The color of the flag of the sea is the meaning. "Blue flag": where are the cleanest beaches

According to the list published by the organization Blue Flag programs, in 2017 the Russian beach became the winner of the award for the second time in a row "Amber", located in the Kaliningrad region. Moreover, the list of the best was also Russian "Massandrovsky" beach in Yalta.

The total length of the coastline in Amber- six kilometers, a plot of three hectares has been allocated for an exemplary "blue-flag" beach - three hundred meters long and about a hundred meters wide, in a picturesque place near the old Anna mine, where amber was mined before the war. Nearby is a beach stadium with stands, cafes, parking and other amenities.

Yantarny beach (Kaliningrad region)

The length of the beach complex "Massandrovsky" small, it is about 500 meters. The beach is divided by concrete breakwaters into six sectors. There are several cafes and restaurants, a swimming pool with running mountain water, a shower, a toilet and a playground.

However, domestic resorts are still far from the leaders of the rating. So, in the first place this year is Spain, which has 579 awarded beaches. On the second - Greece (485 beaches). France closes the top three (390 beaches). The top ten also included Turkey, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany and Croatia.

An international award given annually since 1987 to beaches and marinas whose water meets high quality standards and is suitable for safe swimming. France is considered the birthplace of the Blue Flag, where the first award took place in 1985.

Beach "Yantarny" in the Kaliningrad region

Long-term observations show that people prefer to relax on clean sand and swim in clean water. The French were the first to appreciate this feature and in 1985 they established a certain certificate. beach quality as blue flag. That's what they called him.

Since 1987, Europe, represented by the EU, once again failed to resist the French fashion and joined the program blue flag.
In 2001, Europe was followed by the whole world and now 47 countries are participating in the program (49 countries were in May 2016). Except beaches the program assesses marinas (moorings of boats and yachts) and ships.

The program is run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Only she has the right to issue. The marina or ship receives the flag for one year, and the beach for the bathing season in the current year. A year later, they must all reaffirm their right to fly the blue flag. Update time blue flag certificates in the Northern Hemisphere annually in late May - early June. For the Southern Hemisphere and the Caribbean, this occurs around November 1st.

When planning trips, many vacationers are guided by the Blue Flag ratings. This is an international award given annually since 1987 to beaches and marinas whose water meets high quality standards and is suitable for safe swimming. The Blue Flag nomination is managed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). More than 40 countries participate in the program.

In 2013, in first place among countries with largest number of the Blue Flag beaches was Spain (550 holiday destinations). The top five also included Greece, Turkey, France and Portugal.

European countries - leaders in the number of beaches marked with the "Blue Flag" BlueFlag.Org data (2013)

1. Spain

The Spanish coastline with a total length of 8,000 km attracts more than 43.5 million tourists annually. At the regional level, the autonomous community of Galicia leads in terms of the number of clean beaches (127), within which there are especially many Blue Flags in A Coruña. Riazor and Orzan beaches are widely known. However, for those who are used to swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, the local water may seem cold.

2. Greece

Among the Greek regions, Lassithi, a major tourist center located in Crete, received the most Blue Flags (36). There are especially many clean beaches in the capital of this nome, the city of Agios Nikolaos. The best is Almiros, extended sand beach, in which the cold current flows into the warm sea. In windy weather, it is better to choose pebble beaches, which are in abundance here.

3. Turkey

In 2013, 383 Turkish beaches were marked with the Blue Flag, of which more than half (197) are located in Antalya. Therefore, it is not surprising that this is the most popular region among Russian tourists. The most famous beaches are Konyaalti (in the west of Antalya) and Lara (in the east). The latter is the focus of all-inclusive holidays on the territory of four- and five-star hotels.

4. France

In France, every day you can relax on a new beach marked with the "Blue Flag", because there are 365 of them. The Provence - Alpes - Cote d'Azur region is especially rich in them (96 beaches with the "Blue Flag"). Sandy beaches stretch to the west of Nice (Cannes, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Saint-Tropez), while in Nice itself and further towards Italy they are pebbly. The coast is not wide - about 30–40 m.

