Portugal's Blue Flag Beaches: 2025 guide to the finest shores

One of the best things about Portugal is its incredible coastline, but with literally thousands of beaches, figuring out where to lay your towel can be tricky. That's where the Blue Flag award comes in handy. It's a globally recognised sign of quality that points you straight to the country's cleanest, safest, and most beautiful stretches of sand.

What are Blue Flag beaches in Portugal?

That blue flag you see flying over the sand isn't just for show. It's a proper international award and a seal of approval that tells you a beach is one of the best in the world. To earn one, a beach has to meet some seriously strict criteria set by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), covering everything from excellent, regularly tested water quality to environmental management. It also guarantees high standards of safety and good services, like clean facilities and access for everyone.

How many Blue Flag beaches are there in Portugal?

Portugal doesn't just have a few high-quality beaches; it's packed with them. For 2025, the country can boast an impressive 404 Blue Flag awards, which is an increase of six from the year before. This number includes 354 coastal beaches and 50 inland spots. This achievement solidifies Portugal's position on the world stage, placing it sixth out of all 51 participating countries for its award-winning locations.

Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0 Flickr

Standout Blue Flag Beaches in Central Portugal

Central Portugal offers an incredible variety of swimming spots, from the long, sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast, which are often backed by pine forests, to the peaceful river beaches tucked away in its green, hilly interior. 

Praia de Mira

This beautiful coastal beach isn't just a pretty spot; it's a record-holder. It has the unique honour of being the only beach in the entire world to have received a Blue Flag every single year since the awards began back in 1987. It’s a testament to its enduring quality and cleanliness.

Praia da Cova Gala

Located on the expansive coastline of Figueira da Foz, this beach has soft, golden sands and gentle waves. The conditions are also excellent for water sports like surfing and paddleboarding, giving you the best of both worlds. Nearby, you can also explore the traditional fishing centre and the lovely Cabedelo boardwalks.

Vitor Oliveira, CC BY-SA 2.0 Flickr

New Blue Flag beaches in the Alentejo

The Alentejo coastline is famous for being one of the wildest and unspoiled in Europe.  For 2025, the region has gained even more recognition for its pristine nature, including a new award for one of its inland bathing spots.

Praia de Monte Velho

As one of the newcomers to the 2025 Blue Flag list, this beach on the Santo André coast is a perfect example of the Alentejo's raw beauty. It’s a huge, open beach that feels wonderfully remote, making it the ideal choice if you’re looking to find a quiet spot and connect with nature.

Praia Fluvial de Albergaria dos Fusos

This new inland award in the Cuba municipality shows that the Alentejo isn’t just about the coast. The beach isn't on a river but on the calm waters of the Alvito Reservoir, also known as the Albufeira de Albergaria dos Fusos. This large, man-made lake provides a high-quality, safe, and clean freshwater alternative for swimming.

Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, CC BY-SA 2.0 Creative commons

A new Blue Flag gem in the Azores

The Azores are in a league of their own when it comes to swimming. With a coastline shaped by volcanoes, many of the best spots aren't traditional beaches but natural swimming pools formed among dark volcanic rocks. For 2025, another of these unique locations has been recognised.

Praia de Calheta dos Lagadores

New to the Blue Flag list, this spot on Terceira Island is absolutely stunning. It’s a small bay set amongst the striking black volcanic rocks of Biscoitos. The rocks form a natural barrier, creating a calm, sheltered swimming pool with beautifully clear water, protected from the powerful Atlantic waves.

Vitor Oliviera, CC BY-SA 2.0 Flickr

Madeira's newest Blue Flag Beach

While many of Madeira's swimming areas are pebble beaches or man-made lidos, the island does have a few rare sandy gems. For 2025, one of these special beaches has been added to the Blue Flag list, highlighting its exceptional quality.

Prainha

Located near the eastern tip of the island in Caniçal, this beach is one of the very few on Madeira with naturally occurring black volcanic sand. It's tucked into a sheltered cove, surrounded by a dramatic, arid landscape. It offers a completely different experience from anywhere else on the island.

Prime Blue Flag beaches in the Algarve

The Algarve is the undisputed king of Portuguese beaches, famous for its golden cliffs, hidden grottoes, and reliable sunshine. It consistently receives the highest number of Blue Flag awards in the country.

Praia da Falésia

Stretching for over six kilometres, it's famous for its dramatic, deep-orange cliffs that create a stunning contrast with the white sand and blue Atlantic. It regularly features highly on TripAdvisor's rankings for the world's best beaches, coming number one in 2024.

Praia da Senhora da Rocha

This is one of the most picture-perfect coves in the entire Algarve, and it's easy to see why it consistently earns a Blue Flag. What makes it truly special is the dramatic rocky headland with a tiny, ancient white chapel, the Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Rocha, perched on top. The water here is generally calm and sheltered, making it a great beach in Portugal for families. You can even walk through a tunnel carved in the rock to get from one side of the beach to the other.

Kolforn (Wikimedia), CC BY-SA 4.0 Creative commons

Top Blue Flag beaches in Northern Portugal

The coastline of Northern Portugal is wilder, more rugged, and often a bit cooler than the south. It’s a coastline of vast sandy beaches, powerful Atlantic waves, and great surfing spots.

Praia de Moledo

Located right on the Spanish border, this beach has a unique charm and a spectacular setting. From its golden sands, you have a direct view of the tiny island fortress, Forte da Ínsua, which you can visit by boat at high tide. Backed by a pine forest, Moledo has a laid-back, almost chic vibe and is very popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers.

Praia do Cabedelo

This is one of Europe's top spots for kitesurfing and windsurfing, thanks to the reliable north wind, the "Nortada." It's a long, curved beach with a pier at one end that helps create a calmer, more sheltered area perfect for families. The views across the river mouth to Viana do Castelo, one of Portugal's best coastal towns, and the Santa Luzia sanctuary on the hill are fantastic.

Sergei Gussev, CC BY 2.0 Creative commons

Outstanding Blue Flag beaches in the Tejo Region

The coast around Lisbon, part of the Tejo region, offers incredible variety, from sheltered little coves to vast surfing beaches, all easily reachable from the capital. 

Praia da Rainha

Right in the historic centre of Cascais, this is one of the most picturesque little beaches you'll ever see. It’s a tiny pocket of sand nestled between cliffs and fishermen's houses, and its name, "Queen's Beach," comes from being the private beach of Portugal's last queen. 

Praia do Guincho

Part of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, Guincho is a beach of raw, untamed beauty. It’s a huge expanse of sand backed by dunes and exposed to the full force of the Atlantic. Its strong winds and powerful waves make it a paradise for experienced surfers and kitesurfers (it even featured in a James Bond film).