ONCE again, Spain holds more blue flags for its beaches and marinas than any other country in the world – a record it has held without interruption for 30 years.
Is your local beach blue-flagged for 2020? Check the list
11/06/2020
CLEANEST, most convenient, easiest to access if you have mobility troubles, best facilities and, now, for the first year ever, the safest ones to catch the rays on post-pandemic without having to worry about catching Covid-19 – beaches, yacht marinas and cruise ports which are awarded the élite kitemark, the blue flag, are officially the best and of the highest quality.
This worldwide award is announced every year, and recipients on Spain's coast have been revealed this week.
Where to find them on the east coast
Starting with the Costa Brava, beaches and marinas which have earned the highest quality distinction on the planet for cleanliness, convenience, accessibility and facilities – and, this year, for being 'Covid-safe' – are in Blanes (Blanes, Sabanell, Sant Francesc-Cala Bona), Castell-Platja d'Aro (Cala Rovira, Platja d'Aro-Platja Gran, Sa Conca), Palafrugell (Canadell, Llafranc, Tamariu), Palamós (La Fosca), Port de la Selva, Llançá (Del Port, Grifeu), Castelló d'Empúries (Empúriabrava), Calonge i Sant Antoni (Cala Cristus-Ses Torretes, d'Es Monestrí, Sant Antoni, Torre Valentina), Sant Feliu de Guíxols (Sant Feliu, Sant Pol), Torroelloa de Montgrí (Cala Montgó), Tossa de Mar (Gran de Tossa, La Mar Menuda), and Lloret de Mar (Cala Canyelles, Lloret, Sa Boadella, Santa Cristina).
On the Costa Daurada, blue-flagged beaches this year are in Alcanar (Les Cases), Altafulla, Calafell (Calafell, L'Estany Mas Mel, Segur de Calafell), Cambrils (Cavet, La Llosa, Prat d'En Forés-Regueral, Vilafortuny), Cunit (Llevant and Ponent), El Vendrell (Coma-Ruga, Francàs, Sant Salvador), L'Ametlla de Mar (Calafató, L'Alguer, Pixavaques), L'Ampolla (Cap Roig, Les Avellanes) Mont Roig del Camp (Cala Vienesos-dels Espenyals, Casa dels Lladres, Cristall, Pixerota), Sant Carles de la Ràpita (Les Delícies, Parc de Garbí), Tarragona (De la Móra, L'Arrabassada, Savinosa, Tamarit), Torredembarra (Barri Marítim, Dels Muntanyans, La Paella), Vandellós and L'Hospitalet de l'Infant (L'Arenal, La Punta del Riu, Torn), Deltebre (Riumar), Salou (Capellans, Llevant), Roda de Bará (Costa Daurada, Roda de Bará Llarga), and Vila-Seca (La Pineda).
In the Comunidad Valenciana's northernmost province of Castellón, blue flags have been retained or awarded to beaches in Alcalá de Xivert (El Carregador, El Moro, La Romana, Manyetes), Almenara (Casablanca), Benicarló (La Caracola, Morrongo), Burriana (Grao-Malvarrosa, L'Arenal), Oropesa del Mar (La Conxa, Les Amplaries, Morro de Gos, Plagetes de Bellver), Peñíscola (Nord), Torreblanca (Nord), Vinaròs (Fora Forat, Fortí), Castellón city (Gurugú and Pinar), Moncofa (Grao, L'Estanyol, Masbó, Pedra Roja), Nules (Marines), Xilxes (El Cerezo, Les Cases), and Benicàssim (Dels Terrers, Heliópolis, L'Almadrava, Torre de Sant Vicent, Voramar).
For the province of Valencia, beaches and ports with blue flags are those of Bellreguard, Miramar, Piles, Puçol, Xeraco, Daimús, Canet d'En Berenguer (Racó de la Mar), Tavernes de la Valldigna (La Goleta, Tavernes), Gandia (Platja Nord), Oliva (Pau-Pi, or Mitja Galta, L'Aigua Morta, L'Aigua Blanca, Terranova-Burguera), Sagunto (Corint, L'Almardá, Sagunto Port), Cullera (Cap Blanc, El Dossel, El Far, Los Olivos, Racó, Sant Antoni) and Valencia city (Cabanyal, Malvarrosa, El Saler, L'Arbre del Gos, La Devesa, La Garrofera, Recatí-Perellonet).
