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Murcia has had its best ever year for Blue Flag awards, with 41 flags heading to the Region for 2026, five more than last year. A total of 33 beaches and eight marinas across six municipalities will be flying the coveted blue flag this summer, and the Region has also earned the distinction of becoming the single-province autonomous community with the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in the whole of Spain, matching the Balearic Islands, which benefits from having 15 municipalities compared to Murcia's six.

 

Águilas leads the way with ten award-winning beaches and two marinas, making it the third most decorated town in Spain, behind only Vigo and Sanxenxo. Cartagena isn't far behind in fourth place nationally, with nine beach awards and two marina awards, plus the beach it shares with San Javier, Banco del Tabal-Calnegre.

 

Mazarrón comes third in the regional rankings with six beach awards and two marina awards, while San Javier and San Pedro del Pinatar each received three beach awards, with San Pedro adding two more for its marinas. Lorca rounds out the list with an award for Calnegre beach.

 

Four beaches have recovered their Blue Flag status this year, three in Águilas, El Hornillo, La Carolina and La Higuerica, and one in Cartagena, La Azohía-El Cuartel. The Mazarrón Marina has also received environmental recognition for the first time.

 

It's also worth noting that every coastal regional park in Murcia now has at least one Blue Flag beach.

Calnegre beach represents the Cabo Cope and Puntas de Calnegre Regional Park, Las Salinas (La Llana) and Torre Derribada fly the flag for the Salinas and Arenales de San Pedro Regional Park, and Calblanque represents the Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas and Peña del Águila Regional Park.

 

Minister for Tourism Carmen Conesa described the increase as a reflection of "the Region's commitment to sustainability, environmental quality and the continuous improvement of our coastline," adding that the concentration of 33 Blue Flag beaches across just six municipalities, compared to 15 in the Balearic Islands, makes the achievement all the more impressive.

 

Here's the full list of this year's award winners across the Region:

 

Águilas: Calarreona, El Hornillo, La Carolina, La Casica Verde, La Colonia, La Higuerica, Las Delicias, Levante, Matalentisco and Poniente beaches; Águilas Nautical Club and Juan Montiel Marina.

 

Cartagena: Cala Cortina, Cala del Barco, Calblanque, El Portús, Isla Plana, La Azohía-El Cuartel, La Chapineta, Levante-Cabo de Palos and San Ginés beaches; Real Club de Regatas de Cartagena and Yacht Port Cartagena.

 

Mazarrón: Alamillo, Bahía-La Reya, Del Mojón, Grande-Castellar, Nares and Rihuete beaches; Club de Regatas de Mazarrón and Puerto Deportivo de Mazarrón.

 

San Pedro del Pinatar: El Mojón, Las Salinas (La Llana) and Torre Derribada beaches; Marina Salinas and Club Náutico Villa de San Pedro.

 

San Javier: El Arenal, Ensenada del Esparto and Pedrucho beaches.

 

San Javier/Cartagena: Banco del Tabal-Calnegre.

 

Lorca: Calnegre.

 

Images: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena / Turismo Region de Murcia