Blue Flag Beaches on the Costa Blanca
The Costa Blanca consistently leads Spain — and most of Europe — for Blue Flag beaches. In 2025 the province of Alicante earned 88 flags across 28 municipalities. Here's the complete list, what the flag actually means, and how to use it to plan a better day at the beach.
The Costa Blanca consistently leads Spain — and most of Europe — for Blue Flag beaches. In 2025 the province of Alicante earned 88 flags across 28 municipalities. Here's the complete list, what the flag actually means, and how to use it to plan a better day at the beach.
What the Blue Flag actually certifies
The Blue Flag is awarded annually by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), an independent NGO based in Copenhagen, against 33 criteria across four categories: water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety. To keep its flag, a beach is sampled multiple times each summer and audited for facilities, signage, accessibility and emergency cover.
What it does mean: clean water, lifeguards, toilets, clear information panels, accessible routes, and an active management plan. What it doesn't mean: small, secluded or beautiful — many of the most spectacular Costa Blanca coves don't qualify simply because they don't have the facilities required.
Costa Blanca municipalities with the most Blue Flags (2025)
| Town | Flags | Notable Blue Flag beaches |
|---|---|---|
| Torrevieja | 8 | Los Locos, La Mata, El Cura, Los Náufragos |
| Orihuela Costa | 7 | Cala Capitán, Aguamarina, La Glea, Cabo Roig |
| Benidorm | 5 | Levante, Poniente, Mal Pas, Cala Almadrava |
| Calpe | 5 | La Fossa, Arenal-Bol, Cantal Roig, Cala Calalga |
| Jávea | 4 | Arenal, Granadella, Portitxol, Ambolo |
| Dénia | 4 | Las Marinas, Las Rotas, Punta del Raset, Els Molins |
| Alicante | 4 | San Juan, Albufereta, Almadraba, Postiguet |
| El Campello | 3 | Muchavista, Carrer la Mar, Almadraba |
| Santa Pola | 4 | Gran Playa, Lisa, Tamarit, Varadero |
| Guardamar | 4 | Centro, Vivers, Roqueta, Babilonia |
| Villajoyosa | 3 | Centro, Paraíso, Bon Nou |
| Altea | 3 | L'Olla, Cap Negret, Cap Blanc |
| Moraira | 2 | L'Ampolla, El Portet |
How to use the Blue Flag list when planning
- ✦It's a reliable signal for facilities and water quality
- ✦It's NOT a ranking of beauty — many calas are unranked simply because they're too small
- ✦All Blue Flag beaches have lifeguards mid-June to mid-September
- ✦All Blue Flag beaches have accessible toilets and showers
- ✦Most have amphibious wheelchairs available free at the lifeguard post
Real-time water-quality, lifeguard status and any temporary flag (yellow = caution, red = no swimming) for every beach in the Valencia Region is published on the regional government's Guía de Platges (search 'GVA guia de platges').
Beyond Blue Flag — the Q for Quality and Ecoplayas awards
Two other accreditations are worth knowing about. The 'Q de Calidad Turística' is a Spanish national tourism quality mark — slightly less famous internationally but in some ways more demanding. The 'Bandera Ecoplayas' rewards environmental management in particular and is held by a number of Costa Blanca beaches that don't qualify for the Blue Flag because of their small size.
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