Forgot your password?
Feedback is welcome
BLUE flags are the global gold standard for beaches, which means you don't have to worry about anything lacking when planning a trip to one of them: If it's flying the flag, then it's already perfect.
That's an objective qualification, not just an enthusiastic opinion. The criteria for a blue flag are so stringent that town councils spend all year and huge amounts of funding on trying to achieve them, or retaining them from the previous year, since they're not handed out to just anyone. Unless every feature on the list of essentials can be marked as 'excellent', a beach won't make the cut. 'Great' or 'very, very good' isn't enough.
Of course, this means that a beach can be of superb quality, clean and inviting, with convenient facilities and easy access, but still only reaches 99% of the necessary standards for a blue flag; not having one doesn't mean your local beach is somehow defective. In fact, lots of beaches don't have blue flags because their local councils opt not to apply, perhaps due to other funding or time commitments that year.
But if, for you, nothing less than a blue-flagged beach will do, Spain is your destination: It has more than any other country on earth, and always has. In the 36 years since the award was created, nowhere else has ever gained more of them than Spain.
Check out the list below to see whether your nearest, or favourite, beach is in the 2023 blue-flag list.
Best beaches and marinas of 2023 in the province of Girona include Castelló d'Empúries (Empúriabrava), which has gained back the blue flag it lost last year.
The remainder are the same as in 2022, and are found 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), 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, Sa Boadella, Santa Cristina, and the Lloret and Fenals beaches which have earned their blue flags back this year).
Top beaches in towns that share a province with Spain's largest city include a new one in Badalona – La Marina – with Pescadors having kept its flags from 2022, whilst Coco regained one and Cristall has lost its kitemark.
In Vilanova i la Geltrú, a new entry, Far de Sant Cristòfol, gains a blue flag for 2023, whilst all others in the town (D'Adarró, Ibersol, Ribes-Roges and Sant Gervasi) retain their blue flags from last year.
For Barcelona city, Mar Bella, Bogatell, Nova Mar Bella, and Sant Sebastià i Sant Miquel have retained their kitemarks.
El Masnou has kept its blue flag for Platja Masnou, but has not regained the one for Ocata which it lost in 2022.
Sitges regains its flag for L'Estanyol beach, and keeps all its others from 2022 (Aiguadolç, Balmins, Garraf, La Barra, La Ribera, Les Botigues, Sant Sebastiá, and Terramar).
Pineda del Mar keeps its blue flag for La Riera, but loses it for Dels Pescadors.
The others remain the same as last year: Caldes d'Estrac (Dels Tres Micos), Calella (Garbí), Canet de Mar, Cubelles (Llarga), Gavá, Castelldefels (Del Baixador, Lluminetes), Malgrat de Mar (Malgrat-Centre, De l'Astillero), Sant Pol de Mar (Les Barques-Sant Pol),
The 2023 blue-flagged beaches for the province of Tarragona do not include last year's for Sant Carles de la Ràpita's Parc de Garbí, but it has kept the flag for Les Delícies.
Deltebre gains a kitemark this year for Riumar beach.
All others remain the same as in 2022: L'Ametlla de Mar (Calafató, Cala Forn, L'Alguer, and Sant Jordi), Vandellós and L'Hospitalet de l'Infant (L'Almadrava L'Arenal, La Punta del Riu, and El Torn), 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), L'Ampolla (Cap Roig, Les Avellanes) Tarragona (De la Móra, L'Arrabassada, Savinosa, Tamarit), Torredembarra (Barri Marítim, Dels Muntanyans, La Paella), Deltebre (Riumar), Salou (Capellans, Llevant), Roda de Berá (Costa Daurada, Roda de Berá Llarga), and Vila-Seca (La Pineda).
In the region's northernmost province of Castellón, Almenara has regained its flag for its Casablanca beach, which it lost in 2022, and all the others from last year are still in place: Alcalá de Xivert (El Carregador, El Moro, La Romana, Manyetes), Benicarló (La Caracola, Morrongo), Burriana (Grao-Malvarrosa, L'Arenal), Almassora (Benafeli), 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).
