Blue flags 2023
Blue sea in 226 Italian municipalities, for a total of 458 beaches: these are the numbers for the year 2023 of the blue flags, the international recognition granted by the Foundation for Environmental Education (Fee) every year to seaside resorts and tourist landings that meet management criteria sustainable area. In addition to the 226 municipalities, for a total of 458 beaches (equal to 11% of those awarded worldwide), 84 landing places were also awarded. Among the big news, the region Puglia can boast four: Gallipoli, Tremiti Islands, Leporano and Vieste. Lombardy (Sirmione and Toscolano Maderno), Calabria (Catanzaro and Rocca Imperiale), Liguria (Laigueglia and Sori) and Piedmont (San Maurizio D’Opaglio and Verbania) follow with two new entries. In Emilia Romagna Gatteo also enters the list (while the municipality of Cattolica has not been reconfirmed), in Campania San Mauro Cilento, in the Marches Porto San Giorgio lands, in Molise Termoli receives the recognition and in Tuscany Orbetello.
Let’s see the complete list, region by region.
Liguria in first place 34 locations
With the two new entrances, Liguria is the Italian region that conquers more blue flags distributed in 34 municipalities: Bordighera, Sanremo, Taggia, Riva Ligure, Santo Stefano al Mare, San Lorenzo al Mare, Imperia and Diano Marina (in the province of Imperia); Laigueglia, Ceriale, Borghetto Santo Spirito, Loano, Pietra Ligure, Finale Ligure, Noli, Spotorno, Bergeggi, Savona, Albissola Marina, Albisola Superiore, Celle Ligure, Varazze (in the province of Savona); Sori, Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure, Chiavari, Lavagna, Sestri Levante, Moneglia (in the province of Genoa); Framura, Bonassola, Levanto, Lerici and Ameglia (in the province of La Spezia).
To these are added 16 tourist landing places: Cala del Forte (Ventimiglia), Port of Bordighera (Bordighera), Portosole (Sanremo), Marina degli Aregai (Santo Stefano al Mare), Marina di San Lorenzo (San Lorenzo al Mare), Porto Imperia (Imperia), Marina di Andora (Andora), Marina di Alassio – Porto Luca Ferrari (Alassio), Marina di Loano (Loano), Old Darsena Savona (Savona), Cala Cravieu (Celle Ligure), Marina di Varazze ( Varazze), Marina di Chiavari (Chiavari), Marina di Porto Venere (Porto Venere), Porto Mirabello (La Spezia) and Porto Lotti (La Spezia).
Second place for Puglia (22 municipalities)
The Puglia region takes second place with 22 blue flags from the following municipalities: Tremiti Islands, Rodi Garganico, Peschici, Vieste and Zapponeta (in the province of Foggia); Margherita di Savoia and Bisceglie in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani; Polignano a Mare and Monopoli (Bari); Fasano, Ostuni and Carovigno (in the province of Brindisi); Ginosa, Castellaneta, Leporano and Maruggio (in the province of Taranto); Melendugno, Castro, Salve, Ugento, Gallipoli and Nardò (in the province of Lecce).
On the other hand, there are seven tourist ports in Puglia: Tourist Port Marina di Leuca (Marina di Leuca), Tourist Port of San Foca (Melendugno), Marina di Brindisi (Brindisi), Cala Ponte Marina (Polignano a Mare), Tourist Port Marina Resort ‘Bisceglie Approdi’ (Bisceglie), Marina del Gargano (Manfredonia) and Porto Turistico Rodi Garganico (Rodi Garganico).
Tuscany wins 19 blue flags
Last place on the podium for three regions, Tuscany, Calabria and Campania, which in 2023 received blue flags in 19 municipalities. For Tuscany they are: Carrara and Massa (in the province of Massa-Carrara); Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, Camaiore and Viareggio (in the province of Lucca); Pisa; Livorno, Rosignano Marittimo, Cecina, Bibbona, Castagneto Carducci, San Vincenzo, Piombino and Marciana Marina (in the province of Livorno); Follonica, Castiglione della Pescaia, Grosseto and Orbetello (in the province of Grossetto).
