Every summer, tourists flock to Agia Pelagia expecting sun, sand, and the kind of beach that makes Instagram jealous. This year, though, the biggest thing turning heads isn’t the view. It’s the vanishing beach. Erosion is working overtime, shaving off nearly half of the western shoreline and spitting it out somewhere in the deep blue. Locals and tourists now share the same thought: “Where’s the beach?”
Tourism professionals who have staked their summers (and wallets) on the coast can only watch as the sea gobbles up what used to be prime real estate. Not exactly the oceanfront dining experience visitors had in mind. Instead, the new view is a sad stretch of fading sand and a growing sense of defeat. Photo evidence from the area shows the battered coastal strip punctuated by the sorry state of the flood channel at the western end. At this rate, paddleboards might be a better investment than sunbeds.
Broken Promises and Growing Frustration
Before the season kicked off, businesses say they got promises from the Malevizi municipality. Sand would be replaced, or so they were told. “Everything will be ready before the tourists arrive,” was the reassuring message. Now, the only thing that’s arrived is disappointment and a sudden trend in beachfront businesses with no beach.
The frustration is hard to ignore. Every year, a fresh round of hope gets served, yet every year, the beach shrinks a bit more. Business owners are right back where they started, fighting a losing battle with the tide and bureaucracy. “We did everything humanly possible,” claims Mayor Menelaos Bokéas, adding, “It’s a matter of procedures. We’re pushing as much as we can, but this year, it’s tough because the season has already started.” The official word? Sand and a proper beach might come next year. For now, don’t hold your breath.