Blue Flags: the most beautiful Italian beaches of 2024

How are our coasts? Judging by the new assignments of Blue Flags 2024, not bad. In fact, 236 municipalities have obtained this recognition this morning during a ceremony in Rome. I am 14 more than last year and represent 11.5% of the awarded beaches worldwide.

The Blue Flags are awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), an international institution, which follows 32 very precise criteria and they don't just concern the sea, but also the lakes. «The number increases, but Above all, it is sensitivity that grows and the awareness of citizens, who deserve the credit for this recognition” said Claudio Mazza, president of the FEE Italy Foundation.

The 32 criteria of the Program, already a lot “rigid” and equal for everyone at an international level, are in fact updated periodically in such a way as to push the participating local administrations to commit to solving, and improving over time, the problems relating to land management in order to carefully safeguard the environment. The Blue Flags do not only concern water quality, but also sustainability, services to citizens, inclusion, waste disposal and much more.

Blue Flags 2024: the new awards

The awards ceremony of the 38th edition took place in Rome at the CNR headquarters, in the presence of the mayors of the awarded municipalities and the Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies, Nello Musumeci, also spoke. Those places whose bathing waters have been excellent in the last 4 years are rewarded.

here are the 14 new winners: Ortona, in Abruzzo; Parghelia, in Calabria; Cellole, in Campania; Borgio Verezzi and Recco, in Liguria; Porto Sant'Elpidio, in the Marche region; Lecce, Manduria and Patù, in Puglia; Letojanni, Scicli and Taormina, in Sicily; Tenno and Vallelaghi in Trentino Alto Adige.

However, there are four municipalities that have not been reconfirmed: Ameglia and Taggia, in Liguria; Margaret of Savoy, in Puglia; and Marciana Marina, in Tuscany.

In addition to the 236 municipalities, this year 81 Blue Flags were also awarded to tourist destinations.

The assignment criteria

• absolute validity of bathing waters according to more restrictive rules than those provided for by national legislation on bathing (only those classified as “excellent” in the last four years);
• regular samplings of waters carried out during the summer season. These criteria are imperative and only if respected can you access subsequent assessments;
• efficiency of purification of waste water and the sewerage network connected to at least 80% throughout the municipal territory;
• waste sortingcorrect management of hazardous waste;
• vast pedestrian areas, cycle pathswell-kept street furniture, green areas;
• beaches equipped with all services and lifeguard personnel, accessibility for all (removal of architectural barriers);
• large space dedicated to environmental education coursesaimed in particular at schools and young people, tourists and residents;
• diffusion ofinformation on Blue Flag, publication of data on bathing water;
• hotel facilities, public health servicestourist information, updated signage;
• environmental certification and/or the procedures of institutional activities and tourist facilities present in the municipal area;
• presence offishing activities well inserted in the context of the seaside resort.

Various institutional bodies intervene in the evaluation phase, including the Ministry of Tourism, that of agriculture, food sovereignty and forests and that of the Environment and Energy Security; but also the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, the Orders of Chemists and Physicists, the National Research Council; and some universities and private organizations. The subsequent approval takes place by an international jury.

Blue Flags of Italy: the complete list

In total there are 236 Italian locations that have obtained recognition, 10 more than last year's 226. In particular, the Liguria with 2 new entries and 2 flags lost, it confirms 34 locations and is the region with the highest number of recognitions (Bordighera, Sanremo, Riva Ligure, Santo Stefano al Mare, San Lorenzo al Mare, Imperia, Diano Marina, Laigueglia, Ceriale, Borghetto Santo Spirito, Loano, Pietra Ligure, Borgio Verezzi, Finale Ligure, Noli, Spotorno, Bergeggi, Savona, Albissola Marina, Albisola Superiore, Celle Ligure, Varazze, Sori, Recco, Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure, Chiavari, Lavagna, Sestri Levante, Moneglia, Framura, Bonassola, Levanto and Lerici.

There Puglia rises to 24 recognitions with 3 new Municipalities and one exit (Tremiti Islands, Rodi Garganico, Peschici, Vieste, Zapponeta, Bisceglie, Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, Fasano, Ostuni, 174. Carovigno, Lecce, Melendugno, Castro, Patù, Salve , Ugento, Gallipoli, Nardò, Manduria, Maruggio, Leporano, Castellaneta, Ginosa.