On the Costa Blanca, or the province of Alicante, the list of blue-flag beaches and ports are numerous, and include the beach on the island of Tabarca. They are found in Alicante city itself (Postiguet, L'Albufereta, Saladar-Urbanova, and San Juan), Altea (Cap Blanc, La Roda, L'Espigó), Benidorm (Levante, Poniente and Mal Pas), Benissa (Fustera), Calpe (Cantal Roig, La Fossa, Arenal-Bol), Elche (Arenals del Sol-Sur, Carabassí, L'Altet, La Marina, Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo), Finestrat (La Cala), Guardamar del Segura (Centre, El Moncaio, La Roqueta), L'Alfàs del Pi (Racó de l'Albir), Pilar de la Horadada (Conde, Higuericas, Jesuitas, Mil Palmeras, Puerto, Rocamar), Santa Pola (Calas del Este, Calas Santiago Bernabéu, Levante, Tamarit, Varador), Teulada-Moraira (El Portet, L'Ampolla, Les Plagetes), Jávea (Arenal, Granadella, La Grava), Dénia (Les Bovetes, Les Deveses, Las Marinas, Marineta Cassiana, Els Molins, Punta del Raset), El Campello (Carrer de la Mar Mutxavista), Benitatxell (Cala del Moraig), Villajoyosa (Bol Nou, Ciutat-Centre, La Caleta, Paradís, Varadero), Torrevieja (Cabo Cervera, Cala de las Piteras, Los Locos, El Cura, Los Náufragos, Torrelamata-Sur), and Orihuela (Aguamarina, Barranco Rubio, Cabo Roig-La Caleta, Cala Capitán, Cala Cerrada, Cala Estaca, Cala Mosca, Campoamor, La Zenia-Cala Bosque, Mil Palmeras, Punta Prima).
For Murcia, Lorca's Calnegre, San Javier's Ensenada del Esparto and San Pedro del Pinatar's El Mojón now have blue flags, along with those in Mazarrón (Alamillo, Bahía, Mojón, Puerto, Grande-Castellar, Nares, Percheles, Rihuete), Águilas (Calarreona, La Carolina, Casica Verde, La Colonia, Higuerica, Las Delicias, Levante, Matalentisco, Poniente) and Cartagena (Cala Cortina, Isla Plana, La Azohía-El Cuertel, Levante-Cabo de Palos, San Ginés, plus a new blue flag for La Chapineta).
South-coast blue-flagged beaches
In Andalucía, the province of Granada has blue-flag beaches in Almuñécar (Puerta del Mar, San Cristóbal, Velilla), Motril (Playa Granada, Calahonda), and Torrenueva Costa; Cádiz province has these in Algeciras (Getares), Barbate as mentioned above, Chiclana de la Frontera (La Barrosa, Sancti Petri), San Fernando (Camposoto-El Castillo), San Roque (Alcaidesa-El Faro, Cala Sardina, Torreguadiaro), Vejer de la Frontera (El Palmar), Conil de la Frontera (El Roche, La Fontanilla, Los Bateles), Chipiona (Camarón-La Laguna, Cruz del Mar-Canteras, Micaela, Regla, Tres Piedra-La Ballena), Rota (Galeones, La Ballena, La Costilla, Punta Candor, Puntalillo, Rompidillo-Chorrillo), Cádiz city (La Caleta, La Cortadura-Poniente, La Victoria, Santa María del Mar), and El Puerto de Santa María (Fuentebravía, La Muralla, La Puntilla, Santa Catalina – but only the Vistahermosa-Las Redes stretch – and Valdelagrana).
Huelva province has earned blue flags for beaches in five towns: Ayamonte (Isla Canela, Punta del Moral), Moguer (Del Parador-Castilla), Punta Umbría (El Albergue), Isla Cristina-Lepe (Islantilla) and Cartaya (Caño de la Culata, San Miguel).
For Málaga province, or the Costa del Sol, the best beaches (and Covid-safest) are now in Algarrobo (Algarrobo Costa), Casares (Ancha), Torrox (Ferrara), Torremolinos (Los Álamos), Benalmádena (Fuente de la Salud, Torrebermeja-Santa Ana), Estepona (Arroyo Vaquero, El Cristo), Fuengirola (Boliches-Gaviotas, Carvajal, Castillo, Fuengirola), Mijas (Calahonda I-Royal Beach-La Luna, El Bombo, La Cala), Vélez Málaga (Benajarafe, La Caleta-Paseo, Torre del Mar), and Marbella (Casablanca, El Cable, El Faro, Puerto Banús-Levante, San Pedro de Alcántara-Guadalmina).
