Blue Flag beaches on the Costa del Sol

Up-to-date local guide

Blue Flag beaches on the Costa del Sol

Beaches in Málaga province holding Blue Flag status: what the award actually certifies and which beaches on our coast have it.

The Blue Flag is awarded annually by the Foundation for Environmental Education, in Spain through ADEAC. It is not a rating of how beautiful a beach is — it certifies bathing water quality, safety and rescue provision, facilities, accessibility and environmental management and education.

Blue Flag beaches in our database

What the Blue Flag does and does not tell you

It does tell you: the bathing water has been analysed and meets excellent-quality standards, there is lifeguard cover in season, there are toilets and showers, and the beach is actively managed.

It does not tell you: whether the beach is quiet, whether the sand is fine or pebbly, whether it is crowded, or whether the setting is attractive. Some of the most beautiful beaches on this coast — the unspoilt coves of the Maro-Cerro Gordo Natural Area, for instance — will never hold a Blue Flag precisely because they have no facilities at all.

Awarded yearly

The list is reviewed every season and beaches do lose the flag. Our pages record the source and year of the award; if a beach matters to you, check the current ADEAC list before travelling.