Spain has set a new record in the 2026 Blue Flag programme, receiving 794 awards across its beaches, marinas and tourism boats — 44 more than it earned in 2025.
The Blue Flag International Jury awarded Spain 677 flags for beaches, 111 for marinas and six for tourism boats, placing it ahead of Greece, which received 657, and Turkey, which received 625.
Spain’s 677 Blue Flag beaches represent 15% of all certified beaches worldwide. The country submitted 713 beach entries from municipalities, cities and autonomous regions across its nearly 8,000-kilometre coastline.
“Spain has never achieved such outstanding results in the Blue Flag programme,” said Rosario Sánchez, Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism.
Sánchez credited the achievement to collaboration across multiple levels of government and civil society. “This success is the result of collaboration between municipal, regional and national entities, marinas, businesses, universities, foundations, associations and citizens,” she said.
Regional breakdown
The Valencian Community led the national rankings with 151 Blue Flags across 48 municipalities. Andalusia followed with 143, Galicia with 118, Catalonia with 101, and the Canary Islands with 52.
Catalonia, Andalusia and Valencia received the most Blue Flag awards for marinas. The six tourism boat awards were shared between Andalusia and Valencia.
Beaches to visit
Several of Spain’s newly recognised beaches stand out for travellers planning a 2026 coastal trip.
Playa de la Malvarrosa in Valencia, once a swampy area in the mid-19th century, has become one of the city’s most popular urban beaches. Its golden sands attract surfers, divers and volleyball players, with a promenade and beachfront restaurants along its shore.
El Encinarejo in Andalusia’s Jaén province became Spain’s first inland Blue Flag beach without a sea coast in 2024. Set against the El Encinarejo reservoir, it offers calm waters and rural scenery as a quieter alternative to the country’s coastal stretches.
Playa de la Virgen de la Nueva, located on the San Juan Reservoir near Madrid, combines sandy shores with mountain views. Activities include kayaking, wakeboarding, mountain biking and hiking.
About the Blue Flag programme
The Blue Flag is an internationally recognised eco-label awarded to beaches, marinas and tourism boats that meet high standards in water quality, environmental management and safety.
An international jury that includes representatives from the United Nations Environment Programme, UNESCO and the European Environment Agency evaluates destinations each year before issuing certifications.
First created in France in 1985 by the Foundation for Environmental Education, the programme expanded to Spain, Denmark and Portugal before growing to 51 countries across five continents. The 2026 edition marks its 40th consecutive year, covering more than 5,000 locations worldwide.
Photo Credit: saiko3p / Shutterstock.com
