Xàbia retains blue flag status for the beaches of La Grava, Arenal and Granadella

Monday 12th May 2022 – Mike Smith
Sources: original article – Carlos López (Xàbia AL DÍA) / press release – GVA

The Marina Alta has a new beach with blue flag status. The beach of Cala Baladrar in Benissa has received this prestigious award, the second for the municipality along with Cala Fustera. In total, the region has 18 blue flag beaches with another five for the marinas.

• Xàbia: L’Arenal, Granadella, La Grava.
• Benissa: Cala Baladrar, Cala Fustera.
• Calp: Cantal Roig, La Fossa, L’Arenal-Bol.
• Dénia: Les Bovetes, Les Deveses, Les Marines, Marineta Cassiana, Molins, Punta del Raset.
• El Poble Nou de Benitatxall: Cala del Moraig.
• Teulada: El Portet; La Ampolla, Les Platgetes.

The Comunidad Valenciana is once again the autonomous community in Spain with the most blue flags, 158, which accounts for almost 22% of the national total. This status recognises the quality and services of 139 beaches (two more than 2021) and 19 marinas (three more than last year).

The regional secretary for Agriculture, Rural Development, Climate Emergency and Ecological Transition, Mireia Mollà, congratulated the 35 municipalities which have received this recognition, highlighting their joint work throughout the year to guarantee the quality of water, provision of services and attractiveness for residents and visitors to the Comunidad Valenciana.

She added that the regional government monitors the quality of water in 260 sampling points along the Valencian coast during the bathing season and the data is published weekly on its website. In recent years, the quality has been double the minimum requirement set by the Spanish government.

The province of Alicante has been awarded the most blue flags in the whole of Spain, with 91 (12.5% of the national total), well ahead of Pontevedra (Galicia) which has been awarded 63, and Málaga (Andalucia) which has 44. The municipality of Orihuela has the most blue flag beaches, a total of 12, whilst Torrevieja leads the way with marinas.

With regards to the rest of the Comunidad Valenciana, the province of Castellón has 32 blue flags (31 beaches and one marina) whilst the province of Valencia has 35 (34 beaches and one marina).

This year, the Generalitat Valenciana has already allocated over 2.1 million euros to assist municipalities with the purification, sanitation and filtration projects that promote the regeneration of water, aiming to maintain the environmental quality of the region’s beaches as well as their services and facilities.

Click here to learn more about the iconic Blue Flag status.