There are seven Tuscan tourist landing places: Port of Pisa (Pisa), Marina Cala de’ Medici (Rosignano Marittimo), Port of Marciana Marina (Marciana Marina), Porto Azzurro (Porto Azzurro), Marina di Punta Ala (Castiglione della Pescaia), Port of Maremma (Grosseto) and Marina Cala Galera (Monte Argentario).
19 municipalities also for Campania
In Campania, on the other hand, the 19 blue flags are distributed among: Vico Equense, Piano di Sorrento, Sorrento, Massa Lubrense, Anacapri (in the province of Naples); Positano, Capaccio Paestum, Agropoli, Castellabate, Montecorice, San Mauro Cilento, Pollica, Casal Velino, Ascea, Pisciotta, Centola, Camerota, Ispani and Vibonati.
There are nine landing places: Sudcantieri (Pozzuoli), Cala degli Aragonesi (Casamicciola), Yachting Santa Margherita (Procida), Tourist Port of Capri (Capri), Marina D’Arechi (Salerno), Tourist Port of Agropoli (Agropoli), Marina di Acciaroli (Pollica), Tourist Port of Palinuro (Centola) and San Domenico – Port of Camerota (Marina di Camerota).
Even Calabria with 19 blue flags
In the Calabria region, the 19 municipalities that have received the blue flag are: Tortora, Praia a Mare, San Nicola Arcella, Santa Maria del Cedro, Diamante, Rocca Imperiale, Roseto Capo Spulico, Trebisacce and Villapiana (in the province of Cosenza); Cirò Marina, Melissa, Isola di Capo Rizzuto (in the province of Crotone); Sellia Marina, Catanzaro and Soverato (in the province of Catanzaro); Tropea (Vibo Valentia); Caulonia, Roccella Jonica and Siderno (in the province of Reggio Calabria). To these are added two landings: Porto delle Grazie (Roccella Jonica) and . Tourist Dock Port of Cetraro (Cetraro).
Marche gets 18 blue flags
In 2023 blue flags for 18 municipalities in the Marche region: Gabicce Mare, Pesaro, Fano, Mondolfo (in the province of Pesaro-Urbino); Senigallia, Ancona, Sirolo, Numana (in the province of Ancona); Porto Recanati, Potenza Picena, Civitanova Marche (in the province of Macerata); Fermo, Porto San Giorgio, Altidona, Pedaso (in the province of Fermo); Cupra Marittima, Grottammare and San Benedetto del Tronto (in the province of Ascoli Piceno).
Six tourist landing places: Sambenedettese Nautical Club (San Benedetto del Tronto), Marina di Porto San Giorgio (Porto San Giorgio), Tourist Port of Numana (Numana), Marina Dorica (Ancona), Porto della Rovere (Senigallia) and Marina dei Cesari (Fano).
In Sardinia recognition to 14 localities
In Sardinia there are 14 municipalities with blue flag beaches: Badesi, Castelsardo, Sorso, Sassari, Santa Teresa Gallura, Aglientu, Trinità d’Agultu and Vignola, La Maddalena, Palau, Budoni (in the province of Sassari); Oristano; Tortolì, Bari Sardo (in the province of Nuoro); Quartu Sant’Elena in the province of Cagliari and Sant’Antioc in the south of Sardinia.
Instead, there are eight landings: Port of Santa Teresa Gallura (Santa Teresa Gallura), Cala Gavetta (La Maddalena), Marina dell’Orso di Poltu Quatu (Arzachena), Marina di Porto Cervo (Arzachena), Marina di Portisco (Olbia), Tourist Port of Castelsardo (Castelsardo ), Marina di Baunei and Santa Maria Navarrese (Santa Maria Navarrese) and Marina di Capitana (Quartu Sant’Elena).
11 blue flag locations in Sicily
The blue flags of Sicily are in 11 municipalities: Alì Terme, Roccalumera, Furci Siculo, Santa Teresa di Riva, Lipari and Tusa (in the province of Messina); Menfi in the province of Agrigento; Modica, Ispica, Pozzallo and Ragusa (in the province of Ragusa).
There are two landing places: Capo d’Orlando Marina (Capo d’Orlando) and Marina del Nettuno (Messina).
