Spain and Portugal for Visitors

A slightly long-winded but accurate explanation of the colours of the flags you see on Spanish beaches.

A good, informative page from Andalusia.com. Dig around, it is worth the trouble.

The blue flags are awarded principally for water quality, but there are other criteria such as environmental management, safety and services.

From the "independent non-profit organisation Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)."

Very informative website and quite useful even if your Spanish is not good. Descriptions and detailed information about practically every beach in Spain, plus photos, videos, unspoilt beaches, nudist beaches... The site has not been updated for years, though.

Med Playa is a small hotel group (as in 'small group of hotels,' not 'group of..' oh, never mind). The eleven hotels comprising it are found in Spain's most popular beach areas: the Costa Brava (Platja d'Aro and Tossa de Mar), Costa Maresme (Calella), Costa Dourada (Salou), Costa Blanca (Benidorm), and the Costa del Sol (Torremolinos and Benelmádena). And this website has basic but nicely, concisely presented information about all these places.

The Spanish Ministry of the Environment's guide, finally updated after years of promises, but still not translated, in spite of the flags.

Spanish-only, but very nicely made site from a web consulting outfit, taking brilliant advantage of all Google Maps has to offer.

Sweet but Spanish-only mashup from a web consulting outfit. Essentially, it offers the Spanish Environment Ministry's Beach Guide (linked to elsewhere on this page) and the weather information provided by AEMET and presents them on Google Maps. Very nicely done, too.