A total of 34 Galician municipalities will have a blue flag on their beaches this summer – precisely 112–, being the sandy areas of Porto Suevos, in the municipality of Arteixo; Bando do Rio, in Bueu; and Santa Baia, in Vigo, the three who will wear this shield for the first time.
The Blue Flag is the symbol with which the Association for Environmental and Consumer Education (ADEAC) recognizes sandbars around the world every year on the basis of sustainability and service criteria.
Galicia, together with the Valencian Community and Andalusia, is the Spanish community that receives the highest number of blue badges on its beaches every year, concentrating one flag out of five assigned this 2022 throughout the national territory.
A total of 166 badges have been designed for Galicia, which represents an increase of 11 compared to last year’s figures. Thus, 112 sandbanks extending for 42.7 km were recognized – one more than in 2021–; 11 marinas; 14 facilities dedicated to environmental education and attention to visitors – incorporating the O Faro de Cabo Vilán visitor center as the new blue centre; and 29 trails that will become blue trails – adding 9 more from last year – and thus being the community with the most flags in this section, ADEAC has convened these badges this year as an independent program.
MOST AWARDED MUNICIPALITIES and DATA BY PROVINCE. The province of Pontevedra once again has in its territory the Spanish municipality with the highest number of blue flags on its beaches, Sanxenxo, with a total of 17 – repeating the same branding of last year – as well as adding three badges for its ports tourism and a new blue centre. Vigo also stands out, with 11 beaches – with the addition of Santa Baia, one more than in 2021 -; Baiona, with 6 beaches and 1 port; Cangas, with 6 sandy beaches and 1 port; Marín and Bueu, both with 5 beaches and 2 blue centers.
In the case of the province of A Coruña, Arteixo continues to be the municipality with the most awards, with a total of 8; The city of A Coruña is awarded 5 of its beaches and one port; Oleiros, for its part, will have 5 blue flags on its sandbanks this year, as well as two blue centers.
As for the province of Lugo, Foz repeats itself with the municipality of Lugo with more beaches that will wear the blue sticker, for a total of 5; Burela, with 3 beaches and 2 blue centres; and Barreiros, which recovers the label for Fonte Valea beach, thus adding 3 blue flag beaches.
CRITERIA OF EXCELLENCE. Obtaining blue flags in ports and beaches is marked by a series of criteria required by the ADEAC, which are related to the quality of the water, which must be excellent; safety and accessibility; supply of services; and the environmental management and sustainability of these spaces. As for the blue centers, they must promote environmental education on the coast, as well as knowledge of the environment and the available leisure alternatives.
The Xunta wanted to congratulate the effort made by all the awarded Municipalities, having presented “the best and most complete applications and obtaining consolidated international recognition as a symbol of quality and excellence of the beaches, ports, paths and nature centers in Galicia”.
BEACHES WITH BLUE FLAG. In the province of A Coruña, 14 municipalities and 36 beaches will have the badge. These are the sandy beaches of As Lapas, Orzán-Matadero, Oza, Riazor and San Amaro (A Coruña); Caion (La Laracha); A Hucha, A Salsa, Barrañán, Combouzas, O Reiro, Sabón, Valcobo, Porto de Suevos (Arteixo); Lago das Pontes (As Pontes); Gandário (Bergondo); Arou (Camariñas); Pedra do Sal, Razo, Saínas (Oak); The Ezar; Ferrol. The Frigate-O Pareixal, Doniños, Esmelle, San Xurxo (Dumbría); Laxe (Laxe); Perbes-Andahío (Mino); Bastiagueiro, Espineiro, Mera, Navale, Santa Cristina (Pollers); L’Ermida, Balarés, L’Osmo (Ponteceso); Coroso (Ribeira).
In the province of Lugo, 8 municipalities and 18 beaches will have the blue flag, they are Fontela Valea, Coto, A Pasada (Barreiros); A Marosa, O Portelo, Ril (Burela); The Lathe (The Deer); In Rapadoira, Areoura, As Polas, Llas, Peizás (Foz); Open, Xilloi (The Vicedo); The Cathedrals, The Castros Islands (Ribadeo); Sand (nursery); Esteiro (Jupiter).
In the province of Pontevedra, 12 municipalities and 58 beaches will be awarded, including: Area Grande, O Muíño (A Guarda); Secada Sand, Bao (Arousa Island); Barbeira, Concheira, Frades, Ladeira, Ribeira, Santa Marta (Bayonne); Area de Bon, Banda do Río, Lagos, Lapamán, Portomaior (Bueu); Areabrava, Areamilla, Liméns, Menduíña, Nerga (Bueu); Aguete, Loira, Mogor, Portocelo, Santo do Mar-A Coviña – 2 beaches, 1 request – (Marín); The Con (Moana); Headboard (Poio); The Causeway (Caldelas Bridge); A Lapa, Agra, Aree, Aree Gordas, Baltar, ,Bascuas, Canelas, Caneliñas, O Espineiro-A Lanzada, Foxos, Major, Montalvo, Nosa Señora da Lanzada, Panadeira, Paxariñas, Pragueira, Silgar (Sanxenxo); In Punta, Argazada, Canido, Carril, Fontaíña, Fortiñón, O Vao, Rodas (Cíes Islands), Samil, Santa Baia, Tombo do Gato (Vigo); Campapanario, Compostela (Vilagarcía de Arousa).
PORTS WITH BLUE FLAG. In the province of A Coruña there will be 4 ports that will have a blue flag: the Real Club Náutico A Coruña-Marina Real (A Coruña); Club Nautico Boiro-Marina Cabo de Cruz (Boiro); Sada Nautical Club, Porto Deportivo Sadamar (Sada); and the Real Club Náutico de Portosín (Portoson).
For its part, the province of Lugo will only have the Porto Deportivo de Ribadeo.
The province of Pontevedra will have 6 ports with the blue sticker, among which you will find: Monte Real Club de Iates de Baiona; Porto Deportivo Cangas (Real Club Nautico Rodeira); Real Club Náutico Sanxenxo, Club Náutico Portonovo de Sanxenxo, Porto Deportivo Juan Carlos I de Sanxenxo.
BLUE CENTERS. The province of A Coruña will have 5 blue centers. These are the centers located in Oleiros: Visitor Center of the Natural Monument of the Costa de Dexo-Serantes, CEIDA-Center for University Extension and Environmental Disclosure of Galicia; Costa da Morte Golmar Watermills Interpretation Center (A Laracha); Visitor Center of the Cabo Vilán Lighthouse, Man de Camelle Museum (Camariñas).
The province of Lugo will have 3 centres: Centro de Educación Medioambiental Gaia, Barco Museo Reina del Carmen (Burela); Carpintería de Ribeira Francisco Fra (Deer).
Meanwhile, in the province of Pontevedra, 6 centers will have the blue stamp: Aula de Natureza Cabo Udra, Centro de Interpretación Agrelo (Bueu); As Interpretation Center of Telleiras (Sanxenxo); Conservation Interpretation Center (Arousa Island); Petroglyphs Interpretation Center of Mogor, Ateneo Santa Cecilia (in Marín).