The region's southernmost province, Alicante – the coast of which is known as the Costa Blanca – holds more blue flags than any other in Spain. This year, it has 69, having lost five – one of which is Benidorm's Levante beach, meaning the established seaside holiday capital no longer figures on the list at all. Last year, its Poniente beach lost its flag after the water-testing element of the annual inspections was carried out shortly after torrential rainfall, which affected the results on the day.
Santa Pola loses its blue flags for two beaches - La Ermita and Tamarit - but retains last year's for Calas del Este, Calas Santiago Bernabéu, Levante, and Varador.
Dénia keeps last year's blue flags for Les Bovetes, Las Marinas, Marineta Cassiana, Els Molins, and Punta del Raset, but was unable to retain the kitemark for Les Deveses, since it is undergoing major regeneration and reconstruction works to reverse years of erosion and prevent its happening again.
Neighbouring Jávea faces a similar issue – an outfall pipe which flushes purified and treated water into the sea a kilometre offshore is leaking, and repair works will be ongoing until the end of June. Meanwhile, given that the leakage is only of completely clean mains water – only disposed of because it is not drinkable – the sea is perfectly safe for bathing in, and the works will be finished for the two main summer months.
Otherwise, though, Jávea has kept its blue flags for the Granadella bay and the rocky La Grava beach.
Just south of Benidorm, Finestrat has regained its blue flag for the cosy-but-lively coastal nook known as La Cala after losing it in 2022, but pledging to work hard to recover it – efforts that have fully paid off.
Others, which have all kept their blue flags from 2022, include the sole beach on the idyllic, car-free island of Tabarca, a short ferry trip from Alicante and Santa Pola. The rest are found in Alicante city itself (Postiguet, L'Albufereta, Saladar-Urbanova, and San Juan), Guardamar del Segura (Platja dels Vivers, Centre, El Moncaio, and La Roqueta), Altea (Cap Blanc, La Roda, L'Espigó), Benissa (La Fustera and Cala Baladrar), Calpe (Cantal Roig, La Fossa, Arenal-Bol), Elche (Arenals del Sol-Sur, Carabassí, L'Altet, La Marina, Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo), L'Alfàs del Pi (Racó de l'Albir), Pilar de la Horadada (Conde, Higuericas, Jesuitas, Mil Palmeras, Puerto, Rocamar), Teulada-Moraira (El Portet, L'Ampolla, Les Plagetes), 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 Glea, La Zenia-Cala Bosque, Mil Palmeras, and Punta Prima).
A first for the region's central province, Valencia, is the east coast's brand-new blue-flagged inland beach, in the village of Navarrés – well over an hour by car west of the nearest sea. The Playa Monte is the only non-coastal beach in the region ever to have gained this prestigious award.
Valencia city, however, has lost one blue flag – for the L'Arbre del Gos, which is undergoing regeneration works. Although these may well be finished in time for summer, the fact that they were in process during the annual blue flag inspection means the award could not be retained for 2023.
As with Les Deveses (Dénia) and the Arenal (Jávea), it is expected Valencia will try again for 2024 with L'Arbre del Gos.
Otherwise, the city has kept its blue flags from 2022 for Cabanyal, Malvarrosa, El Saler, La Devesa, La Garrofera, and Recatí-Perellonet.
All other beaches with blue flags awarded or renewed last year have retained theirs: Bellreguard, Miramar, Piles, Puçol, Xeraco, Daimús, Canet d'En Berenguer (Racó de la Mar), Gandia (L'Auir and Platja Nord), Tavernes de la Valldigna (La Goleta, Tavernes), Oliva (Pau-Pi, or Mitja Galta, L'Aigua Morta, L'Aigua Blanca, Terranova-Burguera), Cullera (Cap Blanc, El Dossel, Escollera, El Far, Marenyet-L'Illa, Los Olivos, Racó, and Sant Antoni), Sagunto (Corint, L'Almardá, Sagunto Port), and La Pobla de Farnals (Playa Norte).
This south-eastern region has increased its number of blue-flagged beaches by one from last year, having lost two and gained three.
Cartagena has regained a blue flag for its El Portús beach, and retains all of last year's for and Cala Cortina, Isla Plana, La Azohía-El Cuartel, Levante-Cabo de Palos, San Ginés, and La Chapineta – as well as the one for Banco del Tabal-Calnegre, shared with its neighbour. 'Co-owner' of the latter, San Javier, also keeps its 2022 kitemarks for Pedrucho beach and Ensenada del Esparto.
