Crystal clear waters in Nerja |
|
Blue Flag Beaches on the Costa del Sol 2014-2024
Find below a list of the beaches of Costa del Sol (west to east) that have been awarded a Blue Flag for the summer season (mid June to mid September) in each of the eleven years. Read a detailed explanation about the Blue Flag system.
As the Blue flag awards have grown over the years the requirements have also grown. Each town hall submits an application in the autumn of the previous year and commits to not just clean bathing water but showers, life-guards, signage and environmental awareness programs. It has become necessary for town halls to carefully select the potential Blue Flag beaches for the necessary infrastructure investment in preparation for the Blue Flag application. The successful applications are listed below, unsuccessful applications are not published. Statistics tell us that on the Costa del Sol 51 Blue Flag Beach applications were made in 2024, 41 were successful. The quiet and perhaps isolated 'virgin' beaches enjoyed by many can not, by definition, be awarded a Blue flag.
In 2024 the Costa del Sol was awarded a record 41 Blue Flag beaches. This was two more than 2023 ( gaining El Bajondillo and Playamar in Torremolinos) which was three more than 2022 (gaining Nagüeles, Fontanilla, Chaparal, Playazo-Chucho and losing Ardales) which was two more than 2021 (gaining Maro and Sabinillas). Malaga city retains the seven Blue flag beaches gained in 2021.
In 2023 Marbella reached nine again, returning to its 2014 numbers. Notable absences are still Rincon de La Victoria and Estepona. Estpona was awarded four in 2018 but only two in 2019 and 2020 not including the emblematic La Rada. In 2020 Estepona returned both awards, presumably (town hall has never stated why) unhappy with the award system and made no applications since. Congratulations to Nerja for Maro beach being added to the list for the first time in 2022 and Playazo-Chucho in 2023.
Destinations are listed along the Costa del Sol from West to East.
| Destinations | Beaches | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manilva | El Castillo | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Sabinillas | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | |
| Casares | Playa Ancha | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Estepona | Arroyo Vaquero | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y/N | N | N | N | N |
| El Cristo | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y/N | N | N | N | N | |
| La Rada | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| El Padrón | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| El Saladillo | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| Marbella | Guadalmina/San Pedro | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Puerto Banús (Nueva Andalucia) | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| Puerto Banús (Levante) | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Río Verde | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| Casablanca | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Nagüeles | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | |
| Fontanilla | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | |
| Faro | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Venus | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Bajadilla | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | inc | inc | inc | inc | |
| El Cable | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Pinillo | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | |
| Adelfas - Alicate | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Artola (Cabopino) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | Y | |
| Mijas | Calahonda | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| El Bombo | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| La Cala | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Chaparal | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | |
| Fuengirola | Castillo | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Fuengirola | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Los Boliches - Gaviotas | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Carvajal | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Benalmádena | Malapesquera - Santa Ana | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Torrebermeja - Santa Ana | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Torrevigia | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| Fuente de la Salud | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Torremolinos | Los Alamos | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| El Bajondillo | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | |
| Playamar | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | |
| Malaga | Misericoria | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| San Andres | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| La Malagueta | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| La Caleta | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Pedregalejo | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| El Palo | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| El Dedo | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Rincon de la Victoria | Cala del Moral | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Río Seco | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| Torre del Benalgalbón | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| Vélez-Malaga | Benajarafe | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Torre del Mar | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| La Caleta Paso | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Algarrobo | Algarrobo Costa | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y; | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Torrox | Ferrara | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| El Morche | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Nerja | Playazo-Chucho | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Torrecilla | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Burriana | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Maro | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | |
| Ardales | Playa Ardales (Reservior) | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N |
Take a look at which 41 Costa del Sol beaches were awarded a Blue Flag in 2024 and check progression of awards since 2014. Destinations are listed along the coast from West to East.
Take a look at which 13 Costa Tropical beaches were awarded a Blue Flag in 2024 and check progression of awards since 2014. Destinations are listed along the coast from West to East.
Take a look at which 30 Costa de a Luz Cadiz and 12 Huelva beaches were awarded a Blue Flag in 2024 and check progression of awards since 2014. Destinations are listed along the coast from West to… More →
Take a look at which 11 Costa Almeria beaches were awarded a Blue Flag in 2024 and check progression of awards since 2014. Destinations are listed along the coast from West to East.
