Beach escapes are becoming a luxury experience this summer, at least for those choosing organized beaches and popular destinations in Athens and the islands. The cost for a day of relaxation on sunbeds by the waves has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, with prices for a sunbed and umbrella set exceeding €200 in some cases.
Swimming in the sea, however, is not limited to the cost of sunbeds, as dining has become an “expensive sport,” even for the most simple and traditional dishes. A telling example is the Greek salad, whose price at popular island destinations ranges from €7 to €29 — a cost that in many cases exceeds even that of a basic main course.
Read: Beachside sunbed for…€235 – How much does a swim cost in Athens
Beaches: “Golden” prices for Athens sunbeds – Comparisons with famous European destinations
Swimming at Greek beaches appears to be evolving into a luxury experience, with prices for a simple sunbed and umbrella set causing sticker shock, especially at popular Athens locations. For example, in Vouliagmeni the cost reaches up to €175 on weekdays and shoots up to €235 on weekends. Similarly high prices are found in Glyfada, with sets starting from €100 on weekdays and reaching €140 on weekends. Somewhat more “affordable” remains Sounio, where prices range from €50 to €80.
This trend, which transforms the Greek summer into a luxury experience, becomes even clearer when compared to prices at similar cosmopolitan destinations abroad. At beaches like Monaco, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Monte Carlo, or the Amalfi Coast, prices for umbrellas and sunbeds range between €20 and €180 — a variation that brings Greece to the same, if not higher levels, as the luxury of the French Riviera and Italian Coast.
Greek salad becomes a luxury dish
Beach costs are not limited only to sunbeds, as food prices are also seeing significant increases, even for the simplest dishes. For example, Greek salad at tourist islands ranges from €7 to €29, a price that often exceeds even main meals. The president of the Union of Working Consumers of Greece, Apostolos Ravtopoulos, pointedly notes: “Free market does not mean uncontrolled market,” making pointed remarks about insufficient controls and lack of regulation in business pricing policies.