In San Pedro del Pinatar, the northern border town has trebled its blue-flag count: In addition to El Mojón, its sole holder last year, it has gained them for Las Salinas and Torre Derribada.
Mazarrón has failed to keep its flag for Alamillo, due to ongoing renovation works on the seafront esplanade at the time of inspection. It has also lost its blue flag for the port, and has not managed to regain this for Percheles beach, which was stripped of the kitemark in 2022. Mazarrón has, however, maintained all its others for Bahía, Mojón, Grande-Castellar, Nares, and Rihuete.
Remaining blue flags for 2023 are unchanged from last year: Lorca (Calnegre), and the beaches in Águilas (Calarreona, La Carolina, Casica Verde, La Colonia, Higuerica, Las Delicias, Levante, Matalentisco, and Poniente).
This southern region has gained the most blue-flagged beaches this year – a net increase of five.
Almería province lost four blue flags, but recovered one lost in 2022.
Carboneras has earned back the blue flag it lost last year for Los Barquicos-Cocones beach, and retains those for El Ancón and Las Marinicas, but the new one it gained for El Corral in 2022 has not been renewed.
Cuevas de Almanzora gained two new blue flags in 2022, for Pozo del Esparto – which it keeps for 2023 – and Villaricos, but has failed to hang onto the latter this year.
Mojácar loses its blue flags for El Descargador and Piedra Villazar, but keeps last year's for Lance Nuevo, El Cantal, Marina de la Torre, and Venta del Bancal-Ventanicas.
All other blue-flagged beaches from 2022 have kept their awards: Adra (El Carboncillo, Censo, San Nicolás, Sirena Loca), Pulpí (Calípso, Los Nardos, Mar Rabiosa, Mar Serena), El Ejido (Balerma, Almerimar Levante, Almerimar Poniente, San Miguel), Balanegra, Níjar (Aguamarga, San José), Almería city (Almería, San Miguel de Cabo de Gata), Vera (El Playazo), and Roquetas de Mar (Aguadulce, La Bajadilla, Las Salinas, Romanillas, Urbanisation Playa Serena, Urbanisation Roquetas).
Granada gains a new one in Motril, for Carchuna beach, which retains its 2022 flags for Playa Granada and Calahonda.
The province also keeps last year's flags for Cañón-La Pelá-Azucenas beach in Torrenueva Costa-Motril, La Guardia beach in Salobreña, Sotillo-Castell beach in Gualchos, Torrenueva Costa's Torrenueva beach, and La Herradura, Puerta del Mar, San Cristóbal, Velilla, and Marina del Este in Almuñécar.
Cádiz province has regained a blue flag that it lost in 2022 – for La Caleta in Cádiz city – and has earned a new one for Torreguadiaro in San Roque.
All other flags held this year were also in place last year, and are found in Algeciras (Getares), Barbate (Zahara de los Atunes), Chiclana de la Frontera (La Barrosa, Sancti Petri), San Fernando (Camposoto-El Castillo), San Roque (Alcaidesa-El Faro, Cala Sardina), 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 Cortadura-Poniente, La Victoria, Santa María del Mar), and El Puerto de Santa María (Fuentebravía, La Puntilla, Santa Catalina – but only the Vistahermosa-Las Redes stretch – and Valdelagrana).
Huelva province, in the far south-west, has earned a new blue flag for Juan Carlos I pier in Huelva city, and another for Playa Central in Isla Cristina, which renews last year's new kitemark for La Casita Azul. This latter town shares the Islantilla beach with Lepe, which keeps its 2022 blue flag, as does Lepe's own Santa Pura beach.
All other towns which held blue flags in 2022 have kept theirs for 2023: Ayamonte, (Isla Canela, Punta del Moral and Los Haraganes), Moguer (Del Parador-Castilla), Punta Umbría (El Albergue), and Cartaya (Caño de la Culata, San Miguel).
On the Costa del Sol, as the coast of the province of Málaga is known, two new beaches have acquired blue flags: Playazo-Chucho beach in Nerja, joining the existing flags for Burriana, Maro and Torrecilla beaches, plus El Chaparral in Mijas, which retains its 2022 awards for Calahonda I-Royal Beach-La Luna, El Bombo, and La Cala. But the inland beach in Ardales has lost its award from last year.
