Blue Flag beaches 2026 in the Algarve: list by municipality, what it means and bathing season

Updated: 10 November 2026

The Blue Flag is a yearly award for beaches, marinas and boats that meet criteria on water quality, safety, services and environmental education and management. In Portugal it is coordinated by ABAAE (Associação Bandeira Azul de Ambiente e Educação), as part of the international programme run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). This guide sets out what we could check on 10 November 2026 in news reports citing ABAAE and the municipalities, and in the government order (portaria) that sets the bathing season. We could not open ABAAE's official PDF with the 2026 lists: anything we have not confirmed is marked "not confirmed". The 2027 list is expected in spring 2027.

2026 figures at a glance

Data ABAAE announced on 30 April 2026, as reported by the press:

Portugal: 438 awards (6 fewer than in 2025) in 100 municipalities: 396 beaches (350 coastal and 46 inland), 21 marinas and 21 eco-tourism boats. A further 31 Blue Centres were recognised.
Algarve: 86 beaches (85 sea beaches and 1 inland), level with the North as the region with most beaches; adding 6 marinas, 2 eco-tourism boats and 2 Blue Centres (Loulé and Lagoa), that makes 96 awards.
New in the Algarve: Albufeira de Odeleite reservoir and Praia Verde Lago (Castro Marim), Nova Marina de Vilamoura and Marina de Olhão. Praia dos Pescadores (Albufeira) dropped off the list.
2026 marks 40 years of the programme in Portugal. ABAAE put the fall in awards down to the weather in the previous season, which affected water quality, and called it a one-off.

List by municipality: what is confirmed

The Algarve's 16 municipalities (concelhos), according to the 2026 news reports we checked:

Albufeira: 24 Blue Flag beaches (25 in 2025; Praia dos Pescadores left). The Algarve's first flag of 2026 was raised on 8 June at Praia da Rocha Baixinha Nascente. Names of the 24 beaches: not confirmed.
Faro: 4 beaches: Faro-Mar, Ilha da Barreta, Ilha do Farol-Mar and Ilha da Culatra-Mar.
Olhão: 4 beaches (Armona-Mar, Armona-Ria, Fuseta-Mar and Fuseta-Ria) and, for the first time, Marina de Olhão.
Castro Marim: 5 beaches: Alagoa-Altura, Praia Verde, Praia Verde Lago, Cabeço and Albufeira de Odeleite (the Algarve's only inland Blue Flag beach in 2026).
Loulé: 10 beaches, every one in the municipality: Quinta do Lago, Ancão, Garrão Nascente, Garrão Poente, Vale do Lobo, Loulé Velho, Almargem, Forte Novo, Quarteira and Vilamoura (according to Postal do Algarve, citing ABAAE and the Municipality). Nova Marina de Vilamoura is new in 2026 and the municipality has a Blue Centre.
Lagoa: 6 beaches: Ferragudo / Praia Grande, Caneiros, Carvoeiro, Vale Centeanes, Senhora da Rocha and Vale Olival (according to Barlavento, citing ABAAE and the Municipality).
Portimão: 5 beaches: Rocha, Três Castelos, Vau, Três Irmãos and Alvor, plus Marina de Portimão (according to Barlavento, 23 June 2026).
Silves: 2 beaches: Armação de Pêra and Praia Grande Poente (according to Postal do Algarve, 26 June 2026).
Tavira: 4 beaches: Ilha de Tavira, Cabanas (sea), Terra Estreita and Barril, at Santa Luzia (according to Postal do Algarve, 2 July 2026).
Vila do Bispo: at least Burgau, Castelejo and Salema renewed their flag in 2026, according to Tomorrow Magazine; full list and number: not confirmed (10 in 2023).
Vila Real de Santo António: 4 beaches: Manta Rota, Lota, Monte Gordo and Santo António (according to ABAAE's regional lists of 30-4-2026; more detail in the VRSA and Castro Marim guide).
Aljezur and Lagos: 2026 numbers and names not confirmed (we only found lists from earlier years). For reference, in 2023 they were: Aljezur 4 and Lagos 3.
In total, 44 beaches have a confirmed 2026 name in 9 municipalities (Faro, Olhão, Castro Marim, Loulé, Lagoa, Portimão, Silves, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António), plus Albufeira's 24 by number only.
Monchique, São Brás de Alportel and Alcoutim: no coastal beaches. Alcoutim has one inland bathing area (Pego Fundo), but since Odeleite is the Algarve's only inland Blue Flag beach in 2026, we infer it has no Blue Flag.
Before choosing, check the official list on ABAAE's website (bandeiraazul.abaae.pt) or with the municipality.

