This summer, 231 Italian beaches have been judged worthy of the prestigious Blue Flag denomination. The Blue Flag is an institution at international level which takes into account not only the quality of the water but also factors such as the surrounding environment, resources management, services offered and safety.
117 Italian comunes have obtained the Blue Flag this year, four more than in 2009. Ligury comes out top with 17 DOC beaches, followed by Tuscany and Marche (16 each). Abruzzo has 16 and the much maligned Campania a total of 12. Emilia Romagna and Puglia both have 8 Blue Flag beaches, Veneto 6 and Lazio 5. Sicily and Calabria can count on 4 while Sardinia, surprisingly, has been awarded only 2, along with Fruili and Venezia Giulia. Last in the list are Molise and Basilicata with 1 Blue Flag beach each.
