This 2025, Galicia shines again with its own light as far as beaches are concerned: 108 beaches in 35 municipalities have been recognized with the blue flag, one of the most internationally known environmental quality seals. This award, given every year by the Association of Environmental and Consumer Education (ADEAC), rewards beaches that stand out for their cleanliness, services, accessibility and respect for the environment.
With these data, Galicia remains among the three autonomous communities with the most blue flags in the country, behind Valencia, which has 143 recognized beaches, and Andalusia, with 138, which means that we are on the podium of the best coasts of Spain.
Among the 108 Galician beaches awarded this year, we must highlight the case of the beach of O Mende, in Vigo, which achieves this distinction for the first time. There are also others that recover their blue flag after a short break, such as Grande beach in Miño or San Francisco, in Muros, which were not present in the list of 2024.
But the thing is not only about beaches. The marinas that will fly the blue flag this summer have also been announced. At the state level, there are 101 recognized facilities, and 12 of them are in Galicia, one more than last year. The novelty this year is the incorporation of the Liceo Marítimo de Bouzas, which debuts in this select club.
In addition, Galicia also stands out in another section: the blue centers, a category that includes classrooms of the sea, interpretation centers, environmental education spaces and the like. Although they do not carry a physical blue flag, their work on the coast is recognized every year by ADEAC. Of the 92 centers in the whole country, 17 are in Galicia, which makes us the second community with the most blue centers, just behind Valencia, which has 23.
In this section, two new additions stand out: the Mar do Sorrizo Museum-Interpretation Center in Arteixo, and the Nautilus underwater viewer, which is part of the facilities of the Port Authority of Vigo. Both are added to the list for the first time this year.
It is worth remembering that the blue flag is not given at random: the criteria are quite demanding. In the case of beaches and ports, aspects such as water quality, safety, access for people with reduced mobility, available services (showers, lifeguards, cleanliness…) and good environmental management are valued. The blue centers, on the other hand, should focus on educating and raising awareness of the importance of caring for the marine environment.
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This is how the flags are distributed by provinces:
If we make an analysis by provinces, Pontevedra is again placed at the top of the ranking: 53 beaches and 7 recognized marinas. It is followed by A Coruña, with 39 beaches and 4 ports, and Lugo, with 16 beaches and 1 port.
At the municipal level, Sanxenxo repeats one more year as the municipality with more blue flags in Spain. In total, there are 17 beaches awarded, exactly the same as in 2024. It is followed by Vigo, which not only stands out for its sandy beaches, but also has a marina and a blue center. Then come municipalities such as Baiona, with 6 beaches, a port area and a blue center.
In A Coruña, Arteixo is the municipality with the most awards, with 6 beaches and 1 blue center. Oleiros has 5 award-winning beaches and 2 educational centers in the program. In Lugo, the municipality with the most beaches recognized is Foz, with 5, followed by Burela, with 2 beaches and 2 blue centers. Ribadeo has two beaches and the only marina awarded in the province, and both Barreiros and O Vicedo have two beaches each.
There is also room for blue trails
For the fourth consecutive year, ADEAC also delivers the so-called blue trails, routes that connect beaches or natural areas with environmental value and are designed to enjoy the landscape on foot while learning to take care of it. Galicia once again leads this category with 54 of the 154 blue trails that exist throughout the country. This is five more than last year, and we continue to be the community with the most recognized itineraries.
Thus, adding beaches, ports, blue centers and trails, Galicia reaches this year the impressive figure of 191 awards. A figure that consolidates us in third place nationally, only surpassed by Valencia (213) and Andalusia (196).
You can consult all the awards granted by provinces and differentiated into beaches, ports and blue centers here.
