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Date Published: 12/10/2026

Three of only seven beaches worldwide to hold 40 years of Blue Flag status are right here in Alicante

San Juan beach joins an elite global group that’s never once lost the prestigious award since 1987

Alicante has some genuine bragging rights this autumn. Of the seven beaches worldwide that have held Blue Flag status without a single interruption since the award began in 1987, three sit right here in the province.

San Juan beach, the largest stretch of sand in the city of Alicante, was formally recognised for its 40 unbroken years at the third International Blue Flag Congress, held in Islantilla, Huelva, and organised by the Association for Environmental and Consumer Education in collaboration with the Islantilla Association and the councils of Lepe and Isla Cristina.

That’s a genuinely rare feat. Only six beaches across the entire Valencian Community have managed it, a group that already included San Juan alongside La Fossa in Calpe and Carrer la Mar in El Campello, plus El Carregador in Alcalà de Xivert, Sant Antoni in Cullera and Nord in Gandía. The seventh and final beach on the global list is Bastiagueiro in Oleiros, Galicia.

Manuel Villar, the Councillor for the Environment in Alicante, didn’t hold back his pride at the achievement. “On behalf of all the residents of Alicante,” he said, the recognition reflects “the continuous care of our entire coastline,” calling it a genuine “success” built on decades of consistent effort. Alongside San Juan’s milestone award, four other Blue Flags were also renewed this year for the city’s main beaches and natural areas.

Nearly 300 professionals from the tourism, scientific, environmental and emergency response sectors attended the congress, among them Juan Luis Beresaluze, head of Alicante’s Environment and Mayor’s Office, who took part in a discussion panel sharing the city’s technical experience and best practice with colleagues from across the sector.

Keeping a Blue Flag for four decades isn’t simple. The award is judged against four main criteria, water quality, environmental management, safety provisions including lifeguard cover, and accessibility for all beachgoers.

Holding onto the flag is far from guaranteed even for well known beaches, since a dozen popular Spanish beaches, including Puerto Banús in Marbella and Cala Fustera in nearby Benissa, actually lost their Blue Flag status earlier this year due to issues like overcrowding, poor maintenance or safety shortfalls.

Against that backdrop, San Juan’s record looks even more impressive. The Alicante delegation at the congress put the achievement down to sustained investment from the council and genuine collaboration between its various departments, rather than any single quick fix, proof that keeping a beach in top condition really does take decades of consistent work.

Image: alicanteturismo

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