5. Portugal

The Algarve is the most sophisticated and sought after region in Portugal. Of the 279 Blue Flags, a quarter went to the beaches of this particular area. The main resorts are Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo, as well as the Golden Triangle, which includes Goldra, Lole and Santa Barbara de Nexe. The best beaches in Portugal are also located there. The coast stretches for 150 km from east to west from Monte Gordo to Lagos. It is protected from northern winds by mountain ranges. In the west there are rocky beaches, in the east - sandy ones.

6. Italy

In Italy, the beaches marked with the "Blue Flag" are the most in Liguria (35). Best Resorts- Portofino, Rapallo and Santa Margherita Ligure. Those who love walking will enjoy walking along the "Via del Amore", or "Road of Love", a path that winds its way along the coast of the Cinque Terre. Breathtaking sea views will make your trip unforgettable.

7. Denmark

Denmark has a coastline of 7,400 km - about the same as in Brazil and longer than in India. For every 180 km² of the country, there is a Blue Flag beach. They are especially numerous (71) in the south of Denmark, where there are many islands where city dwellers go to relax on weekends (which is why so many Danes have a chocolate tan). Business card this region - marinas with yachts.

8. Croatia

Little Croatia, which has a smaller area Krasnodar Territory, has a coastline with a length of about 2,000 km. At the same time, on average, every 20 km there is a beach marked with the Blue Flag. Istria County is especially rich in clean beaches - there are 43 such beaches. This region is located in the west of Croatia and includes most of the Istrian peninsula on the Adriatic Sea.

9. UK

Unlike, for example, Turkey or Croatia, Great Britain does not have a reputation as a resort country. However, even here there were 95 beaches worthy of the Blue Flag nomination. Among the regions, most of them are in Wales (33 beaches). Compared to 2012, there are 10 fewer Blue Flags in this part of the UK - last year turned out to be too wet, which had a bad effect on water quality.

10. Ireland

Ireland is a little behind the UK: there are 70 Blue Flag beaches. Most of of which (19) is located in the west of the country, in the province of Connaught, in just two counties - Galway and Mayo. The local beaches are famous only on the scale of Ireland and are not in demand among wealthy foreigners, as, for example, in the case of Liguria and the Cote d'Azur.

Amber and Massandra - that's where you need to go to relax on the beach. It is there, according to international experts of the Blue Flag award, that the best beach areas in Russia are located. The rest of the Russian beaches, it turns out, f *** o?
Looking at the rating and the number of world-class beaches in other countries, it is striking that there are so few of them in Russia. Even on / in Ukraine there are already 10 such beaches (!!!).

By the way, according to the official data of the award, the beach in the village of Yantarny (Kalingrad region) is generally the only one in Russia awarded this prestigious quality mark, because Massandra is considered Ukrainian in Europe (the Massandrovsky beach in Yalta received its first Blue Flag back in 2010, and in this he once again confirmed).

In the top three of the world beach top: Spain (579 beaches), Greece (485 beaches) and Turkey (454 beaches). The top 10 also includes France (390), Italy (342), Portugal (320), Denmark (225), Croatia (99), Ireland (81) and England (68). In total, there are 43 countries with 3662 beaches in the top. Yacht marinas and boat stations are evaluated separately - Russia is not in these lists yet. For comparison: there are 10 Blue Flag beaches in Ukraine - in Kyiv and Odessa.

blue flag- highest standard beach quality. To raise it above the coastal zone, one desire and clean water are not enough - infrastructure is needed. The international commission certifies the place according to 33 criteria, and every year the requirements grow. The main ones are:
access to the beach is free;
the water is clean and tested weekly;
garbage is collected and sand is cleaned at the end of the day;
lifeguards work on the beach;
emergency assistance is provided on the spot;
there are showers;
motor vehicles do not drive along the beach;
pets use another beach.
In fact, Blue Flag is an environmental program based on respect and conservation of the surrounding ecosystem, natural phenomena and biological diversity.