All other beaches on the Costa del Sol have kept their flags this year, meaning the 2022 list remains the same: Torrox (El Morche, Ferrara); Manilva (Sabanillas); Marbella (Adelfas-Alicate, Casablanca, El Cable, El Faro, Puerto Banús-Levante, San Pedro de Alcántara-Guadalmina, and Venús-Bajadilla); Málaga city (Caleta, El Dedo, El Palo, Malagueta, Misericordia, Pedregalejo, and San Andrés); Algarrobo (Algarrobo Costa), Casares (Ancha), Torremolinos (Los Álamos), Benalmádena (Fuente de la Salud, Torrebermeja-Santa Ana), Fuengirola (Boliches-Gaviotas, Carvajal, Castillo, Fuengirola),), and Vélez-Málaga (Benajarafe, La Caleta-Paseo, Torre del Mar).
The land-locked province of Córdoba gained a blue-flagged beach in 2022 for the first time ever, and has kept it for this year. One of Spain's hottest parts – the Córdoba-province town of Montoro holds the record for the highest-ever temperature – and with no sea coast within a 150-kilometre radius, this is an area which would feel the lack of a beach, but doesn't have to. The inland version in the town of Almodóvar del Río is home to La Breña beach, built along the banks of a lake and, once again, flying the flag of excellence.
Islands and enclaves
Blue flags have been retained this year by beaches in Spain's northern Moroccan coastal outposts of Ceuta (Chorrillo, Ribera) and Melilla (Hipódromo-Los Cárabos, La Hípica, Los Galápagos, and San Lorenzo).
For the Balearic Islands, beaches in Menorca with blue flags are the same as in 2022 and are in Alaior (Cala en Porter, Son Bou), and Ferreries (Cala Galdana).
Ibiza keeps its 2022 flags for Sant Joan de Labritja (Cala Sant Vicent), and for Santa Eulària (Cala Llenya, Es Canar, and Es Figueral).
Mallorca loses a blue flag in Santanyí, for Cala Gran, but the town's other beaches retain last year's - Cala Llombards, Cala Mondragó-Sa Font de n'Alís, Cala Santanyí, and S'Amarador.
Palma de Mallorca only now has one blue-flagged beach, Cala Major, after losing its other two - for Cala Estànica and Playa de Palma-El Arenal.
Other blue flags awarded last year have been renewed this year: Muro, Ses Salines (Es Dolç-Es Port), Son Servera (Cala Millor, Es Ribell), 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), and Pollença (Cala Barques and Cala Molins).
Canary Islands' blue-flagged beaches and marinas can be found in Gran Canaria in Telde (Hoya del Pozo, Melenara, Salinetas), although the town loses its flag for La Garita; Ingenio (El Burrero), Gáldar (Sardina), Agüimes (Arinaga), Arucas (El Puertillo, Los Charcones), Agaete (Las Nieves) and San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The latter retains its blue flag for El Inglés, and regains three lost in 2022 for Maspalomas, Meloneras, and San Agustín beaches. The provincial capital of Las Palmas has lost last year's flag for Las Canteras.
In Lanzarote, blue-flagged beaches for this year are the same as for last, and are in Arrecife (El Reducto), Yaiza (Blanca), Teguise (Las Cucharas) and Tías (Grande-Blanca, Matagorda, Pila de la Barrilla, Pocillos); in Fuerteventura you'll find them in Pájara (Butihondo, Costa Calma, El Matorral, Morro Jable), Puerto del Rosario (Blanca, Los Pozos, Puerto Lajas), La Oliva (Corralejo Viejo, Grandes Playas, La Concha), and Tuineje (Gran Tarajal), although the flag newly awarded to Antigua for Castillo beach in 2022 has not been renewed for 2023.
No changes have been seen from last year for El Hierro: Pinar del Hierro (La Restinga beach) and Valverde (Timijaraque beach); nor for La Gomera with one in Alajeró (Santiago) and two in San Sebastián de la Gomera (La Cueva, San Sebastián de la Gomera); nor for La Palma's six from last year in Breña Alta (Bajamar), Breña Baja (Los Cancajos), Tazacorte (Tazacorte Port), Los Llanos de Aridane (Charco Verde, Puerto Naos) and Santa Cruz de la Palma beach.
