Albufeira stands out again as the Portuguese municipality with the most awards, with a total of 26 Blue Flags, divided between 25 beaches and the local marina. This result confirms the importance of the Algarve as a sun and sea destination, recently recognised by the World Travel Awards, for the third time, as the “Best Beach Destination in the World”. Furthermore, Praia da Falésia, in Albufeira, received the award for “Best Beach in the World” by TripAdvisor in 2024.

For André Gomes, president of Turismo do Algarve, “these distinctions reflect the ongoing commitment of Algarve municipalities to environmental sustainability, quality infrastructure and beach safety, factors that our visitors value so much and which reinforce the competitiveness of the Algarve as a world-class destination.”

The Blue Flag Program is coordinated in Portugal by the Blue Flag Association for the Environment and Education (ABAAE), which this year granted 444 awards nationwide, of which 404 were given to beaches, 18 to marinas and 22 to ecotourism vessels, placing Portugal in sixth place among the 51 participating countries.

The official ceremony to raise the first Blue Flag in a national marina will take place in the Algarve, at Vilamoura Marina, on 20 June.

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