The myth of Aristotle Onassis and Jackie Kennedy’s dives are an attraction for thousands of visitors. And that’s where the problem starts.
Scorpio Beach emits a distress signal. A world-renown Greek beach is being destroyed, as claimed by the island’s director Andreas Leonidou.
Scorpio, the refuge of Onassis, is a beautiful island. And how could it have been different since this is the place where the Greek tycoon chose to build his main holiday home. Several decades back, the paparazzi would kill to have a photographic frame of the First Lady of the United States.
On this Greek beach Jackie Kennedy was “captured” swimming naked. In the turquoise waters of Scorpio, several episodes were recorded with the international jet set enjoying the Greek sun and the Greek sea.
Naturally, this particular spot, due to the myth of Aristotle Onassis, attracts thousands of tourists. And that’s where the problem begins. The island was owned by the Rybolovlev family in 2013. The new owners of Scorpio decided to keep the landmark beach open to the public. “Tourists want to see it, to photograph it. This is understandable but at the same time we have to think about the condition of the beach so that it does not change dramatically over the years,” Andreas Leonidou told the Free Press newspaper a few days ago.
Overtourism
The problem has grown over the last four years. In the summer months – June, July and August – tourists swim in a few square meters, next to ships and yachts. The crowding on the much-advertised beach of… Jackie, in Lefkada, is big. Surely such an image cannot continue forever although there is no possibility of closing the beach, in the plans of Rybolovlev. At least for now…
Frequently Asked Questions
Scorpio Beach is a world-renowned Greek beach located on a private island in Lefkada. It gained international fame as the refuge and holiday home of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. The beach became iconic after Jackie Kennedy, the First Lady of the United States, was photographed swimming there in the 1960s. The myth and romance surrounding Onassis and Kennedy's connection to the island have made it a major tourist attraction for decades.
Scorpio Island has been owned by the Rybolovlev family since 2013. The current owners decided to keep the landmark Scorpio Beach open to the public, allowing tourists to visit and experience the historic location despite the growing environmental concerns about overtourism.
Scorpio Beach faces severe overtourism issues, with more than 2,000 tourists visiting daily during peak summer months (June, July, August). Visitors arrive via tourist ship excursions, private yachts, and other means, crowding the relatively small beach area. This massive influx has altered the beach's ecosystem, with visitors removing sand that must be replenished artificially each season.
According to island director Andreas Leonidou, the ecosystem at Scorpio Beach has been significantly altered by the overwhelming number of daily visitors. Tourists physically remove sand from the beach, necessitating artificial sand replenishment during tourist season. The crowding and constant activity have made it difficult for the beach's natural environment to recover and maintain its original condition.
There is currently no possibility of closing Scorpio Beach to the public, according to the Rybolovlev family's plans. However, island director Andreas Leonidou emphasizes that the current situation cannot continue indefinitely. While the owners recognize the need to balance public access with beach preservation, no definitive solutions have been implemented as of now.
