Blue Flag beaches in the Algarve
Beaches can be awarded a Blue Flag if they meet with certain international standards regarding safety, water quality, facilities and environmental management. This award is given every year by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). In 2021, Portugal had a total of 372 Blue Flag beaches. More specifically, 87 of those Blue Flag beaches are in the Algarve. In fact, this is one of the largest concentration of Blue Flags in Europe. These 87 beaches are the best beaches to visit in the Algarve. Let’s discover which beaches in the Algarve have a Blue Flag.
Aljezur
There are 4 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Aljezur:
Vila do Bispo
There are 11 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Vila do Bispo:
- Cordoama
- Castelejo
- Beliche
- Tonel
- Mareta
- Martinhal
- Ingrina
- Zavial
- Salema
- Almádena – Cabanas Velha
- Burgau
Lagos
There are 4 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Lagos:
Portimão
There are 6 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Portimão:
Lagoa
There are 6 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Lagoa:
Silves
There are 2 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Silves:
Albufeira
There are 25 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Albufeira:
- Salgados
- Galé Oeste
- Galé Este
- Manuel Lourenço
- Evaristo
- Castelo
- Coelha
- São Rafael
- Arrifes
- Peneco
- Pescadores
- Inatel
- Alemães
- Aveiros
- Oura
- Oura-Leste
- Santa Eulália
- Maria Luísa
- Olhos de Água
- Belharucas
- Falésia-Açoteias
- Rocha Baixinha
- Falésia-Alfamar
- Rocha Baixinha-Poente
- Rocha Baixinha-Nascente
Loulé
There are 10 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Loulé:
- Vilamoura
- Quarteira
- Forte Novo
- Almargem
- Loulé Velho
- Vale do Lobo
- Garrão Poente/Duna
- Garrão Nascente
- Ancão
- Quinta do Lago
Faro
There are 4 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Faro:
- Faro-Mar
- Barreta
- Ilha do Farol-Mar
- Culatra-Mar
Olhão
There are 4 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Olhão:
Tavira
There are 4 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Tavira:
- Barril
- Terra Estreita
- Ilha de Tavira-Mar
- Cabanas-Mar
Castro Marim
There are 3 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Castro Marim:
- Alagoa-Altura
- Praia Verde
- Cabeço
Vila Real de Santo António
There are 4 Blue Flag beaches in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António:
Changes compared to earlier years
In 2021, Portugal had 372 Blue Flag beaches. This is more than in previous years, when it had 352 (2019) and 360 (2020) blue flag beaches.
In 2021 there were no changes in the Blue Flag status of beaches in the Algarve. In 2020, the Algarve lost a Blue Flag beach, because it had 88 of them in 2019 and 87 in 2020. More precisely, Praia da Batata and Praia do Camilo are no Blue Flag beaches anymore, while Praia da Marina gained a Blue Flag.
