Croatia and Greece Have the Cleanest Coastal Waters in Europe

The European Environment Agency, in collaboration with the European Commission, conducted a study on the safety of bathing waters in coastal and inland areas across all 27 EU countries, as well as Albania and Switzerland. According to this study, Croatia and Greece boast the best bathing waters, as reported on the European Environment Agency's website.

Specifically, 99.1% of Croatia's coastline has "excellent" water quality, covering 886 out of 894 inspected sites. Greece, Cyprus, and Austria follow closely in water quality rankings.

Overall, the vast majority of bathing sites in Europe in 2023 met the EU's highest "excellent" water quality standards, with 85% of popular European bathing waters achieving this status. Additionally, 96% of all officially designated bathing waters in the EU meet at least the minimum quality standards, with only 1.5% rated as "poor."

The report also notes that coastal waters in EU countries generally have better quality than inland waters. In 2023, 89% of classified coastal bathing sites were of excellent quality, compared to just under 79% for inland waters.

It's important to note that bathing water quality is assessed based on the monitoring of bacteria that can cause serious illnesses in humans.

As a reminder, The Gaze reported that Venice has become the first city in the world to introduce an entrance fee for day tourists, set at 5 euros. Tickets can be booked online on a dedicated website, with applications available for 29 peak dates from 25 April to 14 July. The fee applies only to those entering the historical centre of Venice between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm on any of the peak days. This includes the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark's Square, the La Fenice Opera House, and many other popular tourist attractions, as well as quieter areas like the island of Giudecca.