The World's Guide to Blue Flag Beaches

About the Programme

What is the Blue Flag?

The Blue Flag is one of the world's most respected environmental awards, granted annually to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating operators that meet strict standards set by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). It has been running since 1985, first in Europe, now covering beaches in 48 countries. What is a Blue Flag beach explains the award, swimming, and the name.

To earn a Blue Flag, a beach must satisfy 33 criteria across four categories: bathing water quality, environmental management, safety and services, and environmental education. Certification is not permanent, each beach is assessed and independently verified every year. A beach that fails any mandatory criterion loses its flag that season.

The water has to meet the programme's bathing-water requirements. Samples are taken through the season, and the results have to be shown to visitors at the beach.

Safety depends on the beach. FEE asks for lifeguards or public rescue equipment. Rescue equipment can stand in for lifeguards at some low-hazard, low-use beaches, unless local law requires lifeguards. First aid has to be available. The official list is the Blue Flag criteria.

For travellers, the blue flag flying above a beach entrance is a reliable shorthand: the water has been tested, the facilities are up to standard, and the beach is actively managed. It does not guarantee perfect conditions on any given day, but it does mean the beach has consistently met a high bar over multiple seasons.