Nine municipalities in Emilia-Romagna
Nine municipalities also in Emilia-Romagna have obtained the recognition of the blue flag: Comacchio (Ferrara), Ravenna and Cervia in the province of Ravenna; Cesenatico, Gatteo and San Mauro Pascoli (in the province of Forlì-Cesena); Bellaria Igea Marina, Riccione and Misano Adriatico (in the province of Rimini).
Portoverde (Misano Adriatico) obtains it as a tourist port.
Ten blue flags of Lazio
Blue Flag in ten towns in the Lazio region: Trevignano Romano and Anzio in the province of Rome; Latina, Sabaudia, San Felice Circeo, Terracina, Fondi, Sperlonga, Gaeta and Minturno (in the province of Latina).
There are two landing places: Port of Sperlonga (Sperlonga) and Base Nautica Flavio Gioia (Gaeta).
Ten municipalities in Trentino
In Trentino Alto-Adige there are ten blue flag municipalities, all in the province of Trento: Bedollo, Baselga di Pinè, Pergine Valsugana, Tenna, Calceranica al Lago, Caldonazzo, Lavarone, Levico Terme, Sella Giudicarie and Bondone.
Veneto: nine blue flag municipalities
In Veneto nine municipalities receive the recognition: San Michele al Tagliamento, Caorle, Eraclea, Jesolo, Cavallino Treporti, Venice and Chioggia (in the province of Venice); Rosolina and Porto Tolle (in the province of Rovigo).
There are just as many tourist landing places: Porto Barricata (Porto Tolle), Marina di Albarella (Rosolina), Darsena Le Saline (Chioggia), Venezia Certosa Marina (Venice), Marina del Cavallino (Cavallino Treporti), Tourist Port of Jesolo (Jesolo), Darsena dell’Orologio (Caorle), Marina Resort Portobaselghe (San Michele al Tagliamento).
Abruzzo: 13 blue flag locations
There are 13 municipalities in Abruzzo that have blue flag beaches: Martinsicuro, Alba Adriatica, Tortoreto, Giulianova, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Pineto and Silvi (in the province of Teramo); breaking latest news; Francavilla al Mare, Fossacesia, Vasto, San Salvo (in the province of Chieti); Villalago in the province of L’Aquila.
Marina di breaking latest news (breaking latest news) is a tourist port.
Basilicata with 5 municipalities
Basilicata receives the recognition of the blue flag in 2023 for five beaches distributed in: Maratea (Potenza); Bernalda, Pisticci, Policoro and Nova Siri (in the province of Matera). Marina di Policoro (Policoro), on the other hand, is a tourist port.
Also in Piedmont 5 localities
Blue flags also for five towns in Piedmont: Cannobio, Cannero Riviera, Verbania (in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola); San Maurizio D’Opaglio and Gozzano in the province of Novara.
Two blue flags in Molise
Two Italian blue flag locations in 2023 also in Molise: Termoli and Campomarino, in the province of Campobasso.
Three municipalities in Lombardy
With the two new entries in 2023, Lombardy has a total of three municipalities with blue flag recognition, all in the province of Brescia: Toscolano-Maderno, Gardone Riviera and Sirmione.
Friuli-Venezia Giulia with two locations
Finally, two municipalities have also received recognition in Friuli-Venezia Giulia: Grado, in the province of Gorizia, and Lignano Sabbiadoro, in the province of Udine.
On the other hand, the tourist landing places are much more: Marina Uno Tourist Port (Lignano Sabbiadoro), Marina Punta Verde (Lignano Sabbiadoro), Marina Punta Faro (Lignano Sabbiadoro), Darsena Porto Vecchio (Lignano Sabbiadoro), Marina Punta Gabbiani (Aprilia Marittima) , Darsena Aprilia Marittima (Aprilia Marittima), Marina Capo Nord (Aprilia Marittima)Shipyards Marina San Giorgio (San Giorgio di Nogaro), Marina Sant’Andrea (San Giorgio di Nogaro), Marina Monfalcone (Monfalcone), Porto San Vito (Grado), Darsena San Marco (Grado), Marina Portopiccolo (Trieste) and Lega Italian Naval (Trieste).