And in the province of Almería, beaches and ports in nine towns have gained or retained blue flags this year – in Mojácar, Lance Nuevo beach has been granted a new one as it was unable to fly it last year and joins the municipality's other top-quality beaches of El Cantal, El Descargador, Marina de la Torre, Piedra Villazar, and Venta del Bancal-Ventanicas.
Those of Adra (Carboncillo, Censo, San Nicolás, Sirena Loca), Pulpí (Calípso, Los Nardos, Mar Rabiosa, Mar Serena), El Ejido (Balerma, Almerimar Levante, Almerimar Poniente, San Miguel), Balanegra, Carboneras (El Ancón, Las Marinicas, Los Barquicos-Cocones), Níjar (Aguamarga, San José), Almería city (Almería, San Miguel de Cabo de Gatos) and Roquetas de Mar (Aguadulce, La Bajadilla, Las Salinas, Romanillas, Urbanisation Playa Serena, Urbanisation Roquetas) also bear blue flags for 2020.
Islands and enclaves
Blue flags have been awarded to beaches in Spain's northern Moroccan coastal outposts of Ceuta (Chorrillo, Ribera) and Melilla (Hipódromo-Los Cárabos, La Hípica, Los Galápagos, San Lorenzo).
In the Balearic Islands, beaches in Menorca with blue flags are in Alaior (Cala en Porter, Son Bou), Ferreries (Cala Galdana) and Sant Lluís (Binibeca Nou, Punta Prima); in Ibiza, in Sant Joan de Labritja (Arenal Gran de Portinatx, Benirrás, Cala Sant Vicent) and Santa Eulària des Riu (Cala Llenya, Cala Llonga, Es Canar, Es Figueral and Santa Eulària); and in Mallorca, in Andratx (Sant Elm), Muro, Ses Salines (Es Dolç-Es Port), Son Servera (Cala Millor, Es Ribell), Pollença (Cala Barques, Cala Molins, Formentor), Sant Llorenç des Cardassar (Cala Millor-Cala Nau, Sa Coma), Santa Margalida (Can Picafort, Son Bauló, Son Serra), Felanitx (Cala Ferrera, Cala Marçal, Cala Sa Nau, Porto Colom-Platja S'Arenal), Santanyí (Cala Gran, Cala Llombards, Cala Mondragó-Sa Font de n'Alís, Cala Santanyí, S'Amarador) and Palma de Mallorca (Cala Estànica, Cala Major, Playa de Palma-El Arenal).
In the Canary Islands, blue-flagged beaches and marinas can be found in Gran Canaria in Telde (Hoya del Pozo, La Garita, Melenara, Salinetas), Ingenio (El Burrero), Gáldar (Sardina), the provincial capital of Las Palmas (Las Canteras), Agüimes (Arinaga), Arucas (El Puertillo, Los Charcones), San Bartolomé de Tirajana (El Inglés, Maspalomas, Meloneras, San Agustín), and a new one has been added this year in Agaete (Las Nieveas).
Lanzarote's blue flags are found in Arrecife (El Reducto), Yaiza (Blanca), Teguise (Jablillo, Las Cucharas) and Tías (Grande-Blanca, Matagorda, Pila de la Barrilla, Pocillos); Fuerteventura's are in Pájara (Butihondo, Costa Calma, El Matorral, Morro Jable) and Puerto del Rosario (Blanca, Los Pozos, Puerto Lajas).
In the Canarian province of Santa Cruz, El Hierro's sole blue-flag beach is La Restinga, in Pinar del Hierro; La Gomera's three are in Alajeró (Santiago) and San Sebastián de la Gomera (La Cueva, San Sebastián); La Palma's five are in Breña Alta (Bajamar), Breña Baja (Los Cancajos), Tazacorte (Tazacorte Port), and Los Llanos de Aridane (Charco Verde, Puerto Naos); and on its largest island of Tenerife, in Adeje (El Duque, Torviscas), Arona (El Camisón, Las Vistas), Guía de Isora (La Jaquita), Los Realejos (Socorro), Puerto de la Cruz (Jardín, San Telmo), San Cristóbal de la Laguna (Bajamar natural swimming pools), Taraconte (La Arena-Mesa del Mar), and in Carachico where both are new – El Muelle, or 'the pier', and the natural lagoons of El Caletón.
