Europe's Beaches Sparkle: 85% Offer Excellent Water Quality

As the summer season approaches, Europe's beaches are overwhelmingly providing excellent conditions for swimmers, according to the EU environment agency. The latest report indicates that over 85% of bathing sites across the 27 EU member states, along with data from Albania and Switzerland, were classified as having "excellent" water quality in 2025.

Coastal nations and even landlocked Austria have demonstrated strong performance, with Cyprus, Bulgaria, Greece, Austria, and Croatia achieving at least 95% of their sites rated as "excellent." Water quality is determined by the level of fecal contamination, with "excellent," "good," "sufficient," and "poor" being the possible classifications. Poor quality water can pose health risks if ingested.

While coastal areas generally show better results due to self-purification, the report highlights that 89% of coastal areas were "excellent" compared to 78% of rivers and lakes. These inland waters are more susceptible to pollution from heavy rains and droughts. At the lower end, Albania had 23.5% of its sites graded as "poor."

Authorities are mandated to prohibit swimming at sites with "poor" water quality for five consecutive years. Between 2020 and 2024, 57 sites across Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Estonia, and Portugal faced this restriction, with only a few improving by 2025.