Zakynthos' Navagio Beach shut down for second consecutive summer

Zakynthos’ Navagio beach, a popular tourist destination famous for its signature shipwreck, will remain closed to tourists for a second summer this year by ministerial order.

The ministers of citizen protection, island policy and tourism decided to prohibit access to the Navagio beach on the recommendation of a team of experts from the Anti-Seismic Planning and Protection Organization (OASP).

The ministerial order bans vessels from approaching or anchoring near the beach from the sea and people from swimming in the cove within the northern and southern ends of the bay.

Visitors must also remain 10 meters away from the top of the rocky slope overlooking the bay.

The OASP team has previously said there was a significant risk of landslides due to the erosion of the surrounding cliffs.

The beach was closed off in September 2022 after a 5.4-magnitude earthquake caused large rocks from the surrounding cliffs to fall into the bay.

Last January it was reported that the wreck of the MV Panagiotis, which ran aground in October 1980, has suffered extensive damage and is at risk of vanishing altogether.