Weirdly, in Madrid and Extremadura
Yes – two regions where the nearest sea is between two and four hours away by road and, in the case of parts of the latter, in another country (Portugal), have three blue-flag beaches between them.
How?
In the Greater Madrid town of San Martín de Valdeiglesias, the San Juan swamp – built in 1955 to supply the south-west of the region with electricity – has 14 kilometres of artificial beach created on its banks. Its forests and cliffs, crystalline blue waters and pale-golden sands are an idyllic spot to spend a hot summer's day relaxing and bathing, and of all its 'beaches', the Virgen de la Nieve is of such superb quality that it has earned a blue flag every year since 2018.
Extremadura, land-locked, with Portugal to its west and Andalucía to its south, earned its first blue flag for La Dehesa, a sandy marshland plain, in Cheles (Badajoz province) a year ago, and has retained it for 2020. Between the clean, blue lake and the artificial strip of golden sand with fixed parasols set up for bathers is a flat area of mown grass – meaning you get the feeling of relaxing in the garden whilst being on the 'beach'.
In the same province, in Orellana la Vieja, the Playa Dulce de Orellana ('Orellana Freshwater Beach'), also known as the 'Freshwater Coast', actually looks, for all the world, as though you're at the seaside. Palm trees, sand, and rippling blue waters surrounded by dunes and forest, speedboat-hire and dinghy-hire stations, fixed parasols and stalls selling lilos, drinks and ice-creams and renting sunbeds, and even yachts moored, will completely fool you into thinking you're on a sea-shore. And it was Spain's first inland 'beach' to 'score' a blue flag.
Who needs a coast? Locals could feasibly catch a plane to get to their nearest one, but they can still lie on the beach and swim in the 'sea' without leaving their home town.
Photograph 1: Alicante's Postiguet beach
Photograph 2: Villajoyosa's Bol Nou beach (Alicante province)
Photograph 3: La Barrosa beach in Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz province)
Photograph 4: Playa de Palma (Palma de Mallorca)
Photograph 5: Orellana Freshwater Beach (Badajoz province, Extremadura)
All pictures by local, provincial or regional tourism boards or town halls
Related Topics
CLEANEST, most convenient, easiest to access if you have mobility troubles, best facilities and, now, for the first year ever, the safest ones to catch the rays on post-pandemic without having to worry about catching Covid-19 – beaches, yacht marinas and cruise ports which are awarded the élite kitemark, the blue flag, are officially the best and of the highest quality.
This worldwide award is announced every year, and recipients on Spain's coast have been revealed this week.
Where to find them on the east coast
Starting with the Costa Brava, beaches and marinas which have earned the highest quality distinction on the planet for cleanliness, convenience, accessibility and facilities – and, this year, for being 'Covid-safe' – are in Blanes (Blanes, Sabanell, Sant Francesc-Cala Bona), Castell-Platja d'Aro (Cala Rovira, Platja d'Aro-Platja Gran, Sa Conca), Palafrugell (Canadell, Llafranc, Tamariu), Palamós (La Fosca), Port de la Selva, Llançá (Del Port, Grifeu), Castelló d'Empúries (Empúriabrava), Calonge i Sant Antoni (Cala Cristus-Ses Torretes, d'Es Monestrí, Sant Antoni, Torre Valentina), Sant Feliu de Guíxols (Sant Feliu, Sant Pol), Torroelloa de Montgrí (Cala Montgó), Tossa de Mar (Gran de Tossa, La Mar Menuda), and Lloret de Mar (Cala Canyelles, Lloret, Sa Boadella, Santa Cristina).
On the Costa Daurada, blue-flagged beaches this year are in Alcanar (Les Cases), Altafulla, Calafell (Calafell, L'Estany Mas Mel, Segur de Calafell), Cambrils (Cavet, La Llosa, Prat d'En Forés-Regueral, Vilafortuny), Cunit (Llevant and Ponent), El Vendrell (Coma-Ruga, Francàs, Sant Salvador), L'Ametlla de Mar (Calafató, L'Alguer, Pixavaques), L'Ampolla (Cap Roig, Les Avellanes) Mont Roig del Camp (Cala Vienesos-dels Espenyals, Casa dels Lladres, Cristall, Pixerota), Sant Carles de la Ràpita (Les Delícies, Parc de Garbí), Tarragona (De la Móra, L'Arrabassada, Savinosa, Tamarit), Torredembarra (Barri Marítim, Dels Muntanyans, La Paella), Vandellós and L'Hospitalet de l'Infant (L'Arenal, La Punta del Riu, Torn), Deltebre (Riumar), Salou (Capellans, Llevant), Roda de Bará (Costa Daurada, Roda de Bará Llarga), and Vila-Seca (La Pineda).
