25.09.2023
If you’ve ever been to Greece, you know how stunning the beaches are on the Greek islands. Golden sands and pristine waters with the ever-present Greek sun. However, what if this scene were interrupted with protesters shouting through a loudspeaker and holding signs that say “Reclaim the Beach.” This is the scene in Paros, where protesters fought to remove beach chairs from the local sands, and read parts of the Greek constitution aloud.
These protests started in Paros in May of 2023. Right now on Paros, you have to pay for a lounge chair in order to sit on the beach. To locals, the lounge chairs represent a government that is prioritizing tourists over locals. On Facebook, residents of Paros started a page called “Save Paros Beaches” and aimed for stronger restrictions on the sunbeds, many of which are there illegally. Some locals say that lounge chairs are taking up 10 times the space than is allowed. The movement gained support, and a unified demonstration on the 3rd of September happened in different areas of Greece on the same day.
The neighboring island of Naxos and the island of Crete also held their own demonstrations. Rhodes, Aegina, and the Attica region also had their own protests. Protests have also happened in the Halkidiki peninsula in the north, as well as in the Ionian islands (Lefkada, Kefalonia, Corfu, etc), where some rental companies have put down chairs on beaches which should be free.
Paros is one of the most visited islands in the Cyclades, with a population that is 10 times its normal amount in the summer. Some businesses take advantage of the tourists, charging up to 120 euros for so-called “V.I.P.” sun chairs. As a result, local authorities have denied licenses to lounge chairs on some beaches. Giorgos Arkoulis, owner of the local Dixty restaurant, which has stood for 28 years on Paros, was denied a license for lounge chairs. He put the chairs out anyway, expecting there to be no problems. However, he was forced to take away the chairs, which caused some of his customers to complain.
The anger against the placement of beach chairs on free beaches is partly because Greeks have a very personal relationship with the sea. The concept of “private” beaches goes against one of the basic freedoms of the Greek summer - access to the Mediterranean. At the same time, it symbolizes the development of a country that is focused only on tourists -- an outlook that Greeks hope to change in the future.
28.09.2026
Two important changes were recently announced at the Hellenic Cadastre, which that property owners in Greece should be aware of. The first one involves properties that are listed as “owner unknown” and claimed through adverse possession. And the second one is about properties that have been registered with the wrong area, boundaries, shape, and/or location (also known as “διόρθωση γεωμετρικών στοιχείων”).
24.09.2026
Getting to Greece is becoming even easier, with Transavia expanding its connections from Belgium and France, with new routes to Crete and Thessaloniki and more options for travelling outside the traditional summer season.
08.09.2026
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced series of housing measures affecting property buyers and owners at the Thessaloniki International Fair.
05.09.2026
Greece is entering a new era of property and inheritance regulation. For the first time in over 80 years, the government is preparing a comprehensive reform of the Inheritance Law, designed to simplify procedures, ensure fairness, and modernise how estates are managed.
07.08.2026
Greece is taking an important step in environmental protection, becoming the first country in the world to deploy a national satellite system for wildfire detection and monitoring. First launched in May and expected to become fully operational in September 2026, the new Hellenic Fire System brings advanced space technology to Greece's efforts against wildfires.
06.08.2026
If you own a home in the Peloponnese or have been quietly thinking about buying one, there is some news you should be aware of: At the end of June, a 40-year concession for Kalamata International Airport "Kapetan Vasilis Konstantakopoulos" was signed by a consortium led by Fraport, together with the Kopelouzos Group's Delta Airport Investments and the Konstantakopoulos Group's PILEAS. According to the National Development Fund, which retains a 10% stake in the new company, the initial concession payment is 45 million euros, and the planned investment programme is expected to exceed 125 million euros over time.
In short: Kalamata's airport is set to roughly double its traffic by 2030, with a new terminal three times the size of the current one. For anyone with a house in the region, or an eye on one, that matters.
03.08.2026
A new regulation regarding the calculation of ENFIA (Eniaios Phoros Idioktisias Akiniton/annual property tax) was announced by the Greek Ministry of National Economy and Finance. The purpose of this regulation appears to be to address cases where property owners were previously taxed on more square meters than their property actually has. The new regulation, which is expected to take effect in the 2027 tax year, introduces the Electronic Building ID as a key factor in determining taxable floor area.
28.07.2026
As UNESCO recently announced, Mount Olympus – also known as the Home of Ancient Greek Gods, or Greece’s highest mountain – has been added to the list of World Heritage Sites. Of course, Greece welcomed the news with a wave of euphoria, as Mount Olympus is widely recognized for its cultural and natural significance.
