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SPAIN FLIES FLAG FOR GREAT BEACHES

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Staff Reporter / 2010-06-05 15:56:48

Spain was celebrating last Wednesday when it was announced that a total of 521 of its beaches and 84 of its ports have been awarded the blue flag for the high quality and cleanliness of their waters and services.  

This is 34 more than last year and means that one in every six beaches in Spain is classified as amongst the best in the world.  The region of Valencia has been awarded no less than 108 of the flags, just behind Galicia, which won 122 flags.  

For the first time ever an interior beach in Badajoz has been awarded a flag. Altogether this year 3,511 blue flags were awarded to the 33 countries taking part in Europe, Canada and Morocco.  With 605 going to Spain, our adopted country is top of the list for good quality beaches.The blue flag ensures beachgoers that the beach is clean, safe, and accessible, with life guard services, an information board, and suitable for disabled people.

Of the 800 Spanish beaches which put themselves forward for the award, 250 were rejected for a variety of reasons.  The judges are made up of representatives from the United Nations Environment committee, the World Tourism Organisation, and Nature Conservation Organisations.  

A total of 108 blue flags for quality will fly over Valencian Community beaches and ports this summer, seven more than last year. Once again, Alicante is the lead province with 48 flags, an increase of eight but equally the beaches of Vorador, Tamarit and Levant in Santa Pola and the beach at Pilar de la Horadada have lost their flags.  

Valencia Province has 25 blue flags, six more than last year, but here again, the beaches of Daimus and Aigua Morta in Oliva as well as the Cabanyal and Malvarrosa beaches of Valencia were excluded.  In Castellon four blue flags were lost; El Forti in Vinaros, Les Manyetes in Alcala de Xivert, The Gurugu in Castellon and the Pedra Rotja in Moncofa.  

Alicante’s 48 beaches and 11 ports waving the blue flag make the Costa Blanca the second province in Spain with the highest number of flags. 

In Alicante city the blue flags have been awarded to the beaches of  Sant Joan, la Albufereta, Postiguet and Saladar.  In Elche they have gone to El Altet, Carabassí, Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo and La Marina.  In Santa Pola, Calas del Este, and in Guardamar del Segura, La Roqueta, Centre y El Moncaio.  In Torrevieja, Los Náufragos and Cala Piteras. 

 In Orihuela, Flamenca Beach, Cala Capitán, Cabo Roig, Campoamor, Barranco Rubio and Mil Palmeras.  In Pilar de la Horadada, Jesuitas, Puerto, Mil Palmeras y Playa Conde.  In Dénia, Les Bovetes and Marineta Casiana.  

In Xàbia, La Grava, L'Arenal and La Granadella.  In Teulada, El Portet, L'Ampolla and Les Platgetes.  In Benissa, Cala Fustera.  In Calp, La Fossa, Cantal Roig y Arenal Bol.  In Altea, La Roda and Cap Blanc.  In L'Alfàs del Pi, Racó de L'Albir.  

In Benidorm, Llevant, Mal Pas and  Ponent.  In Finestrat, La Cala.  In La Vila Joiosa, Varadero, Paradís, Bon Nou and La Caleta.  In El Campello, Carrer de la Mar.

The ports which have received the flags are Dénia, "Les Bassetes" de Benissa, Calpe, Altea, Villajoiosa, El Campello, Marina Deportiva de Alicante, Santa Pola, R.C.N. de Torrevieja, P. D. Marina Internacional de Torrevieja, and the Marina Cabo Roig in Orihuela Costa.  

In Murcia fifteen beaches and two ports have received the award, which is two more than last year.  

Tags: Blue Flag, Beaches