Most of the Greek Republic is scattered across large and small islands and peninsulas. The question logically arises: what kind of sea washes this country and how many seas are there in general?
Greece is located on the Balkan Peninsula (where its capital is Athens) and more than 1,400 islands. Of these, only a little more than 300 are inhabited!
Ancient Hellas is washed by three large (well-known) seas: Aegean Sea– in the east of the country; Ionian- in the West; Mediterranean- on South.
What kind of sea is on the island of Crete?
The northern and southwestern parts of the Aegean Sea are called the Thracian and Icarian seas, respectively. And the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Crete is divided into the Libyan and Cretan seas.
The Aegean Sea washes the islands of the same name; Cretan (as the name implies) is located off the island of Crete; The Libyan Sea washes the shores of the Greek islands, which are closer to Africa; in the Ionian Sea there is an archipelago with the same name.
In addition to the listed seas, in ancient times there were also the Ligurian Sea, the Balearic, Alboran and Tyrrhenian seas. Nowadays they are assigned to the Mediterranean Sea.
Such a favorable geographical location of Greece provides great benefits for the country. Now, and in the past too, many trade routes from Asia and Africa to Europe pass through Greece by sea. Greece charges a fee for passage through its territorial waters.
Almost all residents of the country are engaged in fishing. And the climatic conditions are favorable for harvesting various products (olives, tomatoes, etc.) several times a year. 
Even traditional Greek cuisine mainly consists of fish, seafood, olives and many vegetables.
The sea not only feeds the population of the republic, but also attracts a huge number of tourists from all over the world. And the charming secluded islands with quiet bays and snow-white sand only emphasize the beauty of the sea.
Despite a large number of seas washing the country ( 3 large and 4 small) the country's climate is largely influenced by the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the fact that it is located in the subtropical zone, the sea warms up to an acceptable +22 already in mid-March; during the peak season, the water temperature freely reaches +27 degrees and the beach season lasts until mid-October. And the transparency of the water, its high salinity and gentle tidal movements of the sea surface help attract young tourists to the beaches of Greece.
The very first to receive guests from abroad Ionian Sea with its islands of Corfu, Zakynthos, Cephalonia and Ithaca. The beauty of these islands is that even in the hottest weather, the water temperature here fluctuates around +24 - +25, which is pleasantly refreshing.
The beach season of the Ionian Sea is the shortest. It is comfortable to swim in it only from the end of May to September.
Holidays on the Ionian Sea are more characterized by active recreation in the depths of the sea - this sea is the deepest among all the Greek seas. The sea also has a pleasant 
a set of secluded, quiet bays where parents can calmly teach their little ones to swim. The waters of the Ionian Sea are the densest (hold a swimmer well) and saltiest among all the seas of Greece.
Considered the coolest sea in Greece Aegean. Its maximum temperatures barely reach +25 degrees. Plus, the bottom adjacent to the coast quickly gains depth and divers can have a lot of fun here. The richest underwater world is near the Aegean Sea. But it is attractive not only for its flora and fauna; in the area of the Greek islands of the sea you can find many different ancient shipwrecks.
There are also quite a few picturesque beaches in the Aegean Sea. Here they are mostly sandy, but there are also pebbles. Most of the beaches on the Aegean coast have been awarded the Blue Flag.
The most famous resorts of the Aegean Sea are located on the island of Kos and the Chalkidiki peninsula.
A holiday on this sea successfully combines relaxed sunbathing on the beach with active exploration of the depths (diving, windsurfing, etc.). Because the Aegean Sea often pleases visitors with good waves.
The Aegean Sea is considered the second largest temperature indicators sea of Greece: people start swimming here at the end of April – beginning of May and until the beginning of October. But even then, the temperature on the surface of the water remains around +22 degrees.
Mediterranean Sea characterized by the highest average water temperatures. 
The beach season can open there as early as mid-March, and it closes around mid-October. The water of the Mediterranean Sea reaches its maximum in June - up to +27 degrees.
It is in the Mediterranean Sea that the most famous sandy beaches of the islands of Crete and Rhodes are located. And holidays at sea are often measured and lazy on gorgeous beaches.
In the area of the island of Crete, the sea is quite mobile and the calm surface can be replaced by decent waves in the next minute.
Be sure to visit the island of Rhodes, where the waters of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas come together. An incredible sight!
A distinctive feature of all the seas of Greece is their different shades turquoise color. The Aegean Sea has a richer, deeper turquoise color. The Mediterranean Sea has a bright blue color. Sometimes you can see (in special lighting) even the purple surface of this sea. The waters of the Ionian Sea off the coast of the islands acquire an aquamarine hue. And in the Kelafonia region they are also tinted white due to the chalk rocks adjacent to the water.
