Costa Blanca beaches continue leading Spain’s Blue Flag rankings

The Costa Blanca has once again strengthened its reputation as one of Spain’s top coastal destinations after collecting a huge number of Blue Flags for 2026.

The awards, presented annually by ADEAC, recognise beaches and marinas that meet strict standards for water quality, environmental management, safety, facilities and visitor services.

This year, the Valencian Community maintained its position as the leading region in Spain with a total of 152 Blue Flag beaches spread across 48 municipalities. Of those, 77 are located within the Alicante province.

Across the Costa Blanca overall, 151 Blue Flags have been awarded, further confirming the region’s importance for both national and international tourism.

Costa Blanca remains one of Spain’s top beach destinations

Spain also retained its position as the world leader for Blue Flag beaches, with 677 beaches receiving the distinction in 2026.

That figure is 35 higher than last year and represents the highest number recorded since the programme first began in 1987.

Popular tourist areas including Benidorm, Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, Guardamar, Javea, Calpe and Santa Pola once again featured strongly among the winners.

The awards continue to play a major role in attracting tourists to the Costa Blanca, especially visitors searching for clean, safe and well-maintained beaches during the summer season.

Several Costa Blanca beaches receive new blue flags

Several beaches also received new or restored Blue Flags this year. These included Cala Lanuza in El Campello, Puerto Blanco and Raco in Calpe, Tamarit beach in Santa Pola and Arenal beach in Javea.

In addition to beaches, Spain also awarded 111 Blue Flags to marinas and six tourist boats as part of the 2026 programme.

The awards highlight growing recognition across different areas of the tourism industry. They also reinforce both the Costa Blanca and Spain’s position as some of Europe’s leading coastal holiday destinations.