Greeks return to beaches in heatwave, but keep their umbrellas apart

Greeks flocked to the seaside on Saturday when more than 500 beaches reopened, as the country sought to walk the fine line between protecting people from Covid-19 while reviving the tourism sector that many depend on for their livelihoods.

For many people, it was their first foray into a big public venue since Greece began easing its lockdown earlier this month, and it also coincided with the first heatwave of the year.

Sun-seekers were required to respect distancing rules, which even stipulated how far umbrellas must be kept apart.

No more than 40 people were allowed per 1,000 square meters (10,750 sq ft), while umbrella poles had to be four meters (13 ft) apart, with canopies no closer than one meter, according to a government-issued manual, complete with diagram.

At Alimos, a popular beach just south of Athens, people queued up from early morning to...