Galicia boasts 118 Blue Flag beaches this year, making the region the third in Spain with the highest number of awards. It has even added 10 more than last year, ranking just behind Valencia (197) and Andalusia (184).
Blue Flags recognise beaches for water quality, accessibility, safety, sustainability, environmental management and the services they provide

Pontevedra is the province with the highest number of distinctions — 56 beaches and 6 marinas. It is followed by A Coruña — 44 beaches and 5 marinas —, Lugo — 17 beaches and 1 marina —, and Ourense, which makes its debut on the list with the Os Franceses river beach.

At a local level, Sanxenxo (Pontevedra) leads the ranking with a total of 18 Blue Flags, followed by Vigo with 12. In the province of A Coruña, the top spots go to Arteixo and Ferrol, with 6 each, while the city of A Coruña and Oleiros each hold 5.
Lugo’s coastline also stands out thanks to Foz (5), Barreiros (3), Burela (2) and Ribadeo (2).

Beaches such as Niñóns in Ponteceso, O Laño in Poio, and Pampaído in Sanxenxo are receiving the distinction for the first time. Others, including Ponzos in Ferrol; A Concha and Morouzos in Ortigueira; Coroso in Ribeira; A Pasada in Barreiros; and Loira in Marín, have regained the award.

In this edition, the jury granted Blue Flags to beaches and marinas for a two-year period (2026–2027) in order to adapt to international requirements and new EU regulations.
Keeping the award will depend on meeting the current criteria during the annual monitoring process and the corresponding verification procedures.

In parallel, there is also recognition for the so-called Blue Centres, nature and maritime classrooms, visitor reception points, and research facilities dedicated to environmental education within the Blue Flag programme. In this category, Galicia received 18 of the 106 distinctions awarded nationwide.

Likewise, as an independent programme within Blue Flag, the Environmental and Consumer Education Association (ADEAC) highlights the importance of Blue Trails, which allow people to enjoy nature and better understand their surroundings. The results award Galicia 72 of the 194 recognised routes in Spain.

In total, Galicia holds 219 awards across beaches, marinas, visitor centres and trails. This makes it the second Spanish region with the most Blue recognitions, only behind Valencia (228) and surpassing Andalusia (204) for the first time.