As for the Massandra beach.
It was he who became the first owner of the Blue Flag in the “Russian-speaking” countries of the former USSR” (a phrase from the Blue Flag release). In addition, it is considered the best equipped beach in Yalta and the entire South Coast for the disabled.
The length of the Massandrovskiy beach complex is 460 m. It is divided by concrete breakwaters into seven sectors: with free access and VIP zones from 8 to 10 euros. The beach is equipped with several cafes and restaurants, a sports club, a playground, a swimming pool with running water, a shower and a toilet.
The useful territory of the beach has been expanded through the use of the so-called "terraces" - special buildings located above the groins. Part of it is given over to sunbathing areas, part of it is for walking, some of them serve cafe visitors.

The beach is pebbly, but you can walk to the water along specially equipped wooden paths. Entrance to the territory is free. Sun loungers, umbrellas and other equipment are available for rent for an additional fee. There are designated areas for smokers

By the way, Massandrovsky is not the only one in the Crimea who raised the Blue Flag on the flagpole. A similar award in 2013 and 2014 was received by the beach of the Aquamarine Hotel in Sevastopol, but ... everything flows, everything changes, someone loses, and someone gains, and the flags are handed over to the best of the best.

Officially, the first Blue Flag award in Russia in 2016 was received (and confirmed in this) by the coastal zone in the village of Yantarny, Kaliningrad Region, the sandy beach "Mine Anna".

A wooden bridge leads to it. viewing platforms. The length of the beach complex is about 500 m. Electricity, water supply, sewerage are installed in the recreation area, changing cabins and toilets are installed.

The beach is equipped with showers and drinking water taps. In addition, a children's and sports ground. Behind the dunes on the lake, there is a separate place for children to swim. For a fee, you can rent umbrellas, comfortable sunbeds of various types and price categories. There are several cafes and a restaurant on the beach. The post of rescuers is equipped with communication with the police, ambulance and administration of the village.

And what happens, in the whole of Russia there is no one else and there is nothing to equip resorts for a NORMAL vacation? Indeed, diamonds are not handed out on these beaches or a UFO lands - only people are resting, but they are resting, and not running in search of water or a toilet ...

The Blue Flag is an international award given annually since 1987 by the non-profit organization Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The birthplace of the award is France, where the first award took place in 1985.
The blue flag is awarded to the beach for one swimming season in the current year. In a year, the coastal area must again prove the high quality of the services provided. The renewal time for Blue Flag certificates in the Northern Hemisphere is annually at the end of May - beginning of June.

According to materials:

The Blue Flag award has been given annually to the cleanest and best beaches since 1987. Since that time, almost all countries of the world have taken part in the international certification program. It was very prestigious to receive the award. This increases the tourist attractiveness of not only the hotel with a private Blue Flag beach, but also the resort itself.

Foundation for Environmental Education

The organizer of the international beach certification program is the Foundation for Environmental Education - Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The headquarters is located in the capital of Denmark. President Jan Eriksen strives to intensively develop and expand its activities.

This non-profit organization is engaged not only in monitoring and checking the quality of water and the state of the coastline of resorts. Employees see their main mission primarily in educational program. They teach to protect not only the environment around us, but also the people living on its territory. Organizations that profit from ecosystems (resorts, hotels, recreation centers, etc.) should also protect nature. They should be aware that recreation areas depend on them and should not suffer from unsustainable environmental management.

Eco Standards Program

In 46 countries around the world, about 4500 beaches, bays and marinas have the Blue Flag. This means that their territory has excellent water quality, an ideal environment environment in the coastal zone high level security. The program of environmental standards is not only aimed at protecting nature. It supports the interests of tourists and local residents the right to rest and live in comfortable conditions without a threat to health or life.

You can look at the map of the world (created by the Foundation), which shows all the beaches marked with the Blue Flag. It can be seen that most of them are concentrated in Europe. A significant number of such quality marks are available in the Caribbean, in southern Africa.

This does not mean that good beaches only in Europe. It's just that other countries are slowly joining the program, some resorts, unfortunately, simply don't see the need for it. The fact is that initially the program of international certification of beaches was called European and operated only in the corresponding territory. Since 2001, the award has acquired an international status and has been awarded on other continents. South Africa first joined the environmental protection program.