In the Comunidad Valenciana's northernmost province of Castellón, blue flags have been retained or awarded to beaches in Alcalá de Xivert (El Carregador, El Moro, La Romana, Manyetes), Almenara (Casablanca), Benicarló (La Caracola, Morrongo), Burriana (Grao-Malvarrosa, L'Arenal), Oropesa del Mar (La Conxa, Les Amplaries, Morro de Gos, Plagetes de Bellver), Peñíscola (Nord), Torreblanca (Nord), Vinaròs (Fora Forat, Fortí), Castellón city (Gurugú and Pinar), Moncofa (Grao, L'Estanyol, Masbó, Pedra Roja), Nules (Marines), Xilxes (El Cerezo, Les Cases), and Benicàssim (Dels Terrers, Heliópolis, L'Almadrava, Torre de Sant Vicent, Voramar).
For the province of Valencia, beaches and ports with blue flags are those of Bellreguard, Miramar, Piles, Puçol, Xeraco, Daimús, Canet d'En Berenguer (Racó de la Mar), Tavernes de la Valldigna (La Goleta, Tavernes), Gandia (Platja Nord), Oliva (Pau-Pi, or Mitja Galta, L'Aigua Morta, L'Aigua Blanca, Terranova-Burguera), Sagunto (Corint, L'Almardá, Sagunto Port), Cullera (Cap Blanc, El Dossel, El Far, Los Olivos, Racó, Sant Antoni) and Valencia city (Cabanyal, Malvarrosa, El Saler, L'Arbre del Gos, La Devesa, La Garrofera, Recatí-Perellonet).
On the Costa Blanca, or the province of Alicante, the list of blue-flag beaches and ports are numerous, and include the beach on the island of Tabarca. They are found in Alicante city itself (Postiguet, L'Albufereta, Saladar-Urbanova, and San Juan), Altea (Cap Blanc, La Roda, L'Espigó), Benidorm (Levante, Poniente and Mal Pas), Benissa (Fustera), Calpe (Cantal Roig, La Fossa, Arenal-Bol), Elche (Arenals del Sol-Sur, Carabassí, L'Altet, La Marina, Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo), Finestrat (La Cala), Guardamar del Segura (Centre, El Moncaio, La Roqueta), L'Alfàs del Pi (Racó de l'Albir), Pilar de la Horadada (Conde, Higuericas, Jesuitas, Mil Palmeras, Puerto, Rocamar), Santa Pola (Calas del Este, Calas Santiago Bernabéu, Levante, Tamarit, Varador), Teulada-Moraira (El Portet, L'Ampolla, Les Plagetes), Jávea (Arenal, Granadella, La Grava), Dénia (Les Bovetes, Les Deveses, Las Marinas, Marineta Cassiana, Els Molins, Punta del Raset), El Campello (Carrer de la Mar Mutxavista), Benitatxell (Cala del Moraig), Villajoyosa (Bol Nou, Ciutat-Centre, La Caleta, Paradís, Varadero), Torrevieja (Cabo Cervera, Cala de las Piteras, Los Locos, El Cura, Los Náufragos, Torrelamata-Sur), and Orihuela (Aguamarina, Barranco Rubio, Cabo Roig-La Caleta, Cala Capitán, Cala Cerrada, Cala Estaca, Cala Mosca, Campoamor, La Zenia-Cala Bosque, Mil Palmeras, Punta Prima).
For Murcia, Lorca's Calnegre, San Javier's Ensenada del Esparto and San Pedro del Pinatar's El Mojón now have blue flags, along with those in Mazarrón (Alamillo, Bahía, Mojón, Puerto, Grande-Castellar, Nares, Percheles, Rihuete), Águilas (Calarreona, La Carolina, Casica Verde, La Colonia, Higuerica, Las Delicias, Levante, Matalentisco, Poniente) and Cartagena (Cala Cortina, Isla Plana, La Azohía-El Cuertel, Levante-Cabo de Palos, San Ginés, plus a new blue flag for La Chapineta).
