Crete may have sunshine, sea views, and an aggressively healthy Mediterranean image, but a new European assessment delivers less charming news: both Heraklion and Chania rank among the worst-performing 30% of European cities for estimated air-pollution-related health risks.
The assessment, based on data from the European Environment Agency (EEA) and presented by Climatebook, examines 761 European cities and estimates the health impact of exposure to three major air pollutants during 2024–2025.
And Crete is not alone. All 14 Greek cities in the assessment fall in the bottom 30% of the European ranking, with six in the bottom 10%.
Chania Does Best in Greece, But That Is Not Exactly a Victory
Among the Greek cities assessed, Chania performs best, ranking 540th out of 761 European cities.
That may sound reassuring until the European ranking is considered: Chania still falls within the 30% of cities with the least favorable estimated health-risk outcomes.
Heraklion ranks eighth among the 14 Greek cities listed, although the Climatebook presentation does not provide a specific European ranking for the city.
So yes, Chania wins the Cretan air-quality competition.
Unfortunately, the prize appears to be “least bad.”
Ioannina, Athens and Thessaloniki Fare Even Worse
Ioannina has the worst result in Greece, ranking 754th out of 761 European cities.
It is followed by:
- Athens: 745th
- Thessaloniki: 729th
- Larissa: 726th
- Volos: 654th
- Trikala: 697th
- Serres: 696th
- Heraklion: eighth among the Greek cities assessed
- Chania: 540th overall in Europe
Overall, the assessment ranks six Greek cities in the worst 10% and ten in the worst 20% of Europe.
What Is Being Measured?
The assessment looks at exposure to three major air pollutants:
PM₂.₅: Fine particles small enough to penetrate deep into the respiratory system and associated with cardiovascular and respiratory health problems.
NO₂: Nitrogen dioxide, produced largely by combustion, with road traffic an important source in urban areas.
O₃: Ground-level ozone, which forms in the atmosphere through photochemical reactions.
The assessment also identifies sources that contribute to air pollution in Greek cities, including domestic heating (particularly wood burning), industrial activity, and the transport of pollutants from other areas.
This Is Not a Daily Pollution Forecast
Visitors should note an important distinction.
The ranking does not mean Heraklion or Chania experience dangerous air pollution every day, nor does it measure air quality at a particular moment.
The EEA assessment combines modeled pollutant concentrations with population distribution and scientific estimates of exposure-related health effects. The figures therefore represent a broader assessment based on 2024–2025 data, rather than a snapshot of today’s air.
For tourists, that distinction matters. A city can have excellent weather and plenty of fresh sea air while still facing longer-term urban air-quality challenges.
What Could Improve the Situation?
The assessment highlights measures such as electrifying heating, reducing industrial emissions, strengthening public transport, and tightening emissions controls.
Continuous monitoring is also important, particularly when pollution levels rise, together with public access to air-quality information and measures to protect residents during pollution episodes.
For Crete, where tourism and outdoor living are central to the island’s identity, air quality is more than an environmental statistic. It is part of the wider question of how the island’s cities develop as they accommodate residents, traffic, industry and millions of visitors.
