections, with mixed teams from the Ministry of Finance, Public Property Service, municipality, Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), Economic Police, Greek Police, and prosecutors conducting on-site surveys of the shoreline and beach and preparing a report with accompanying photos, which is immediately served or posted publicly.

Using high-tech tools like high-resolution satellite images, drones, and other modern technology, there is hope that this year control and sanction procedures will speed up, as most measures last year took place in August.

The MyCoast app, from day one, proved very popular and… useful, as according to the Ministry of Digital Governance, it was downloaded by more than 110,000 citizens. On the first day of operation, 1,900 complaints were filed, reaching over 25,000 by the end of summer, leading to as many inspections and 20,500 on-site surveys at 2,400 businesses across 630 beaches. Fines exceeded 9 million euros (in 400 of the 682 detected violations), while 55 businesses were ordered closed.

“There are no private beaches”
Regardless of what satellites, AI systems, and public inspectors do, the most important thing is for citizens to know the law, which since last year—with the stamp of the current Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis—has become stricter for shoreline violators, imposing fines from 2,000 to 60,000 euros for obstructing free public access to the sea, shoreline, and beach. However, it is clearer than ever that there are no private beaches in Greece, meaning even hotels must allow uninterrupted public access to the beach in front of them.

By law, 50% of all beaches, rented or not, must be free so that every citizen can find space for their towel or umbrella. Between neighboring businesses there must be a six-meter free space. Access to beaches must be free. Additionally:

• For constructions like walls, planters, fences, a fine of 500 euros per cubic meter (construction volume) applies. If mechanical equipment is needed to remove movable elements, the fine quadruples.
• For immovable elements that cannot be easily moved like cars, motorcycles, heavy vehicles, awnings, a fine of 500 euros per meter (width of blocked passage) applies. If removal requires equipment, a fine of 500 euros per cubic meter (volume of objects blocking passage) applies.
• For dumping rubble and waste in public paths to the sea, a 500 euro fine per meter of blocked passage applies (double if mechanical equipment is needed).
• For any activity or event, individual or collective, professional or not, permanent or temporary, obstructing immediate public access to the sea, a 500 euro fine per meter of blocked passage applies.
• For any physical or verbal obstruction, a 2,000 euro fine applies.