ANYONE who is still trying to decide where to go in Spain for their perfect beach holiday this summer is about to find their choice made even more difficult: The blue-flag unveiling means a whole 615 of them have been declared 'practically perfect in every way'.
La Grava beach in Jávea, Alicante province, retains its blue flag for yet another year
This year, you don't even have to head for the coast to find them; in addition to the three inland beaches that won blue flags in 2020, another six have been added to the list for 2021.
But if you can't make up your mind, it probably doesn't matter. Blue-flagged beaches are all clean, accessible, environmentally-friendly and have all the amenities you need to enjoy your trip, so any one should fit the bill; just drop a pin on a map of Spain and see where chance leads you to for your sunshine getaway.
Here's the full list of which beaches are flying the flag for tourism excellence this year.
Costa Brava
Best beaches and marinas of 2021 in the province of Girona are in Blanes (Blanes, Sabanell, Sant Francesc-Cala Bona), Castell-Platja d'Aro (Cala Rovira, Platja d'Aro-Platja Gran, Sa Conca), Palafrugell (Canadell, Llafranc, Tamariu), Palamós (La Fosca), Port de la Selva, Llançá (Del Port, Grifeu), Castelló d'Empúries (Empúriabrava), Calonge i Sant Antoni (Cala Cristus-Ses Torretes, d'Es Monestrí, Sant Antoni, Torre Valentina), Sant Feliu de Guíxols (Sant Feliu, Sant Pol), Torroelloa de Montgrí (Cala Montgó), Tossa de Mar (Gran de Tossa, La Mar Menuda), and Lloret de Mar (Cala Canyelles, Sa Boadella, Santa Cristina).
Blanes beach on the Costa Brava (photo: Catalunya regional tourism board)
Barcelona province
Top beaches in towns that share a province with Spain's largest city are in Badalona (Cristall), Caldes d'Estrac (Dels Tres Micos), Calella (Garbí), Canet de Mar, Cubelles (Llarga), Gavá, Castelldefels (Del Baixador, Lluminetes), El Masnou (Masnou, Ocata), Malgrat de Mar (Malgrat-Centre, De l'Astillero), Pineda del Mar (Dels Pescadors, La Riera), Sant Pol de Mar (Les Barques-Sant Pol), Vilanova i la Geltrú (D'Adarró, Ibersol, Ribes-Roges, Sant Gervasi), Sitges (Aiguadolç, Balmils, Garraf, La Barra, La Ribera, Les Botigues, Sant Sebastiá, Terramar, and a new one for L'Estanyol), and in Barcelona city itself, Bogatell, Nova Mar Bella, and Sant Sebastià i Sant Miquel.
Costa Daurada
The 2021 blue-flagged beaches for the province of Tarragona are in Alcanar (Les Cases), Altafulla, Calafell (Calafell, L'Estany Mas Mel, Segur de Calafell), Cambrils (Cavet, La Llosa, Prat d'En Forés-Regueral, Vilafortuny), Cunit (Llevant and Ponent), L'Ametlla de Mar (Calafató, Cala Forn, L'Alguer, Pixavaques, Sant Jordi), L'Ampolla (Cap Roig, Les Avellanes) Mont Roig del Camp (Cala Vienesos-dels Espenyals, Casa dels Lladres, Cristall, Pixerota), Sant Carles de la Ràpita (Les Delícies, Parc de Garbí), Tarragona (De la Móra, L'Arrabassada, Savinosa, Tamarit), Torredembarra (Barri Marítim, Dels Muntanyans, La Paella), Vandellós and L'Hospitalet de l'Infant (L'Arenal, La Punta del Riu, Torn), Deltebre (Riumar), Salou (Capellans, Llevant), Roda de Bará (Costa Daurada, Roda de Bará Llarga), and Vila-Seca (La Pineda).
Comunidad Valenciana
In the region's northernmost province of Castellón, a new blue flag has been granted this year for Benafeli beach in Almassora, and all the others from last year are still in place: Alcalá de Xivert (El Carregador, El Moro, La Romana, Manyetes), Almenara (Casablanca), Benicarló (La Caracola, Morrongo), Burriana (Grao-Malvarrosa, L'Arenal), Oropesa del Mar (La Conxa, Les Amplaries, Morro de Gos, Plagetes de Bellver), Peñíscola (Nord), Torreblanca (Nord), Vinaròs (Fora Forat, Fortí), Castellón city (Gurugú and Pinar), Moncofa (Grao, L'Estanyol, Masbó, Pedra Roja), Nules (Marines), Xilxes (El Cerezo, Les Cases), and Benicàssim (Dels Terrers, Heliópolis, L'Almadrava, Torre de Sant Vicent, Voramar).
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