South-coast blue-flagged beaches
In Andalucía, the province of Granada has blue-flag beaches in Almuñécar (Puerta del Mar, San Cristóbal, Velilla), Motril (Playa Granada, Calahonda), and Torrenueva Costa; Cádiz province has these in Algeciras (Getares), Barbate as mentioned above, Chiclana de la Frontera (La Barrosa, Sancti Petri), San Fernando (Camposoto-El Castillo), San Roque (Alcaidesa-El Faro, Cala Sardina, Torreguadiaro), Vejer de la Frontera (El Palmar), Conil de la Frontera (El Roche, La Fontanilla, Los Bateles), Chipiona (Camarón-La Laguna, Cruz del Mar-Canteras, Micaela, Regla, Tres Piedra-La Ballena), Rota (Galeones, La Ballena, La Costilla, Punta Candor, Puntalillo, Rompidillo-Chorrillo), Cádiz city (La Caleta, La Cortadura-Poniente, La Victoria, Santa María del Mar), and El Puerto de Santa María (Fuentebravía, La Muralla, La Puntilla, Santa Catalina – but only the Vistahermosa-Las Redes stretch – and Valdelagrana).
Huelva province has earned blue flags for beaches in five towns: Ayamonte (Isla Canela, Punta del Moral), Moguer (Del Parador-Castilla), Punta Umbría (El Albergue), Isla Cristina-Lepe (Islantilla) and Cartaya (Caño de la Culata, San Miguel).
For Málaga province, or the Costa del Sol, the best beaches (and Covid-safest) are now in Algarrobo (Algarrobo Costa), Casares (Ancha), Torrox (Ferrara), Torremolinos (Los Álamos), Benalmádena (Fuente de la Salud, Torrebermeja-Santa Ana), Estepona (Arroyo Vaquero, El Cristo), Fuengirola (Boliches-Gaviotas, Carvajal, Castillo, Fuengirola), Mijas (Calahonda I-Royal Beach-La Luna, El Bombo, La Cala), Vélez Málaga (Benajarafe, La Caleta-Paseo, Torre del Mar), and Marbella (Casablanca, El Cable, El Faro, Puerto Banús-Levante, San Pedro de Alcántara-Guadalmina).
And in the province of Almería, beaches and ports in nine towns have gained or retained blue flags this year – in Mojácar, Lance Nuevo beach has been granted a new one as it was unable to fly it last year and joins the municipality's other top-quality beaches of El Cantal, El Descargador, Marina de la Torre, Piedra Villazar, and Venta del Bancal-Ventanicas.
Those of Adra (Carboncillo, Censo, San Nicolás, Sirena Loca), Pulpí (Calípso, Los Nardos, Mar Rabiosa, Mar Serena), El Ejido (Balerma, Almerimar Levante, Almerimar Poniente, San Miguel), Balanegra, Carboneras (El Ancón, Las Marinicas, Los Barquicos-Cocones), Níjar (Aguamarga, San José), Almería city (Almería, San Miguel de Cabo de Gatos) and Roquetas de Mar (Aguadulce, La Bajadilla, Las Salinas, Romanillas, Urbanisation Playa Serena, Urbanisation Roquetas) also bear blue flags for 2020.
Islands and enclaves
Blue flags have been awarded to beaches in Spain's northern Moroccan coastal outposts of Ceuta (Chorrillo, Ribera) and Melilla (Hipódromo-Los Cárabos, La Hípica, Los Galápagos, San Lorenzo).
In the Balearic Islands, beaches in Menorca with blue flags are in Alaior (Cala en Porter, Son Bou), Ferreries (Cala Galdana) and Sant Lluís (Binibeca Nou, Punta Prima); in Ibiza, in Sant Joan de Labritja (Arenal Gran de Portinatx, Benirrás, Cala Sant Vicent) and Santa Eulària des Riu (Cala Llenya, Cala Llonga, Es Canar, Es Figueral and Santa Eulària); and in Mallorca, in Andratx (Sant Elm), Muro, Ses Salines (Es Dolç-Es Port), Son Servera (Cala Millor, Es Ribell), Pollença (Cala Barques, Cala Molins, Formentor), Sant Llorenç des Cardassar (Cala Millor-Cala Nau, Sa Coma), Santa Margalida (Can Picafort, Son Bauló, Son Serra), Felanitx (Cala Ferrera, Cala Marçal, Cala Sa Nau, Porto Colom-Platja S'Arenal), Santanyí (Cala Gran, Cala Llombards, Cala Mondragó-Sa Font de n'Alís, Cala Santanyí, S'Amarador) and Palma de Mallorca (Cala Estànica, Cala Major, Playa de Palma-El Arenal).
