Ecologists in Action, a Spanish environmental NGO, has issued black flags to 48 beaches, warning of pollution, sewage discharges, plastic waste or environmental damage at these destinations.
Following a 5,000-mile inspection of the Spanish coastline, the annual Black Flag report blames urbanisation and mass tourism for these environmental issues. In some holiday hotpots, the group claims that sanitation systems can’t cope with surging tourist populations resulting in sewage spillages.
Blacklisted beaches in the Costa del Sol and Canaries
Swathes of beaches in popular Spanish resort towns were blacklisted including the Costa del Sol and entire Malaga coastline due to pollution. Sewage contamination was found at El Amerador Beach in El Campello, near Alicante. While Andalucia’s coastline received a whopping 10 black flags.
A Black Flag rating doesn't necessarily mean the beach is dirty or polluted, as Black Flags are also issued due to light and noise pollution and overdevelopment in and around the beach.
Beaches in Barcelona, Valencia, Cadiz, Granada were also singled out. Damage to underwater plants due to illegal boat anchoring and spillages from a treatment plant secured Talamanca beach in Ibiza, a listing.
Pollution in the Canary Islands resulted in black flags for Santa Cruz beach and the northwest coastline of Tenerife. Also on the list was Corralejo Dunes in Fuerteventura due to the impact of developments on its ecosystem. Playa Beach in Lanzarote was also highlighted after a sewage spill in May 2024 saw it close temporarily.
Ecologists in Action’s 48 Black Flag Beaches
La Farella, Girona, Catalonia
Various beaches on the Costa Brava, Girona, Catalonia
Comarca del Maresme, Barcelona, Catalonia
Sant Adrià del Besò, Barcelona, Catalonia
Camino de Ronda, Tarragona, Catalonia
Playa de la Pineda, Costa Dorada, Tarragona, Catalonia
Playa de L’Estany-Capicorb, Castellon, Valencia region
Playa de Burriana, Castellon, Valencia region
Beaches at the Parque Natural de l’Albufera, Valencia, Valencia region
Puerto de Valencia, Valencia, Valencia region
Barranco y playa del Amerador, Alacant, Valencia region
Playas de Cap l’horta, Albufera, Postiguet and San Gabriel, Alacant, Valencia region
Mar Menor, Murcia region
Portman Bay and Sierra Minera, Murcia region
Playa Quitapellejos-Palomares, Almeria, Andalucia
Playa de ‘El Lancón’ en Carboneras, Almeria, Andalucia
Playa de Castell de Ferro, Granada, Andalucia
Playa Granada y Poniente, Granada, Andalucia
Playas de Malaga, Malaga, Andalucia
Coast of Malaga, Malaga, Andalucia
Tarifa, Cadiz, Andalucia
Costa de Trafalgar, Cadiz, Andalucia
Huelva river, Huelva, Andalucia
El Portil, Huelva, Andalucia
Aldán river, Concello de Cangas, Pontevedra, Galicia
Arousa river and Pontevedra river, Pontevedra, Galicia
Minera de Galicia, A Coruna, Galicia
Pereiro river and Ramisqueira river, A Coruna, Galicia
Alcoa pond, Lugo, Galicia
Galician coast, Lugo, Galicia
Port of Figueres, Asturies
Villaviciosa, Asturies
Playa de Usgo, Cantabria
San Román de la Llanilla, Cantabria
Lamiako marsh area, Bizkaia, Basque Country
Gernika and Murueta, Bizkaia, Basque Country
Santa Clara Island, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
La Concha Island, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
Cala Xarraca, Ibiza, Balearic Islands
Playa de Talamanca, Ibiza, Balearic Islands
Port of Melilla, Melilla
Melilla Bay, Melilla
Monte Hacho, Ceuta
Playa de Desnarigado, Ceuta
Playa Blanca, Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Corralejo Dunes, Las Palmas, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
La Tejita Beach (Granadilla), Puertito de Armeñime (Adeje), Tenerife, Canary Islands
Northwest coastline of Tenerife, Canary Islands
You can view the by Ecologists in Action
Where to find a top-rated Spanish seaside resort
There are still plenty of other Spanish coastal locations for holidaymakers to enjoy this summer. Several destinations in our most recent Spanish seaside town survey received full marks for their beaches.
It’s not just its Michelin-starred dining scene and pintxos bars which wowed visitors to San Sebastian. Readers also praised the best-rated seaside town for its five star beaches including family friendly Ondarreta beach and surf-spot Zurriola.
Cosmopolitan Sitges has a five-star beach for every type of traveller - there are 17 to choose from. While the beaches of Calpe and Benidorm were also awarded five stars.
Heading to Spain this summer? From peace and quiet, to attractiveness and food and drink, 
How clean are the waters in the rest of the Mediterranean?
If you’re planning a trip to Cyprus, Croatia or Greece this summer, then you’re in luck. According to the European Environment Agency these Mediterranean destinations (alongside Austria) have the best bathing water in Europe.
The Bathing Water Directive, which monitors 22,000 bathing waters across Europe each season, found that in 2023, 97.6% of the bathing waters in Cyprus were excellent. In Croatia 96.7% of bathing waters were rated excellent while Greece wasn’t far behind with 95.8%. No bathing waters in any of these locations were rated as poor.
While Italy received a 90% excellent rating, 1.3% of bathing waters were poor. Spain achieved 87.6% excellent rating with 1.7% poor and France scored 74.9% excellent and 2.9% poor.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/is-your-european-summer-holiday-on-a-black-flag-beach-aBtLN6I5KJnO