Blue Flags 2026: 257 Italian municipalities awarded

Published on 2026-05-15, the Blue Flags 2026 list records 257 awarded Italian municipalities, corresponding to 525 beaches. This figure accounts for about 11.6% of the beaches recognized worldwide.

• Top region: Liguria, with 35 confirmed Blue Flags.
• Losses and new entries: San Felice Circeo (LT), Patù (LE) and Castrignano del Capo (LE) lost their Blue Flag status; new recognized ports include Portomaran di Marano Lagunare (UD), Marina del Fezzano in Portovenere (SP) and Porto Carlo Riva in Rapallo (GE).
• Key regional figures: Puglia 27 (two new entries and two exits), Calabria adds four, Campania and Marche confirm 20 each, Tuscany rises to 20, Sardinia 17, Sicily 16, Abruzzo 16, Trentino-Alto Adige 12, Emilia-Romagna 11, Lazio drops to 10, Veneto 9, Basilicata 5, Piedmont 4, Lombardy up to 4, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Molise confirm 2 each.

The Blue Flag award remains a benchmark for environmental and management quality of coastal destinations and marinas. The 2026 data highlight regional shifts with entries and exits that reflect targeted assessments on water quality, services and territorial management.