Lalaria beach Skiathos: UK holidaymakers warned as little-known rule in popular Greece destination could leave them with £850 fine

UK holidaymakers have been issued a Greece travel warning as they could face a £850 fine due to a strict beach law. Tourists could be slapped with the fine in one of Greece’s most popular destinations known for its beautiful scenery and sunny weather. 

Those who are holidaying in Skiathos, in the northwest Aegean Sea, are the ones at risk. If visitors are found removing pebbles from the island’s iconic Lalaria Beach, they will be slapped with the fine. 

The rules were introduced in 2018 to curb rock theft at the island’s most famous beach which was named after the ancient Greek word for pebble. A sign on the beach informs visitors that taking the white stones is not allowed. 

It states: "It is strictly prohibited to remove pebbles or stones from anywhere on the beach." The Skiathos authorities have also placed so-called “Lalaria Beach pebble return boxes” at airports, where visitors are also subject to suitcase searches, The Express reports.

Without these rules in place, the island was at risk of losing whole chunks of its famous beach. The beach made its film debut in the first Mamma Mia movie. 

Local authorities and activists have popularised the slogan “Take a picture, not a pebble” and it now features on posters around the island. When the fines were first introduced in 2018 the island’s harbour master chief told The Guardian: "Lalaria is not a protected site so the fines were announced in extremis. Now that all these measures have been taken we hope they will have a deterrent effect.”

The beach warning comes as Greece is being rocked by anti-tourism sentiment. Anti-tourist graffiti telling holidaymakers to “go home” has emerged in Athens. A large piece of graffiti that says "Tourists enjoy your stay in the cemetery of Europe” also covers most of the side of a house seemingly referring to Athens' reputation as the continental capital of antiquity and a place where more and more people are being priced out. 

Locals have fumed at the price of properties rising due to the spread of Airbnbs and other holiday lets in the Greek city. Residents have also long complained of large numbers of tourists blocking the streets and causing excessive noise.