Award-winning beaches

The announcement was made at the Pedra do Sal Environmental Interpretation Center in Estoril, Cascais municipality, Lisbon district, by the president of the Blue Flag Association of Europe, José Archer, who said that 396 beaches will raise the Blue Flag next summer season - 350 coastal and 46 inland.

“We had fewer awards than last year, but that also had to do essentially with the weather conditions that occurred during the summer season, which always penalise the quality of bathing water, so there is no worrying situation, it is a one-off situation,” José Archer told the Lusa news agency.

Changing criteria

According to him, the main novelty is that this year will be a transition year regarding the criteria for obtaining the Blue Flag, which will change from 2027.

“We will have more criteria, and we will have a different methodology with external auditors in the validation of applications. It is a transition year (...), it has to do with the new consumer directive that comes into force in September,” said José Archer.

In this way, to ensure that new beaches and any re-entries can apply in 2027, there will still be an extraordinary period for applications this year, in July and August, which will then be presented and analysed at the International Jury's meeting on 16 September.

International prominence

At the international level, the official recalled that Portugal continues to be “very prominent”, occupying “fifth place in terms of awarded coastal beaches” and “second place worldwide” in inland beaches.

“Considering the size of our territory, it is frankly gratifying and is, in fact, the result of all the work and the change in behaviour that (…) people have today,” José Archer emphasised.

40 years of Blue Flag

This year, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Blue Flag program, José Archer recalled that Praia de Mira is the only beach to have received the award for all 40 years because, he explained, “in 1992, due to a laboratory strike,” the Algarve did not have its beaches awarded.

New Blue Flag beaches

The new beaches in the North awarded with the Blue Flag include Foz do Lima and Rodanho (Viana do Castelo), Agudela Sul and Meia Laranja (Matosinhos), while Ribeira Grande (Sertã) was added to the Tagus River and Oriola (Portel) to the Alentejo.

In the Algarve, the Albufeira de Odeleite (Tavira) and Praia do Lago Verde (Castro Marim) are now included.

In the Azores archipelago, 45 coastal beaches were awarded, with the Calheta dos Lagadores (Praia da Vitória, Terceira Island) losing the award, while in Madeira, 17 beaches were distinguished, all coastal, with one beach also losing: Calheta beach in Porto Santo.

Blue Flag raising

The first coastal Blue Flag will be raised on Mira beach on 8 June, while on 13 June it will be raised on the Mourão river beach in Alentejo.

The first marina to raise the Blue Flag will be Angra do Heroísmo, on Terceira Island, Azores, on 15 June.

Blue Flag beach

A beach distinguished with a Blue Flag meets several criteria, including water quality and space (planning), safety and services, surveillance and public awareness (environmental education).