Tenerife has gained two flags, one of them brand new - the natural swimming pools of Arenisco and Bajamar in San Cristóbal de la Laguna keep their 2022 awards and are joined by that of Jóver for the first time. Meanwhile, Arona has regained its flag for Los Cristianos beach, as well as keeping last year's for El Camisón and Las Vistas.
The remainder of the list is the same as in 2022: Adeje (El Duque and Torviscas), Guía de Isora (La Jaquita), Los Realejos (Socorro), Taraconte (La Arena-Mesa del Mar), Icod de los Vinos (San Marcos) and Garachico (El Muelle, or 'the pier', and the natural lagoons of El Caletón).
In the north
Beaches and ports in the Galicia province of Pontevedra with blue flags are in A Guarda (Área Grande, O Muíño), Illa de Arousa (Área da Secada, Bao-Camaxe), Baiona (Barbeira, Concheira, Frades, Ribeira, and Santa Marta, but losing last year's for Ladeira), Bueu (Área de Bon, Lagos, Lapamán, Portomaior, Banda do Río), Cangas (Áreabrava, Áreamilla, Liméns, Menduiña, and Nerga, and regaining last year's lost flag for Rodeira); Marín (Aguete, Mogor, Portocelo, Santo de Mar-A Coviña, but losing last year's for Loira), Moaña (O Con), Poio (Cabeceira), Sanxenxo (A Lapa, Agra, Áreas, Áreas Gordas, Baltar, Bascuas, Canelas, Caneliñas, Espiñeiro-Lanzada, Foxos, Major, Montalvo, Nosa Señora da Lanzada, Panadeira, Paxariñas, Pragueira, Silgar) Vigo (A Punta, Argazada, Canido, Carril, Fontaiña, Fortiñón, O Vao, Rodas-Cíes Islands, Samil, Tombo do Gato, Santa Baia, and a first-time flag for O Adro), and Vilagarcía de Arousa (Campanário, Compostela), plus an inland river beach, A Calzada in Ponte Caldelas.
The Galicia province of A Coruña is home to the spectacular pilgrims' cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, and also to blue-flagged beaches in Ribeira (Coroso), Ponteceso (A Ermida, Balarés, O Osmo), Oleiros (Bastiagueiro, Espiñeiro, Mera, Naval, Santa Cristina), Miño (Perbes-Andahío), Laxe (Praia de Laxe), Ferrol (A Fragata-O Pareixal, Doñinos, Esmelle, San Xurxo, plus a first-time blue flag for Caranza beach), Dumbría (Ézaro), Carballo (Pedra do Sal, Razo, Saíñas), Camariñas (Arou), Bergondo (Gandarío), Arteixo (A Hucha, A Salsa-Repibelo, Barrañán, Combouzas, O Reiro, Sabón, Valcobo, and Porto de Suevos), A Laracha (Caión), A Coruña city (As Lapas, Orzán-Matadero, Oza, Riazor, San Amaro), and for its third consecutive year, the inland beach on As Pontes Lake in As Pontes de García Rodríguez.
Finally in Galicia, in the province of Lugo, blue-flagged beaches are based in Barreiros (Coto, A Pasada, and Fontela Valea), Burela (A Marosa, O Portelo, Ril), Cervo (O Torno), Foz (A Rapadoira, Areoura, Llas, As Polas, Peizás), O Vicedo (Abrela, Xilloi), Ribadeo (As Catedrais, Os Castros-Illas), Viveiro (Área), and Xove (Esteiro).
Asturias, a single-province region on the far north coast next to Galicia, is world-famous for its beaches, but their attraction is often in their ruggedness and wild, natural appeal – which are not really blue-flag territory, as this coveted kitemark is granted for beach-tourism excellence and the 'holidaymaker' essentials required for the award, such as toilets, foot-showers, lifeguards and sun-beds, do not belong on raw, romantic and rocky coastline.
