Costa beaches: Safe and 'blue'

Coronavirus restrictions and our own caution will see us stay closer to home this summer, so it's time make the most of our prime, safe and 'blue flag' award-winning beaches.

OUR own caution and the restrictions imposed on travelling to other destinations has its brighter side: we will be able to enjoy our prime Costa beaches more this summer and, they will be a less crowded.

Thousands of holidaymakers will be wishing they could come, so what shouldn't we make the most of them?

Coronavirus safety measures are in place and in many resorts they will actually improve the experience. For example, there will be no need to fight for a spot on Benidorm's usually crowded beaches in July and August because you will be able to book an ample 4x4metre spot or simply turn up and pick one.

Special areas have been set aside for over70s too and you will find all the information and booking and www. benidormbeachsafety.es For those without access to a smart phone, as the booking confirmation must be shown on arrival, people can go to one of the kiosks along the length of Levante and Poniente beaches to make a booking. The main one on Levante is in front of the beach library at the end of Avenida Europa.

Beaches in Benidorm are open from 0.900 until 21.00 and a number of beach monitors have been employed to work alongside the local beach police, who are also patrolling along the water’s edge on quadbikes.

Not all resorts have the same rules, so visitors are advised to look up the towns where they are located and see which rules apply before venturing to the shores. For example, in neighbouring Finestrat, Villajoyosa and Albir there are no plots marked out or apps to pre-book a space.

In Torrevieja, beaches have been divided into three separate areas. These are zones for ‘authorised occupation’ (sunbathing, etc); zones reserved for transit; and a six-metre corridor along the sea shore where people can take walks.

Beaches can be used between 08.30 and 20.30 and 103 assistants have been employed to be located at beach entrances to ‘count the number of people entering and leaving’ so they can ensure that overcrowding does not occur.

There will also be staff on the sands to check that people are observing social distancing and are located in the correct zones.

As in Benidorm visitors are given a designated plot on the sand measuring four square metres which can be used by ‘family groups’ of up to four people.

These are just a few examples of new safety rules which are frankly not difficult to follow.

So it’s time to pick a beach and honestly, you'll be spoiled for choice as not only are they beautiful, but they are considered to be the best in Europe. After all, the Costa Blanca (the coast of Alicante province strictly speaking) has more EU Blue Flags for its beaches than any other province in Spain.

EU Blue Flags were first awarded in 1987 and are seen as a guarantee of quality, cleanliness, safety, accessibility and top facilities.

This year, there are 134 Blue Flag awards in the whole Valencia region (148 if we add those awarded to marinas), meaning 20% of those flags flying on beaches in Spain are in the region - and 73 are in Alicante province alone..

The Murcia region boasts 32 blue flags too (one more than last year).

Here’s the full list from North to South of the beaches with Blue Flags this year: Costa Azahar Castellón

- Vinarós: Fortí, ForaForat - Benicarló: Morrongo, La Caracola

- Peñíscola: Nord

- Alcalá de Xivert: El Carregador, La

Romana, El Moro, Manyetes - Torreblanca: Nord,Torrenostra

- Oropesa del Mar: La Conxa, Les Plagetes de Bellver, Les Amplaries, Morro de Gos

- Benicassim: Voramar, L'Almadrava, Torre de Sant Vicent, Heliópolis, Els Terrers

- Nules: Marines

- Castellón de la Plana: Pinar, Gurugú, Serradal

- Burriana: L’Arenal, El Grao- Malvarrosa

- Moncofa: El Grao, Pedra Rotja,Masbó, Estanyol

- Xilxes: Les Cases, El Cerezo - Almenara: Casablanca Valencia Coast

- Canet d’en Berenguer: Racó de la Mar

- Sagunt: Corint, L’Almardá, Port de Sagunt

- Puçol

-Valencia City: El Saler, La Garrofera, La Devesa, L’ Arbre del Gos, Recatí- Perellonet, Cabañal, Malvarrosa

- Cullera: El Dossel, El Far, Los Olivos, Cap Blanc, Sant Antoni, Racó

- Tavernes de la Valldigna: Tavernes de la Valldigna, La Goleta

- Miramar

- Daimuz

- Xeraco

- Gandía: Nord

- Bellreguard

- Piles

-Oliva: Terranova-Burguera, L’AiguaMorta, Pau-Pi, Aigua Blanca

Costa Blanca Alicante

-Denia: Les Bovetes, Les Marines, Molins, Punta Raset, Marineta Casiana, Les Deveses -Jávea: La Grava, Arenal, La Granadella -Teulada: El Portet, L'Ampolla, Les Platgetes - Benissa: Cala Fustera - Benitatxell: Cala Moraig - Calpe: La Fossa, Cantal Roig, Arenal Bol

- Altea: La Roda, L'Espigó,

Cap Blanc

- Alfaz del Pi: Racó de L’Albir

-Benidorm:

Pas, Poniente -Finestrat: La Cala - Villajoyosa: Varadero, Ciutat (Centro), La Caleta, Bol Nou, Paradís

- Campello: Carrer de la Mar, Muchavista

- Alicante: San Juan, La Albufereta, Postiguet, Saladar, Tabarca

- Elche: El Altet, Arenales del Sol-Sur, La Marina, Carabassí, Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo

- Santa Pola: Calas del Este, Varador, Llevant, Tamarit, Calas Santiago Bernabeu

- Guardamar del Segura: La Roqueta, Centre, El Moncaio

- Torrevieja: Cabo Cervera, El Cura, Los Náufragos, Cala Piteras, Los Locos, Torrelamata Sur.

- Orihuela: Punta Prima, Cala Bosque (La Zenia), La Caleta-Cabo Roig, Cala CapitánCabo Roig, Aguamarina, Campoamor, Barranco Rubio, Cala Estaca, Cala Mosca, Cala Cerrada, Mil Palmeras

- Pilar de la Horadada: Mil Palmeras, Rocamar, Jesuitas, Conde, Rocamar, Puerto Costa Cálida

Murcia

-Águilas: Las Delicias, Levante, La Colonia, Poniente, Calarreona, Matalentisco, La Higuerica, La Carolina, La Casica Verde

-Mazarrón: Rihuete, El Puerto, Bahía, Nares, GrandeCastellar, Alamillo, El Mojón, Percheles

- Lorca: Calas de Calnegre - Cartagena: Cala Cortina, Isla Plana, Chapineta,Levante en Cabo de Palos, San Ginés, Playa del Cuartel

-San Javier: La Ensenada del Esparto

- San Pedro del Pinatar: El Mojón

Levante, Mal