What the Blue Flag means

According to ABAAE, as quoted by the press:

The criteria cover water quality, use of the beach space, safety and services, lifeguard cover and environmental information and education, plus environmental management and community involvement.
2026 is a transition year: from 2027 the criteria become stricter and applications will be validated by external auditors.
A beach can join or leave the list from one year to the next. In 2026 there was an extra application round, with the international jury meeting on 16 September; the outcome: not confirmed.
What it does not guarantee: it is not a ranking of the most beautiful beaches, and it does not mean lifeguards outside the bathing season.

2026 bathing season in the Algarve

According to Portaria 204-A/2026/1 of 30 April, which lists the bathing waters and sets each one's season:

Nationally, the 2026 bathing season runs from 15 April to 31 October (the widest span across all beaches). Portugal has 671 official bathing waters in 2026.
Albufeira: 15 May to 15 October, the longest in the Algarve.
Other Algarve beaches: 1 June to 30 September, on our reading of the order's annexes.
Albufeira de Odeleite (Castro Marim): 1 July to 31 August. Pego Fundo (Alcoutim): 1 June to 13 September.
The Blue Flag only flies during the bathing season (in 2026 the Algarve's first went up on 8 June). Out of season, for example in November, the beach stays on that year's list but there is normally no flag and no lifeguards.
2027 seasons depend on the 2027 order: not confirmed.

«Praia Acessível» and «Qualidade de Ouro»

Two awards separate from the Blue Flag:

Praia Acessível (accessible beach): in 2026 Albufeira has 13 beaches with this award, according to the Municipality. Other municipalities: not confirmed.
Qualidade de Ouro (Gold Quality): awarded by the environmental group Quercus for water quality only. It requires an "excellent" rating in the five previous seasons, every test below bacteriological limits and no advisory or ban in the previous season.
In 2026 the Algarve has 86 Gold Quality beaches (2 more than in 2025): Albufeira 19 and Vila do Bispo 12. In Olhão: Armona-Mar, Armona-Ria, Cavacos and Fuseta-Mar.

Tips for choosing a beach and a place to stay

The practical side:

If you travel with children or people with reduced mobility, choose lifeguarded beaches with Praia Acessível status, and check lifeguard hours on the beach board.
Outside June to September (May to October in Albufeira), expect beaches without lifeguards.
Ask the property how far the nearest Blue Flag beach is and whether there is parking or public transport. The Ria Formosa islands (Barreta, Farol, Culatra, Armona) are reached by boat.
Look at the total price with taxes and cleaning; several Algarve municipalities charge a tourist tax. More at /algarve-tourist-tax-2026 and /total-price-accommodation-cleaning-fees-taxes-2026.
Check the local accommodation (AL) registration number and read the cancellation policy before paying; if you can, book directly with the property.

If you run a property in the Algarve

What travellers typically ask AI assistants about beaches:

Which Blue Flag beach is nearest and how many minutes away on foot or by car.
Whether there are lifeguards and adapted access, and on which dates.
Total price, summer minimum stay and cancellation policy.
Keeping this clear and up to date on your website and listings (and reviewing it every spring, when the new list comes out) avoids wrong answers.
Related guides: Loulé Carnival 2027 at /loule-carnival-2027-dates-accommodation and Blue Flag beaches on Spain's Costa de la Luz (Cádiz and Huelva) at /blue-flag-beaches-2026-costa-de-la-luz-cadiz-huelva.

How iQuota helps

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Run a property in the Algarve and want AI to give your real prices, terms and nearby beaches, with direct booking and no commission? The first 30 hotels join free until 30 June 2027.

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Frequently asked questions

How many Blue Flag beaches does the Algarve have in 2026?

86 beaches (85 sea beaches and 1 inland, Albufeira de Odeleite), plus 6 marinas and 2 eco-tourism boats. Portugal has 396 beaches and 438 awards in total, according to the data ABAAE announced on 30 April 2026.

Which Algarve municipality has the most Blue Flag beaches?

Albufeira, with 24 in 2026, followed by Loulé with 10. In the sources we checked we also confirmed Lagoa 6, Portimão 5, Castro Marim 5, Faro 4, Olhão 4, Tavira 4, Vila Real de Santo António 4 and Silves 2; the 2026 figures for Vila do Bispo, Lagos and Aljezur are not confirmed.

Who awards the Blue Flag in Portugal?

ABAAE (Associação Bandeira Azul de Ambiente e Educação), the national operator of the international programme run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

When is the 2026 bathing season in the Algarve?

According to Portaria 204-A/2026/1, 15 May to 15 October in Albufeira and 1 June to 30 September at most other beaches. Nationally the window runs from 15 April to 31 October.

Are the Blue Flag and Qualidade de Ouro the same thing?

No. The Blue Flag (ABAAE) covers water, safety, services and environmental management; Qualidade de Ouro (Quercus) covers water quality only. In 2026 the Algarve has 86 Gold Quality beaches.

Sources

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