If you are not attracted by the color of Greece or its rich past, then this country is worth visiting just to see the beauty of the Greek seas in real life!
Greece is one of the most unique countries in the world. In its vastness a unique development developed and ancient gods and mythical heroes were born. Nowadays, the territory of this country is a historical and tourist center; both lovers of sea recreation and adventure seekers come here.
But everyone who comes here is sure to plunge into the waters that wash the country’s shores, whether they are calm and warm or cold and stormy. Therefore, now we will try to figure out how many seas wash Greece, and what each of them is like.
Truth and fiction
Many modern sources claim that the Rhodes Peninsula, on which Greece is located, is bathed in the waves of only three seas. In this case, the waters of the Mediterranean, Ionian and Aegean basins are listed. In fact, this country is the mistress of the seven seas and, in addition to the above-mentioned, most famous ones, there are also the Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Balearic and Alboran seas.
In some cases, they are still distinguished, and yet it is, in fact, the southern part. It should be noted that all these salt water basins are part of the Mediterranean, and these mysterious and ancient names were formed during the formation period ancient greek culture. Each people who lived on one of the coasts of Rhodes had their own name for the sea that approached its shores.
Modern tourists' ideas about the Greek seas
Travelers of our time are most interested not in which sea washes Greece on one side or another, but in which waters are the warmest and most suitable for swimming. Therefore, in order to make it easier to distinguish the characteristics of local seas, it is customary to roughly divide them into the Aegean and Mediterranean. The first is particularly cold, windy and waves that rise even at the peak of summer. The water temperature in the Aegean basin (especially in its northern part) does not exceed 23 degrees. In addition, constant storms create good waves here. That is why, at the height of the season, windsurfers most often relax here.
Mediterranean Greece and its features
The entire western coast of the Rhodes Peninsula is sandy beaches stretching for kilometers, with warm and soft waves local seas and bays. There are a lot of bays in the region, which, in principle, never experience storms and strong winds. All the seas washing the shores of Greece in this region maintain warm temperatures throughout the summer. The water here warms up to 28-30 degrees, and its shade attracts with its turquoise and soft blue tints.
The island of Crete is a historical monument and a tourist paradise
Located nearby, Crete is one of the main assets of this country. Many tourists are very interested in knowing which sea washes Greece in this region and what its characteristics are.
The island bathes in three seas at once - the Ionian, Libyan and Cretan. The first two are particularly warm and beautiful. The water here is always soft turquoise shade, which at great depths smoothly turns into dark blue. Most of the beaches that touch the waves of the Libyan and Ionian Seas are gentle, wide and sandy.
Natural landscapes of Greece and Crete
We have more or less figured out which sea washes Greece on one side or another, and now we will find out what kind of nature this country can boast of in its coastal zones. So, most of the Greek coasts that stretch along the Mediterranean are either rocky slopes or picturesque bays. In the first case, you have the opportunity to relax on a narrow, but very beautiful beach, covered with sand. There are often winds here, since the sea is surrounded by rocks and hills, but they are not strong, so high waves do not rise. Where the bays and bays are located, the waters are always calm and quiet.
Often the lush tropical greenery of the region approaches directly to the sea, which makes each such corner of nature look like a real Eden. Many bays are equipped with infrastructure that allows you to relax in comfort, and some remain wild, untouched and very attractive.
Conclusion
Every traveler should know that the seas surrounding Greece are truly beautiful and clean. In this region, the Mediterranean is considered the cleanest, since there are no factories or factories nearby that could dump their production waste into the water.
Greece is a great country for relaxing with children, with friends, and it is also a huge space for traveling through time. Once here, you can walk the same paths that were previously explored by philosophers and mathematicians of the ancient world, and at the same time enjoy the beauty of nature, the warmth of the sea and the light breeze that always blows across Rhodes and Crete.
Allows it to be considered the most maritime power of the Old World. Its shores on the Balkan Peninsula and two thousand islands are washed by the Mediterranean Sea. It is divided into several parts and to understand which sea washes Greece, you should look at the map.
Impressive list
The Mediterranean Sea has in its waters whole list small seas, some of which are named according to their geographical location:
- The Aegean washes, among others, a group of islands of the same name.
- Cretan is a sea off the island.
- Libyan approaches the shores.
- The Ionian Archipelago drifts in the Ionian.
Which seas in Greece are no longer shown on maps? The list is also impressive: Ligurian and Cretan, Balearic and Cretan, Alboran and Tyrrhenian. Today they are considered to be only parts of the Mediterranean, and therefore these names remained in the distant historical past of Greece.
First violins
For the tourism business, the most important role is played by the seas of Greece, washing the resort areas. For example, the Ionian Sea is the cradle of the islands of Corfu and Ithaca, where the first swimmers open the season at the end of May. The water temperature here in summer stays at around +25 degrees, making water procedures pleasant and refreshing.
