Eight blue flags, 19 Q for Quality and another 19 S for Sustainability are already flying on the Marbella coastline. The town is the eighth in Spain with the most blue flags.
Marbella has deployed a total of 46 distinction flags on its beaches this summer, consisting of eight blue flags, 19 Q for Quality and 19 S for Sustainability. The municipality consolidates its position as the eighth in all of Spain with the most blue awards, according to data provided by the Town Hall.
The beaches with blue flags
The eight blue flags are flying at the beaches of Cabopino, El Cable, El Faro, La Fontanilla, Nagüeles-Casablanca, Los Monteros (Adelfas), San Pedro de Alcántara (Guadalmina) and Venus-Bajadilla. Compared to last year, the flag for Levante-Puerto Banús has been lost and the flags for Nagüeles and Casablanca have been unified into one, whereas they were previously two.
These flags are awarded by the Association for Environmental Education and Consumer (ADEAC) and the European Federation for Environmental Education (FEE), which have been evaluating the beaches that apply for them for 39 years. To obtain them, the beaches must meet criteria for environmental information, water quality, environmental management, and safety and services.
The Q and S certifications
In addition to the blue flags, the Marbella coastline boasts 19 Q flags for Quality and another 19 S flags for Sustainability, both awarded by the Institute for Spanish Tourism Quality and Sustainability (ICTES). These distinctions are present at beaches such as Cabopino, Casablanca, Guadalmina, Bajadilla, Fontanilla, Venus, Víbora, Lindavista, Nagüeles, Río Verde, San Pedro Alcántara, El Faro, El Cable, Adelfas, Nueva Andalucía, Puerto Banús, Real de Zaragoza, Realejo and central Marbella.
The Marbella Town Hall pays the ICTES for these certifications, a cost it assumes to maintain the quality of its beaches. For bathers, this translates into services such as lifeguarding, accessibility, cleanliness, and signage, which are reviewed periodically.
The sand problem
Despite the awards, Marbella's beaches face a historical problem: the lack of sand. The promenade, built irregularly in many sections, has encroached on the coastline and left buildings very close to the water. This causes, in some areas, a scarcity of sand, especially at high tide. The Town Hall is studying solutions such as sand replenishment, but for now, there is no definitive plan.
For locals or tourists wanting to enjoy the beaches, the recommendation is to check the status of each one on the municipal website, where flags and available services are updated. The 46 distinctions, despite the erosion problems, keep Marbella as a benchmark for quality on the Andalusian coast.
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