Blue Flags in Andalusia 2026: The 5 New Paradise-Like Beaches Added to the List of Coastal Excellence

This is a recognition from the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in collaboration with the Association for Environmental and Consumer Education (Adeac).

Its International Blue Flag Jury is responsible for evaluating the quality of the coastline in 45 countries each year to award this internationally prestigious distinction. It is worth noting that it is the municipalities themselves that voluntarily submit their beaches for consideration.

For their evaluation, they primarily consider environmental management, although they also take into account service provision, the availability of information, environmental education, facilities, and the safety of bathing areas.

As for the water, its quality must be certified as ‘excellent’ according to the parameters established in Directive 2006/7/EC.

This year’s list includes 677 Blue Flags spread throughout Spain. The distinction has been awarded to sustainable beaches, marinas, and tourist boats. All of this information can be found on the official website, where the complete list is available.

Five destinations have been added to this list along the Andalusian coast.

These are Playazo-Villaricos in Cuevas del Almanzora (Almería); Piedra Villazar Beach in Mojácar; Las Marinas-Bolaga in Vera (Almería); La Ballena Beach in Chipiona (Cádiz); andPoniente Beachin Motril (Granada). 

These are the Blue Flag beaches in Almería:

• Censo, El Carboncillo, San Nicolás, and Sirena Loca, in Adra.
• Almería, El Toyo, and San Miguel Cabo de Gata Balanegra, in Almería.
• Balanegra.
• El Ancón, Los Barquicos-Cocones, Las Marinicas, in Carboneras.
• Pozo del Esparto and Quitapellejos-Palomares and Playazo-Villaricos, in Cuevas de Almanzora.
• Balerma, Levante Almerimar, Poniente Almerimar, San Miguel, in El Ejido.
• El Cantal, El Descargador, Lance Nuevo, Marina de la Torre, Piedra Villazar, and Venta del Bancal-Ventanicas, in Mojácar.
• Aguamarga, San José in Níjar.
• Calipso, Los Nardos, Mar Rabiosa, Mar Serena, in Pulpí.
• Aguadulce, La Bajadilla, Las Salinas, Romanillas, Playa Serena Residential Area, Roquetas Residential Area.
• El Playazo and Las Marinas-Bolaga, in Vera.

In Cádiz, the list is as follows:

• Getares, Algeciras.
• Zahara de los Atunes, in Barbate.
• La Cortadura-Poniente, La Victoria, Santa María del Mar, La Caleta in Cádiz.
• La Barrosa, Sancti Petri, in Chiclana de la Frontera.
• Camarón-La Laguna, Cruz del Mar-Canteras, Micaela, Regla, and La Ballena in Chipiona.
• Roche, La Fontanilla, Los Bateles, in Conil de la Frontera.
• Fuentebravía, La Puntilla, Santa Catalina (Vistahermosa-Las Redes section), Valdelagrana, in Puerto de Santa María.
• Galeones, La Ballena, La Costilla, Punta Candor, Puntalillo, Rompidillo-Chorrillo, in Rota.
• Camposoto-El Castillo, in San Fernando.
• Alcaidesa-El Faro, Cala Sardina, Torreguadiaro, Puerto Sotogrande, in San Roque.
• El Palmar, in Vejer de la Frontera.

La Breña Beach, in Almodóvar del Río, has retained its distinction for the third consecutive year.

There are 16 Blue Flag beaches in Granada as of 2026.

• La Herradura, Marina del Este, Puerta del Mar, San Cristóbal, and Velilla, in Almuñécar.
• Sotillo-Castell and Cambirles, in Gualchos.
• Calahonda, Granada Beach, Carchuna, and Poniente Beach, in Motril.
• La Guardia, in Salobreña.
• Del Cañon-La Pelá (Azucenas) and Torre, in Torre Costa.

Huelva has 12 beaches with this distinction in 2026:

• Isla Canela, Los Haraganes, and Punta del Moral, in Ayamonte.
• Caño de la Culata and San Miguel, in Cartaya.
• Marismas del Odiel Natural Park, in Huelva.
• La Casita Azul and Playa Central, in Isla Cristina.
• Islantilla, in Isla Cristina/Lepe.
• Santa Pura, in Lepe.
• From the Parador in Moguer.
• Punta Umbría (El Albergue section). in Punta Umbría.

The province of Jaén, the only one in all of Andalusia that did not yet have a Blue Flag, received its first designation (the second awarded to an inland beach) in 2025 at El Encinarejo Beach in Andújar.

The province of Málaga holds the most awards, with 45 Blue Flag beaches. They are as follows:

• Algarrobo Costa, in Algarrobo.
• Fuente de la Salud and Carvajal and Torrebermeja-Santa Ana, in Benalmádena.
• Ancha, in Casares.
• Carvajal, Boliches-Gaviotas, Carvajal, and Castillo-Ejido, in Fuengirola.
• Caleta, El Dedo, El Palo, Malagueta, Misericordia, Pedregalejo, and San Andrés, in Málaga.
• Sabinillas and Las Gaviotas, in Manilva.
• Cabopino, Casablanca, El Cable, El Faro, La Fontanilla, Nagüeles, Puerto Banús-Levante, San Pedro de Alcántara (Guadalmina), Venu-Bajadila, and Los Monteros (Adelfas), in Marbella.
• La Cala, El Bombo, Calahonda I (Royal Beach-La Luna), El Chaparral, and Calahonda (Riviera), in Mijas.
• Burriana, Maro, Payazo Chucho, and Torrecilla, in Nerja.
• Los Álamos, El Bajondillo, Playamar, and La Carihuela-Montemar, in Torremolinos.
• El Morche, Ferrara, and Cenicero-Las Dunas, in Torrox.
• Benajarafe, La Caleta de Vélez, and Torre del Mar, in Vélez-Málaga.