Overview

• Italy now boasts 246 coastal municipalities and 84 tourist ports with Blue Flags, encompassing 487 beaches, representing 11.5% of global awards.
• Fifteen new municipalities, including Formia, Cattolica, and Messina, earned Blue Flags, while five lost their recognition this year.
• Liguria remains the top-performing region with 33 Blue Flags, followed by Puglia with 27 and Calabria with 23, each gaining new entries.
• The Blue Flag program evaluates 32 criteria, including water quality, waste management, safety, and accessibility, updated to drive continuous improvement.
• Municipalities are now required to submit Sustainability Action Plans for 2025–2027, focusing on mobility, climate change, and environmental preservation.