Preparing for the worst could save your life
While it's a popular destination for clubbers, Nissi Beach still has several quiet spots to relax on the white sand and swim in the warm sea.
Plus, West Wittering also offers disability-friendly toilets with RADAR keys, ramps, and beach wheelchairs.
Close to the popular Ayia Napa resort, you'll find Nissi Beach, one of the most well-known beaches in Cyprus.
One of the notably clean English beaches is West Wittering Beach in Sussex. Located between Portsmouth and Bognor Regis, the beach has shimmering blue water and campsites available nearby for overnight stays.
The Mediterranean island nation has 77 Blue Flag-awarded beaches. With so many clean and beautiful beaches, it's no wonder Cyprus attracts thousands of tourists each year.
This year, the Old Head Beach in Mayo County was awarded a Blue Flag for the first time since 2012.
Sheltered by the rocky cliffs, this pet-friendly beach is great for activities like swimming, surfing, snorkeling, and fishing.
On behalf of the FEE, the Blue Flag program has been operated by An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland, since 1988 in Ireland. In total, there are 85 Blue Flag-approved beaches in Ireland.
From the soft sands of Skagen on the mainland to the picturesque island of Bornholm, Denmark boasts some of the prettiest beaches in Europe. The Scandinavian nation has 153 Blue Flag-approved beaches.
A popular summer destination on the Baltic Sea, Bornholm has several great beaches. The most popular one is Dueodde, where the sand is ultra-fine and the water is clear and clean.
From the North to the South, Portugal's coastline has 394 spectacular Blue Flag beaches, filled with natural beauty and cultural richness.
Tied with Cyprus at 77, the clean beaches of England shouldn't be overlooked. When it comes to beaches here, there are more options than just what you'd find on the Isle of Wight.
With 403 Blue Flag-approved beaches, France made it to the top five in 2024.
One of the latest additions is Plage de Trez Goarem in the hilly northwestern region of Brittany, located in an environmentally protected area.
Praia da Falésia in the Algarve is one of the most popular choices among tourists and is known for its cleanliness.
Over 90 beaches in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, which has a coastline stretching from Menton to the Camargue Regional Nature Park, have been awarded for their cleanliness.
With a coastline of over 4,900 miles (7,900 km), including islands, Italy is one of the most popular destinations for beach tourism with 457 Blue Flag-certified beaches.
Liguria, along the Italian Riviera, is one of the few Italian regions to be awarded 34 Blue Flags for 14 consecutive years.
From the vibrant resorts of Bodrum to the historic Antalya, Turkey boasts an impressive array of 551 Blue Flag beaches.
On top of the clean beaches, both Bodrum and Antalya offer captivating natural beauty and a vibrant culture with mesmerizing views of the Mediterranean.
The province of Antalya, renowned for its serene coastline, hosts 231 Blue Flag beaches.
One of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches in Spain is Playa de Burriana, located in the Andalusian resort town of Nerja.
With 628 certified beaches, Spain has for two consecutive years held the record for having the most Blue Flag beaches.
A long, sandy beach, Kampoudi has shallow waters, which is ideal for kids. It's also disability-friendly with ramps in different parts of the beach.
In addition to the 628 beaches, Spain was also awarded Blue Flags for 102 marinas and seven tourist boats.
Sources: (Blue Flag) (Condé Nast Traveler)
See also: Europe's most amazing beaches
Kampoudi, located near Ouranoupolis, has been awarded three Blue Flags each year since 1951.
You'll find Søndervig beach back on the mainland, which lies by the North Sea. It offers free Wi-Fi, access to showers, and water stations for pets.
It stretches for almost four miles (6 km) and can be recognized by the red cliffs, pine trees, and surrounding hiking trails.
Another awarded region is Tropea on the east coast of Calabria, in southern Italy. There you'll find clean, crystal-clear waters and soft sand surrounded by towering cliffs.
Greece comes in second place with 596 certified Blue Flags, 94 of them from the Halkidiki region on the northern side of the country.
With thousands of miles of diverse coastline, Europe is home to some of the most spectacular and cleanest beaches in the world. Many of these beaches have been recognized with a prestigious Blue Flag from the Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). It awards flags to beaches, marinas, and tourism boats based on a series of environmental, educational, water safety, and accessibility-related benchmarks. So if you're looking to visit beaches with a commitment to sustainability and top-notch amenities, be sure to head to the European nations in the following gallery.
Click on to discover the European countries with the cleanest beaches.
The European countries with the cleanest beaches
Discover Europe's most pristine Blue Flag beaches
TRAVEL Europe
With thousands of miles of diverse coastline, Europe is home to some of the most spectacular and cleanest beaches in the world. Many of these beaches have been recognized with a prestigious Blue Flag from the Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). It awards flags to beaches, marinas, and tourism boats based on a series of environmental, educational, water safety, and accessibility-related benchmarks. So if you're looking to visit beaches with a commitment to sustainability and top-notch amenities, be sure to head to the European nations in the following gallery.
Click on to discover the European countries with the cleanest beaches.