The “Free Beach Movement” that has been spreading throughout Greece and especially on the islands, is aimed at opening up public beaches which have been commandeered by beach bars and tavernas installing their own sunbeds and umbrellas and charging sometimes excessive amounts for their use.

Many beachside businesses across Greece have already been heavily fined and in some cases closed for illegally installing sunbeds and preventing free and unobstructed public use of beach areas. On the island of Naxos, three businessmen who were contravening the beach laws, have been sent to prison. At some beaches, unmarked lorries have been observed late at night full of illegally installed sunbeds being driven away prior to inspection of the beaches by the authorities.

Greek law, outlined in the constitution, clearly states that the country’s shoreline is considered a public good, and the public has the right to access and use beaches at any time.  No single person or company has the right to exploit a public beach or block access to anyone. The law also states that sunbeds and umbrellas are not allowed to cover more than 50% of any beach. There must be corridors at least one metre (3.4 feet) wide for beachgoers to be able to pass through. Sunbeds must also be placed at a distance of five metres (seventeen feet) away from the water.

Regarding hotels, the law states that if a hotel is built right on the beach and there is no outside access to the beach, the public who wants to use it has the right to walk through the hotel, or grounds, to reach the beach free of any charge.

Inspections resulting in fines, business closures and even imprisonments continue across Greece, especially on Rhodes, Mykonos, Paros and Corfu.