Eco brand - Blue Flag

This brand is world famous, trusted by millions of people from all over the world. Candidates for this prestigious award must meet stringent environmental, educational, and site safety criteria. Even the flag is made from ecological textiles.

If we see the Blue Flag on the beach, what does it mean? This means that the resort should conduct information work with the population so that residents know more about the flora and fauna and better navigate the terrain. Resort safety measures must be taken at all times to protect the environment, tourists and employees. For monitoring purposes, regular selective and comprehensive inspections of coastlines and water are carried out. The level of compliance or non-compliance with the Blue Flag environmental standard is revealed. In the second case, the beach is deprived of the award.

Local organizations are chosen to manage the program, which must ensure the uniformity of the standard.

What is a Blue Flag beach?

This is a territory that has free access (entrance) and developed infrastructure. It is obligatory to have a rescue team on the beach, a medical center with all the conditions for providing emergency medical care. For the convenience of vacationers, toilets and showers are equipped, access to free drinking water is created. It is obligatory to have trash bins, limit access to the beach for domestic and street animals, motor vehicles.

Water along the coast is regularly tested for pollution and the presence of dangerous microorganisms in it, such as E. coli. Sand should be cleaned twice a day from large and small debris. In other words, a Blue Flag beach - perfect place for a safe holiday.

Corporate Partners

This is a huge international network of those who cooperate with the Foundation or have been awarded the Blue Flag. More than 2,300 hotels and recreation centers, 4,150 beaches and ship moorings in 73 countries of the world are bona fide partners who comply with the terms of a mutually beneficial agreement with the FEE.

In order to be nominated, you must provide information about yourself on the site. The international jury considers candidates twice a year: residents of the Northern Hemisphere in April, and those of the Southern Hemisphere in September. "There is nothing more important to us than quality," say those who select applicants. The awarding takes place on June 5 and November 1, respectively. Berths and boat stations receive the mark for one year, and the beach quality certificate is valid for one season. The award must be confirmed next year.

Leading countries 2017

The cleanest beaches clear water, annually confirming the Blue Flag award, are located in Spain, Greece and Turkey. Spanish costa has long been at the top of this list. More than 500 beaches in this country (that is, one in five) have high safety and cleanliness. Among Greek beaches with a high degree of water transparency, the main part is located on the island of Crete. In Turkey, such beaches can be found in the resorts of Fethiye, Antalya, Bodrum and Kemer.

The undisputed leaders are the French Riviera, Italian, Portuguese, Danish beaches, coastal recreation areas of Croatia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

What information lies behind the color of the flag?

In some countries, you can see the red flag on the coastline. This symbol means the prohibition to enter the water. At the same time, there can be clean sand around and a perfectly calm surface of the sea. You must definitely pay attention to the warning and do not go into the water, at least alone. Red flags are placed in places where there are attacks on people by sharks, alligators and other predators. Here, strong tides or low tides can suddenly begin, which drag bathing tourists far into the sea. There is a chance to get into whirlpools, quicksand, etc.

Some tourists who come to Vietnam rejoice when they see blue flags on the beaches and confuse them with blue ones. In fact, the blue flag, often triangular, indicates rough seas.

Green and white flags allow swimming. On the beaches of the United States, you can often see a purple flag - a sign that toxic jellyfish are in the water. Even in the states they set flags with black circles on a yellow background. This symbol warns of in large numbers divers in the water to avoid injury to diving equipment.

Russian beaches

Russian tourists are more accustomed to seeing on the beaches of our country either a sign "Swimming is prohibited", or its absence. In the second case, everyone boldly runs into the water. On the more refined and modern beaches of Russia, which are often the private territory of hotels, you can see yellow or black (less often brown) flags. What does it mean? The blue flag on the beach (as it turned out) is a guarantee of safety and cleanliness of the territory. Availability yellow flag means that the area is being monitored by a rescue team. You can swim, but there is a danger of tides, storms, strong currents on the river, gyres, etc. The black flag completely prohibits swimming. Brown - warns of a severe degree of water pollution, which can be harmful to health.