Still, even though many of Asturias' best-loved coastal enclaves, due to their rural, unspoilt nature, would not qualify, the region is not short of a blue flag or several – these can be found in Castrillón (Arnao, Salinas, Santa María del Mar), Castropol (Arnao), Castropol-Tapia de Casariego (Peñarronda), Cudillero (Concha de Artedo, although it has lost last year's flag for San Pedro Bocamar), Muros de Nalón (Aguilar), Navia (Frejulfe), Tapia de Casariego (Anguileiro), Valdés (Cadavedo, Otur, and a new one for Salinas-Tercera de Luarca), and Villaviciosa (La Ñora, Rodiles).
In Asturias' eastern neighbour, Cantabria, beaches with blue flags are found in Comillas, in San Vicente de la Barquera (Sable de Merón), Suances (El Sable de Tagle, Los Locos), Noja (Ris, Tregandín), Castro-Urdiales (Oriñón, Ostende, and a first-time blue flag for Brazomar), and Arnuero (El Sable de Quejo, La Arena), although Santoña has lost last year's blue flag for Berria.
The Basque Country has regained a blue flag for a beach in its province of Vizcaya, of which the capital is Bilbao – in Bakio – and keeps those of its land-locked province of Álava, of which the capital is Vitoria. The latter are in Arratzua-Ubarrundia (Landa), Barrundia (Moskurio-Garaio Norte) and Elburgo (Salurriaga-Garaio Sur).
Inland regions
A trend that has continued to grow in the past couple of years, inland beaches have always been around – they're practically an essential facility during a Spanish summer for provinces without a coast – but they have long been one of the nation's best-kept secrets. Now, though, with greater efforts to bring them up to the same standards of excellence as many of the more famous Costas, that secret is out, and land-locked areas which had previously just suffered the heat stoically in the past are starting to invest in creating beaches on the shores of rivers and lakes.
Whilst overseas residents, especially from cooler climates, seeking to move to Spain or buy a holiday home will typically look primarily at the coast, they may well find property is cheaper in land-locked provinces and, even if they do not have a pool of their own or the funds needed to build one, could discover they are close to a clean, paradisical river beach that looked and felt, for all the world, as though they were right on the sea rather than several hours by road away from the nearest coast.
Madrid's San Juan swamp in San Martín de Valdeiglesias has 14 'artificial' beaches that work just as well as the real thing, and for yet another year, the overall favourite, the Virgen de la Nieve beach, has earned a blue flag.
In the far west of Spain, bordering Portugal, the region of Extremadura not only has no coast, but its nearest seaside is actually abroad. Extremadurans who want to spend a day on a traditional beach have to travel to the Costa da Caparica, just 15 kilometres outside the Portuguese capital of Lisbon.
But for non-traditional beaches that look just like a typical Costa, Extremadura's province of Badajoz is, literally, a standard-bearer. Of its total of 12 land-locked 'seaside' enclaves, eight hold blue flags, which means it's likely to be the only Spanish province that can boast this 'excellence' kitemark for two-thirds of its beaches.
Two of its inland beaches win blue flags year after year: La Dehesa beach in Cheles, and the Orellana Freshwater Beach in Orellana la Vieja.
Last year, six others in Badajoz earned their first blue flags, all of which they have retained for 2023: The one in Alange; the one in Campanario; Los Calicantos beach in Casas de Don Pedro; Isla del Zújar beach in Castuera; El Espolón-Peloche beach in Herrera del Duque; and Talarrubias-Puerto Peña beach in Talarrubias.
And for the first time, the other Extremadura province, that of Cáceres, has earned a blue flag for 2023, giving this non-coastal region a total of nine 'perfect' beaches: Cancho del Fresno beach in Cañamero is now proudly displaying its 'excellence' emblem.
YET again and for the 36th year running, Spain holds the record for the highest number of blue-flagged beaches in the world, with its east-coast region of the Comunidad Valenciana having more than any other.
THIS year's Princess of Asturias Arts Award winner has already been announced after her name was put forward by Spain's most famous living film director.
NO DOUBT you will have heard about Spain's world-famous Easter parades, of which the main and most moving is on Good Friday – and perhaps you've always wanted to see one in action.
FEW of us would travel far beyond our home territory purely to eat out, even if it was at a Michelin-starred restaurant – and even though dining in Spain remains comparatively cheap with little change in prices in...