- Home /
- Green stories /
- Blue Flag 2022, the most beautiful beaches in Italy
Blue Flag 2022, the most beautiful beaches in Italy
Summer time, sea time! The summer season has officially begun and Italy, with its more than 8 thousand kilometres of coastline, offers breathtaking landscapes and crystal-clear waters. Acea Waidy Wow promotes initiatives that help us learn about, protect, and love water resources, especially in a country rich in biodiversity and natural spectacles like ours.
As many as 427 enchanting beaches scattered all over Italy can boast the Blue Flag title: a prestigious award that rewards seaside resorts for sustainability and water quality
The Blue Flag is an important initiative that demonstrates the country's respect for water sources, commitment to safeguarding the natural heritage and awareness of the indispensable good that is water. The programme, now in its 36th year, recognises Italy's seaside and lake resorts that meet certain sustainability criteria. In order to obtain the title, it is a prerequisite that the water quality at a particular location has been excellent during the previous season.
Blue Flags: the requirements for the award
The Blue Flag title is awarded annually by the FEE ( Foundation for Environmental Education ) to municipalities and seaside resorts that comply with certain water quality, service and environmental management criteria.
To be awarded a Blue Flag, the candidate resort must meet 33 criteria, divided into key areas for the bathing industry.
Environmental Education and Information
The Environmental Education and Information area brings together 6 criteria with the aim of including information on the Blue Flag programme, water quality, local ecosystems and cultural sites; promoting environmental education initiatives; and posting a map with tourist information and the current code of conduct;
Water Quality
To be awarded the Blue Flag title, the location must comply with 5 criteria related to water quality: sampling requirements, standards and analysis requirements for bathing water quality, certain microbiological, physical and chemical parameters must be met; no waste water discharges must affect the area;
Environmental Management
The area of Environmental Management assesses what the regulations are for the operation of the beach. The areas surrounding a Blue Flag beach must be clean and ensure the preservation and biodiversity of marine ecosystems: equipped with waste bins and containers for waste collection toilets and changing rooms with controlled sewage disposal. Camping and driving with motor vehicles such as cars or motorbikes is not allowed, the use of sustainable means must be promoted instead. Access to the beach by other pets must be strictly controlled, marine and lake habitats monitored;
Services and Safety
For a peaceful stay, a Blue Flag beach resort must guarantee the necessary equipment, first aid equipment and a rescue team; specific emergency plans and safety measures to protect bathers. The beach must have a source of drinking water, access and facilities for the physically disabled.
The new Blue Flags 2022: the Italian constellation
The more than four hundred beaches awarded in 2022 cover the beauty of 210 Italian municipalities: a splendid blue frame that runs across the entire peninsula. Italy's excellences alone account for about 10% of all award-winning beaches worldwide: in fact, the Bel Paese is ranked fifth place globally for Blue Flags, surpassed only by Spain, Greece, Turkey and France.
There are 14 new Blue Flags for 2022, in a regional ranking that sees Liguria triumph with its 32 award-winning seaside and lake resorts. In second and third place, respectively, are Tuscany with 19 and Campania with 18 Blue Flags. 14 new Blue Flags for 2022, in a regional ranking that sees Liguria triumph with its 32 award-winning seaside and lake resorts. In second and third place, respectively, are Tuscany with 19 and Campania with 18 Blue Flags.