Russian pride - Massandra and Amber beaches

In 2017, two Blue Flag beaches appeared in our country. Slowly but surely, we are getting closer to quality rest.

Massandra beach is located in Yalta (Southern coast of Crimea). It has long been considered the best equipped coastal recreation area in the city (including for people with disabilities), but this year it was again awarded. There is a swimming pool with running water, children's and sports grounds, a walking area, a cafe and a restaurant, toilets, showers and garbage cans. The territory with a length of about 500 m is divided into 6 sectors by breakwaters. The safety of swimmers is controlled by a rescue team.

For the second year in a row, the beach "Mine Anna" in the village of Yantarny, Kaliningrad Region, confirms the Blue Flag award. This place is strikingly different from the restless coastal zones of Zelenogorsk or Baltiysk. Opposite the beach there is a beautiful promenade where many happy mothers walk with strollers. A wide area for sunbathing is separated by small sand dunes from a small lake. There is a separate children's beach area with playgrounds and a lagoon for bathing babies with a shallow depth.

"Mine Anna" - the most picturesque area near the place where amber was mined in the pre-war years. Many tourists claim that if you walk along the coast of the beach for a long, long time, you can find a small fiery yellow pebble that plays beautifully in the sun.

Instead of a conclusion, I would like to note that on the territory of our country great amount recreational resources. The condition of the beaches, as part of these resources, largely depends on the population. You can clean the banks of the river or the sea 10 times a day, put garbage cans at every step. Purely not where they clean, but where they do not litter.

Long-term observations show that people prefer to relax on clean sand and swim in clear water. The French were the first to appreciate this feature and in 1985 they established a certain certificate. beach quality as blue flag. That's what they called him.

Since 1987, Europe, represented by the EU, once again failed to resist the French fashion and joined the program blue flag.
In 2001, the whole world followed Europe and now 47 countries are participating in the program as of December 2016 (49 countries were in May 2016).
Except beaches the program assesses marinas (moorings of boats and yachts) and ships.

The program is run by the International Federation for Environmental Education - FEO (Foundation for Environmental Education - FEE). Only she has the right to issue. The marina or ship receives the flag for one year, and the beach for the bathing season in the current year. A year later, they must all reaffirm their right to fly the blue flag. Update time blue flag certificates in the Northern Hemisphere annually in late May - early June. For the Southern Hemisphere and the Caribbean, this occurs around November 1st.

Beach, over which flutters blue flag, guarantees vacationers that

• access to the beach is free
• water is clean and tested weekly
• garbage is collected and sand is cleaned
• there is a surveillance and rescue service on the beach
• if necessary, emergency assistance can be provided right on the beach
• there are showers
• motor vehicles do not drive on the beach
• pets use another beach

This list can be continued because there are 29 criteria for evaluating beaches. The norms laid down in them are very rigid and tend to become even tougher over time. Comprehensive information about the program can be found on the website of the Blue Flag program.

We, ordinary vacationers, do not need to study all the subtleties of the program. It is enough to know that Blue flag on the beach it is a reliable indicator and guarantor highest quality beach holiday.

Unfortunately, Russia's positions in the Blue Flag are not yet as strong as we would like. But in 2016, finally appeared the first Russian beach with the Blue Flag. The beach is located in the Kaliningrad region, in the village of Yantarny. The certificate was issued from June 1, 2016 to September 1, 2016.

Number of Blue Flags by country.

So that you can navigate the state of affairs with the quality of the beaches in different countries I bring you a table with the number of Blue Flags by country. Using the buttons, you can select the year for which you want to view the data. Columns with "+-" signs reflect the change in the number of flags in relation to the previous year.

Unfortunately, the website of the Blue Flag program is not distinguished by its quality and convenience, moreover, it is constantly being "finished" and not always up to date. better side. Therefore, some years are missing from my database, sorry...

Blue Flag 2016

And in conclusion of this completely non-commercial topic, I would like to say the following. Friends, believe me, the French are not to blame for the fact that there are no beaches on Russian beaches yet blue flags. If it is in your power, try to make them appear with us. And if you are lucky and you will rest on beach already awarded blue flag, try to leave it as clean as it met you!