They follow with 20 Flags Campania (Cellole, Massa Lubrense, Sorrento, Piano di Sorrento, Vico Equense, Anacapri, Positano, Capaccio Paestum, Agropoli, Castellabate, Montecorice, San Mauro Cilento, Pollica, Casal Velino, Ascea, Pisciotta, Centola, Camerota, Ispani and Vibonati) and there Calabria (Tortora, Praia a Mare, San Nicola Arcella, Santa Maria del Cedro, Diamante, Rocca Imperiale, Roseto Capo Spulico, Trebisacce, Villapiana, Cirò Marina, Melissa, Capo Rizzuto Island, Sellia Marina, Catanzaro, Soverato, Parghelia, Tropea, Caulonia, Roccella Jonica and Siderno), which both obtain an additional recognition.

With a new entry, the Marche receive 19 Blue Flags (Gabicce Mare, Pesaro, Fano, Mondolfo, Senigallia, Ancona, Sirolo, Numana, Porto Recanati, Potenza Picena, Civitanova Marche, Porto Sant'Elpidio, Fermo, Porto San Giorgio, Altidona, Pedaso, Cupra Marittima, Grottammare and San Benedetto del Tronto.

It drops to 18 la Tuscany that loses a municipality (Carrara, Massa, Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, Camaiore, Viareggio, Pisa, Livorno, Rosignano Marittimo, Cecina, Bibbona, Castagneto Carducci, San Vincenzo, Piombino, Follonica, Castiglione della Pescaia, Grosseto and Orbetello).

There Sardinia confirms its 15 locations (Castelsardo, Sorso, Sassari, Santa Teresa Gallura, Aglientu, Trinità d'Agultu and Vignola, Badesi, La Maddalena, Palau, Budoni, Oristano, Tortolì, Bari Sardo, Quartu Sant'Elena and Sant'Antioco) , Also Abruzzo rises to 15 with a new entry (Martinsicuro, Alba Adriatica, Tortoreto, Giulianova, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Pineto, Silvi, Pescara, Francavilla al Mare, Ortona, Fossacesia, Vasto, San Salvo, Villalago and Scanno).

There Sicily reaches 14 Flags with three new entries (Lipari, Tusa, Alì Terme, Roccalumera, Furci Siculo, Santa Teresa di Riva, Letojanni, Taormina, Modica, Ispica, Pozzallo, Scicli, Ragusa and Menfi) and Trentino Alto Adige rises to 12 with two more Municipalities (Vallelaghi, Sella Giudicarie, Tenno, Bondone, Bedollo, Baselga di Pinè, Pergine Valsugana, Tenna, Calceranica al Lago, Levico Terme, Caldonazzo and Lavarone).

The Lazio remains at 10 (Trevignano Romano, Anzio, Latina, Sabaudia, San Felice Circeo, Terracina, Fondi, Sperlonga, Gaeta and Minturno).

L'Emilia Romagna sees 9 locations awarded (Comacchio, Ravenna, Cervia, Cesenatico, Gatteo, San Mauro Pascoli, Bellaria Igea Marina, Riccione, Misano Adriatico) and the 9 Flags of the Veneto (San Michele al Tagliamento, Caorle, Eraclea, Jesolo, Cavallino Treporti, Venice, Chioggia, Rosolina and Porto Tolle).

There Basilicata confirms its 5 localities (Maratea, Bernalda, Pisticci, Policoro and Nova Siri), and there are also 5 Municipalities in Piedmont that obtain the Flags (Cannobio, Cannero Riviera, Verbania, San Maurizio d'Opaglio, Gozzano). There Lombardy confirms 3 Municipalities (all in the province of Brescia, on Lake Garda), the Friuli Venezia Giulia (Grado and Lignano Sabbiadoro) maintains the 2 Flags of the previous year, like the Molise which remains at 2 (Termoli and Campomarino).

Overall, this year there are 23 Blue Flags on the lakes, with 2 new entries.