Spain, The Country With The Most Blue Flags In The World
Spain has always stood out for the large number of beaches it has. The climate, the beauty of the coastline and the quality of tourist services make the Spanish coast the perfect destination for many. Thus, Spaniards and foreigners enjoy the quality of the beaches and their landscapes every year. And the truth is that Spain is the country with the most blue flags in the world.
If you do not know where to go on vacation, but you are clear that your destination is 100% beach, first you need to find out about the quality of the water. Looking for the blue flag beaches is the best option to know. Keep reading and stay with us. We will explain what it means and we will show you some of the beaches that raise this flag.
Spain, the country with the most blue flags in the world
Each year the numbers of blue flags vary, an international jury is in charge of distributing the different badges. Spain has always stood out for its beaches and their quality. In fact, for more than 30 years it has been at the top of the list of countries with the most blue flags.
There are other European countries also located at the top of the list, after Spain. And the truth is that the top positions do not change much, they are usually countries like France, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Turkey.
A fact to take into account: visitors to Spanish beaches total 4.3 million people only on holidays and weekends. While the working days become 3 million.
What does the blue flag mean?
This flag is an award given by the European Foundation for Environmental Education every year since 1987. It recognizes the quality of ports and beaches in the world, analyzed by a specialized jury that comes from various international agencies and federations in charge of the environment.
It is not easy to get a blue flag. For a beach or port to have this award, it must meet certain environmental conditions and have certain facilities.
They can award a blue flag for different reasons. Mainly, it is divided into four areas: environmental management, bathing water quality, services and facilities, and information and environmental education.
Blue flags in Spain
We said that Spain is the country with the most blue flags. And, in fact, Spanish beaches do not stop getting this award more and more times. Every year several new beaches or ports are added from different parts of the country.
Specifically, in 2018 Spain once again led the world list with a large number: 696 blue flags. These are divided into 590 in beaches, 101 in marinas and 5 tourist boats.
Who leads the list for Spain?
These flags are found in several coastal cities, but also in the interior. For example, in 2018 the San Juan reservoir, in Madrid, has achieved one. It is the beach of the Virgen de la Nueva, in San Martín de Valdeiglesias, a perfect place to spend a sweltering Madrid summer.
On the other hand, the Valencian Community, Galicia, Catalonia and Andalusia lead the list of beaches with the most blue flags in Spain. They are distributed in this way:
- Valencian Community: 146 flags
- Galicia: 124 flags
- Catalonia: 123 flags
- Andalusia: 115 flags
Likewise, other communities such as the Balearic Islands or the Canary Islands also have high-quality beaches that wave this flag. In fact, normally, these four communities with the most blue flags are followed by the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country, in this order.
The islands have more than 50 blue flags, while the rest of the communities have fewer than 15.
The number of blue flags on Spanish beaches is so great that one out of every six such flags in the world is found in Spain. Thus, the FEE, European Foundation for Environmental Education, assures it.
Distinctions of Spanish beaches
We pointed out some of the reasons why the blue flags are awarded, but there is a great distinction of the beaches in Spain with this flag: their quality in the field of rescue, first aid and first aid. Thanks to this, the towns of Santa Pola in Alicante, Sagunto in Valencia and Castell Platja D’Aro in Girona have been awarded.
On the other hand, this flag has been awarded for its accessibility to beaches such as Santa Eulalia in the Balearic Islands, Torrenueva in Granada and Almonte in Huelva.
