- The Ministry of Tourism approved new funding for accessible beaches.
- Projects in Hersonissos, Agios Nikolaos, and Tanagra will receive EU support.
- Works include ramps, modular walkways, portable facilities, signage, and equipment.
- Total budgets: €182,228 (Hersonissos), €235,595 (Agios Nikolaos), €69,999 (Tanagra).
- Part of the NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Fund.
Making Space for Everyone
The Aegean does not like to discriminate, but sandy beaches can be snobs. Wheelchairs sink, canes wobble, and suddenly paradise feels like an obstacle course. Greece is finally telling the shoreline to behave.
With the help of NextGenerationEU, the Ministry of Tourism approved funding to make beaches in Hersonissos, Agios Nikolaos, and Tanagra properly accessible. The mission: make the sea less of an “exclusive club” and more of an “everyone welcome.”
What the Projects Include
This is not about pouring concrete over the coast. The upgrades are clever, semi-permanent, and pack away when summer ends:
- Ramps that actually reach the water, not stop awkwardly halfway.
- Wheel-friendly walkways that snap together like beachside Lego.
- Portable changing rooms and toilets, because dignity belongs under the sun, too.
- Clear signage, so you know where to go without needing Google Maps and a magnifying glass.
In short, ramps are the new sunbeds.
Where the Money Goes
- Hersonissos Municipality: three beaches (Potamos, west of the Bella Hotel, and Estavromenou) – budget €182,228.08.
- Agios Nikolaos Municipal Company: four beaches (Voulisma in Kalo Chorio, Almyros, Ammos, and Schisma Elounda) – budget €235,595.
- Tanagra Municipality: Plaka Dilesiou beach – budget €69,999.64.
More than half a million euros in total. Not enough to build a new airport, but plenty to build something infinitely better: access.
For Crete especially, these ramps and walkways are not just infrastructure—they are a statement that the sea belongs to everyone, that the postcard view of turquoise water is incomplete until every person can step into it.
And honestly? It is about time. Because a holiday should never depend on how well you can wrestle with sand.