The Costa del Sol can now lay claim to a total of 25 blue flag beaches with five new prestigious awards granted by the Association for Environmental Education and the Consumer (ADEAC) this year.
Spain officially has the worlds best beaches with 25 on the Costa del Sol awarded blue flags
Awarded for excellence in water quality, hygiene, safety, sustainability and accessibility, of the 97 blue flag beaches in Andalucía, one in four lies on the Costa del Sol coastline.
With 25 beaches plus 5 marinas making the list in 2018, Marbella and Estepona were each awarded four blue flag beaches and one marina, Fuengirola, Mijas Costa and Benalmadena followed closely behind with three awards each.
The five new beaches on the Costa del Sol to receive the coveted status were Playa Casablanca in Marbella, Arroyo Vaquero in Estepona, Los Alamos in Torremolinos, La Caleta Paseo in Velez-Málaga and Playa Ancha in Casares, the first time the region has made the list.
For the 31st consecutive year Spain held on to its crown topping the global list of countries with the most blue flags with 590 beaches, 101 marinas and 5 cruise ship marinas meeting the ADEAC’s strict criteria. In total one in six of all Spanish beaches now hold the prestigious award, eleven more than last year.
Attracting over 80 million international visitors in 2017, Spain set another record breaking year for tourism with beach holidays now in greater demand than ever. The Costa del Sol remains one of the most sought after destinations for holidaymakers and expats searching for the sun, sea and the golden sands its beautiful beaches have to offer.