The shores of the resort are washed by the Aegean Sea, whose magical beaches are the dream of many fans of a bronze tan. These places have the largest number of awards for cleanliness and environmental friendliness, and developed infrastructure and unlimited possibilities yachting and diving attract a huge number of active travelers to the Aegean Sea in Greece. The sea water temperature here remains at +24 degrees throughout the high season.
The Mediterranean Sea is the resorts of the islands of Crete and , where pleasant soft sand beaches alternate with small pebbles, allowing you to choose any genre and degree of comfort for your vacation. The water temperature in these places ranges from +22 degrees at the beginning of the season to +26 on peak days. The ebb and flow of the tides in the Mediterranean Sea are not clearly expressed, and therefore you can spend the whole day on the beach without changing your location.
- Diving in the Aegean Sea allows you to admire not only natural beauties underwater world, but also sunk in different time by courts.
- The Mediterranean Sea is one of the warmest and saltiest in the world.
- It is the Ionian Sea that has the greatest depth in the Mediterranean waters.
I've been to Greece three times. But to understand geography, you don’t have to go everywhere. Enough textbooks, the Internet and persistence. And in addition to this set, I also have a geographical education. So - shake your head. An easy question, but an interesting one.
What seas wash Greece
It is located on a peninsula, and the country has many islands. So you can imagine how much sea water splashes around. In fact, Greece is washed by seven seas. But no one is interested in this. The Seven Seas are the subject of controversy among geographers, historians and other meticulous individuals. To the common man it is enough to know the three Greek seas:
- Aegean Sea.
- Ionian Sea.
- Mediterranean Sea.
In fact, one could generally only talk about the Mediterranean Sea. The Aegean and Ionian seas are part of the Mediterranean basin, the boundaries between them are quite unclear. Everything is clear with the Mediterranean Sea itself, but the Aegean and Ionian Seas can be taken a closer look.
Aegean Sea
The Greeks have a legend about the Minotaur. This is such a monster with the head of a cow, he lived on an island Crete. Once upon a time a hero named Tesseus, to Destroy the Minotaur and save all people from tyranny. Judging by his behavior, he was the ancestor of modern Americans. But trouble happened to Tesseus. Upon returning home, he mixed up the sails - instead of white, he attached black ones to his ship. Well, it doesn’t happen to anyone - after all, he was tired, he accomplished feats. But here’s the thing: a black flag in Greece means mourning. Tesseus's father saw a black flag from the shore and decided that everything was bad - his son had been eaten by a minotaur. Greek Pope out of grief jumped off a cliff. Here he was - and now he was gone. This dad's name was Aegean. Here The sea was named after him.
Ionian Sea
The name of this sea comes from ancient people – Ionians. But some believe that the Ionian Sea associated with the name of Zeus’ mistress – Io. This is a girl whom Zeus turned into a cow to hide from his wife, Hera. The history there is murky and how it is connected with the sea is generally unclear. But one thing is clear - the ancient Greeks clearly had a thing about cows.
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- a living monument to past greatness thoughts, the triumph of pure reason over disastrous ignorance, which has absorbed and experienced in itself philosophy life - from innocent birth to inglorious death. Modest, but in wisdom doomed herself to freedom, like the madman in the barrel Diogenes, nicknamed “the dog,” who challenged Alexander himself. How could I not want to visit the ashes of this temple, once erected by the ancient, oceanic thinkers and philosophers. Or could I turn away from the dream of standing on the sand, corroded by time and salt, where the shoots of true beauty rose completely dispassionately, unselfishly. No... It would be akin to suicide. But before I pick up my cross and set off as a lonely wanderer to the country that has captured my heart, I must once again study everything in detail. I am ready, my dear friends, to extend a hand to everyone who will go with me into the vast world of words and sentences.
A little about Greece
If someone asks you about a country with the most intense And deep history, now known to our science, tell them about Greece. People remember it even before the beginning of our modern era. I think everyone remembers the legends about Odysseus, Achilles and Hector. Anyway, enough history. Modern heirs of Hellas- This Southern European state, island-strewn, and therefore they wash it a large variety of seas in the Mediterranean basin, and now we will analyze them in detail.
What seas wash Greece
In all of Europe there is no state that would undermine so many seas from all sides.
Big and small, stormy and quiet, bringing death or healing.
Let's find out what kind of seas these are.
- Aegean. The most obstinate of all, which has sucked more than one ship into its deadly abyss. Moreover, also the saltiest, stormiest and... and... and blue.
- Mediterranean. Calm, warm place for those who appreciate static relaxation while sipping a cocktail, smoking mixtures, or the brains of a friend from a pipe.