In the Canary Islands, blue-flagged beaches and marinas can be found in Gran Canaria in Telde (Hoya del Pozo, La Garita, Melenara, Salinetas), Ingenio (El Burrero), Gáldar (Sardina), the provincial capital of Las Palmas (Las Canteras), Agüimes (Arinaga), Arucas (El Puertillo, Los Charcones), San Bartolomé de Tirajana (El Inglés, Maspalomas, Meloneras, San Agustín), and a new one has been added this year in Agaete (Las Nieveas).
Lanzarote's blue flags are found in Arrecife (El Reducto), Yaiza (Blanca), Teguise (Jablillo, Las Cucharas) and Tías (Grande-Blanca, Matagorda, Pila de la Barrilla, Pocillos); Fuerteventura's are in Pájara (Butihondo, Costa Calma, El Matorral, Morro Jable) and Puerto del Rosario (Blanca, Los Pozos, Puerto Lajas).
In the Canarian province of Santa Cruz, El Hierro's sole blue-flag beach is La Restinga, in Pinar del Hierro; La Gomera's three are in Alajeró (Santiago) and San Sebastián de la Gomera (La Cueva, San Sebastián); La Palma's five are in Breña Alta (Bajamar), Breña Baja (Los Cancajos), Tazacorte (Tazacorte Port), and Los Llanos de Aridane (Charco Verde, Puerto Naos); and on its largest island of Tenerife, in Adeje (El Duque, Torviscas), Arona (El Camisón, Las Vistas), Guía de Isora (La Jaquita), Los Realejos (Socorro), Puerto de la Cruz (Jardín, San Telmo), San Cristóbal de la Laguna (Bajamar natural swimming pools), Taraconte (La Arena-Mesa del Mar), and in Carachico where both are new – El Muelle, or 'the pier', and the natural lagoons of El Caletón.
Weirdly, in Madrid and Extremadura
Yes – two regions where the nearest sea is between two and four hours away by road and, in the case of parts of the latter, in another country (Portugal), have three blue-flag beaches between them.
How?
In the Greater Madrid town of San Martín de Valdeiglesias, the San Juan swamp – built in 1955 to supply the south-west of the region with electricity – has 14 kilometres of artificial beach created on its banks. Its forests and cliffs, crystalline blue waters and pale-golden sands are an idyllic spot to spend a hot summer's day relaxing and bathing, and of all its 'beaches', the Virgen de la Nieve is of such superb quality that it has earned a blue flag every year since 2018.
Extremadura, land-locked, with Portugal to its west and Andalucía to its south, earned its first blue flag for La Dehesa, a sandy marshland plain, in Cheles (Badajoz province) a year ago, and has retained it for 2020. Between the clean, blue lake and the artificial strip of golden sand with fixed parasols set up for bathers is a flat area of mown grass – meaning you get the feeling of relaxing in the garden whilst being on the 'beach'.
In the same province, in Orellana la Vieja, the Playa Dulce de Orellana ('Orellana Freshwater Beach'), also known as the 'Freshwater Coast', actually looks, for all the world, as though you're at the seaside. Palm trees, sand, and rippling blue waters surrounded by dunes and forest, speedboat-hire and dinghy-hire stations, fixed parasols and stalls selling lilos, drinks and ice-creams and renting sunbeds, and even yachts moored, will completely fool you into thinking you're on a sea-shore. And it was Spain's first inland 'beach' to 'score' a blue flag.
Who needs a coast? Locals could feasibly catch a plane to get to their nearest one, but they can still lie on the beach and swim in the 'sea' without leaving their home town.
Photograph 1: Alicante's Postiguet beach
Photograph 2: Villajoyosa's Bol Nou beach (Alicante province)
Photograph 3: La Barrosa beach in Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz province)
Photograph 4: Playa de Palma (Palma de Mallorca)
Photograph 5: Orellana Freshwater Beach (Badajoz province, Extremadura)
All pictures by local, provincial or regional tourism boards or town halls
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