Leisure

Spain world leader for 30th year

Every year, the best beaches are awarded the distinctive Blue Flag for their good water quality, excellent beach services and safety for bathers. This summer, 638 beaches in Spain will fly this flag, making the country the world leader in this field for 30 consecutive years.

At a global level, there are 52 countries with these blue awards. Spain (638) has the highest number of awards for beaches, followed by Greece (596) and Turkey (551). In terms of marinas, Spain is in third place with 102 Blue Flags, after the Netherlands (134) and France (104).

As for the autonomous communities in Spain, the Valencia region continues to achieve the highest number of Blue Flags with a total of 159 (+6), followed by Andalusia with 156 (+8), Galicia with 125 and Catalonia with 118 (-2).

It is noteworthy that the Mar Menor (Murcia) again does not score a single Blue Flag.

Some are sandy, some are pebbled.

Some are miles long, others are hidden in secret coves, behind natural sand dunes or beneath impressive cliffs.

Sometimes it feels like you are in the middle of nature as a beachgoer; other times you only have to wade through two steps of loose sand to refill your mojito.

Some beaches are surrounded by pine forests, others are in the middle of the city and have all the amenities.

Discover the full map:

CLICK HERE to discover the Blue Flag beaches.