Published: 11 May, 2021 CET.Updated: Fri 14 May 2021 14:19 CET
Liguria beaches top the list of the best Italian coastline: Photo: Florencia Potter/Unsplash
Italy has added to its top beaches list once again, with more meeting the highest global standards in 2021 compared to last year. Here's where you can find them.
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A total of 416 beaches across Italy have been awarded the internationally recognised and coveted bandiera blu (Blue Flag) status for 2021. That's up an extra nine beaches from 407 last year and 234 a decade ago.
Liguria claims the top spot with 32 beaches again, followed by Campania, moving up one place from last year with 19 beaches. In joint third place are Tuscany and Puglia with 17 Blue Flag beaches each.
15 new comuni (municipalities) have been added to the list and nine got cut from last year.
The sun sets over Camaiore in Tuscany, which has claimed Blue Flag status for 2021. Photo: Piero Zanetti / Flickr
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Campania:
Cala Finocchiara, San Domenico
Lazio:
Levante (Sant’Anastasia - Capratica), Ponente (Torre Canneto – Rio Claro)
Ponente
Marche:
Lungomare Paolo Borsellino
Puglia:
Salata, Salsello
Castello Santo Stefano, Capitolo, Lido Porto Rosso
Porto Selvaggio, Sant’Isidoro, Santa Caterina, Santa Maria al Bagno, Torre Squillace
Sardinia:
Vignola Mare
Maganuco, Marina di Modica
Roccalumera
Beaches only get this seal of approval for meeting excellent water quality and environmental standards, assigned by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)
And it's getting tougher to meet those standards. The criteria for achieving the Blue Flag status has increased to 33 areas of environmental, safety and educational specifications, including beach waste management, recycling, the presence of lifeguards and the cleanliness of changing facilities.
Agropoli in Campania boasts the Blue Flag beach status. Photo: Carlo Mantegna / Flickr
In monitoring the state of coastlines across the world, the Danish-based environmental organisation provides a guide for those choosing where to spend a day at the beach.
New municipalities that have been added to the list this year include Aglientu in Sardinia, Modica in Sicily and Fondi in Lazio.
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Monopoli's beaches in Puglia have been awarded with the Blue Flag seal of approval for this year. Photo: Chris Walts / Flickr
To find your nearest blue flag beach, you can search the interactive map here.
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