- Ionic. WITHthe deepest sea not only in Greece but throughout the Mediterranean, but don’t let that scare you, this sea is famous for its healing springs, and is ideal for people who have suffered from chronic diseases different types, and it’s just perfect for a relaxing holiday with children.
- Libyan.
- Cretan.
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Greece is the most ancient country on the territory of Europe, whose history goes back more than 5000 years. But Greece is famous not only for its ancient architecture. I love it for the Greek salad and olive groves. :) And also for the azure clear sea. Or the sea?
Greece on the world map
So, Greece is a country in Southern Europe on the Balkan and Peloponnesian peninsulas. Greece has a very rugged coastline, and several islands are added to the mainland.
Greece's land border is small: in the north the country borders with Bulgaria and Macedonia, in the northeast with Turkey, and in the northwest with Albania. The length of these borders is a little more than 1200 km; the rest of the coastline is sea borders. If you look at the world map, you can see how large the sea border is, and it’s no wonder that Greece is washed by more than one sea.
What seas is Greece washed by?
In fact, Greece is washed by 7 seas. But for me it is still a country of three seas - the Aegean, Ionian and Mediterranean. Those seas that I can see on the map.
Historically, in addition to the Aegean, Mediterranean and Ionian seas, Greece was washed by the Thracian Sea, Crete, Myrtoia and Libya. These seas are difficult to find on the world map; it is more correct to call them parts of the seas. The Thracian Sea is the northern part of the Aegean Sea, the Cretan Sea is its southern part. The Myrtoian Sea was once located between the Peloponnese and the Cyclades, but in modern geography it no longer exists at all. And the Libyan Sea is the name given to the part of the Mediterranean Sea that separates Crete from Africa.
The largest islands of the Greek seas
Greek Islands- This is a separate attraction of the country. The largest islands of the Aegean Sea:
- Crete;
- Santorini;
- Mykonos.
But the famous Greek Rhodes belongs to the Mediterranean basin, but is also washed from the west by the Aegean Sea. The most popular islands of the Ionian Sea are Kefalonia, Corfu and Zakynthos.
When choosing a Greek resort, fly to the azure shores of any of the 7 seas. After all, every sea is beautiful in its own way!
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Formally, the south of the Balkan Peninsula and the numerous islands surrounding it are located in the Mediterranean Sea. However, experts divide the Mediterranean Sea into several areas, each of which individually is an entire sea. Of these small seas, only four wash the shores of Greece:
- Aegean;
- Ionic;
- Cretan;
- Libyan.
Not all of these seas are classified as geographical maps. Therefore, it is generally accepted that Greece is surrounded by only three seas: from the east – Aegean, from South - Mediterranean e, from the west - Ionian.
Mediterranean Sea
The name “Mediterranean” is associated with the geographical ideas of the ancient inhabitants North Africa and Southern Europe. The Mediterranean Sea was the cradle of several major civilizations. For the ancient Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans and Turks, this sea was the main landmark and a route of communication between different peoples.
The Mediterranean Sea is the largest sea in the world. Almost all the Greek resort islands are located here: Crete, Rhodes, Samos, etc. In summer, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea there is an ideal beach holiday weather: minimal clouds, rare precipitation and tropical heat.
Mediterranean waters are home to many rare species animals and fish: lobsters, white-bellied seals, squid, stingrays, turtles and sharks. The region has long been famous for its fishing industry, but today many of its inhabitants are protected by international environmental law.
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea separates the Apennine and Balkan peninsulas. There are two versions explaining the appearance of this name. According to the first of them, it was associated with the tribe of Ionians who lived on the local islands. And according to the second version, the sea bears the name of Princess Io, the beloved of Zeus, who was turned into a cow and swam across the sea in this guise.
The Ionian Sea is notable for being the saltiest and deepest part of the Mediterranean basin. Maximum depth here it exceeds 5000 m.
The best resorts of the Ionian Sea - Loutraki, Xylokastron, Sykea and others - are concentrated mainly on the shores of the Gulf of Corinth. Many tourists prefer to relax not in mainland Greece, and on the local islands - Levkada, Kythira, Zakynthos.
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea received the name of the legendary king of Athens - Aegeus, who threw himself into sea waters after receiving the tragic news.
The Aegean Sea is not as warm as other seas washing Greece, so already in October tourists practically do not come here. There are many Greek and Turkish resorts here: Glyfada, Paleo Faliro, Marmaris, Kusadasi. On the coast are the two main cities of Greece - Athens and Thessaloniki, which attract thousands of tourists every year.
The Aegean Sea is famous for its particular purity and azure hue of water. In some areas, visibility underwater can be 30 meters. This feature attracts many divers to the Aegean coast. The sea is home to several species of dolphins, harmless sharks, and many varieties of fish and shellfish.
