bandeira azul
Published 8 November 2026, 22:44
bandeira azul — "Blue Flag", an award for a beach
An international award flown on a beach that has had good water quality in past seasons and has a lifeguard, cleaning, toilets and information boards. In Portugal the programme is run by the ABAE association, and you can check whether a particular beach has the flag, along with its other details, on the InfoÁgua service.
Where you come across it. The blue flag on a mast at the beach entrance, beach descriptions, resort advertising.
It is an award for past seasons and for facilities, not a report on the water today: if there is pollution, bathing is banned even on a Blue Flag beach. And the flag says nothing about waves or currents; that is what the lifeguard's flags are for.
Official website: infoagua.apambiente.pt