Europe Swimming Spots: Cleanest & Dirtiest Beaches 2024
- Swimmers across Europe can generally be confident in the quality of their favorite bathing spots.
- The European Environment Agency (EEA) reported that over 75% of monitored sites boasted "excellent" water quality in 2024.
- Jessika Roswall, European environment commissioner, said Europeans can be confident in the quality standards.
Dive into Europe’s bathing water quality landscape! A comprehensive report reveals the cleanest and dirtiest swimming spots across the continent for 2024. Discover where you can confidently take a refreshing dip, with Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Greece leading the way in “excellent” water quality. Sadly, Albania’s status has plummeted. This news from News Directory 3 provides insights into the monitoring of over 22,000 areas, as well as the threats of climate change. learn about the impact of bacteria like E.coli and the measures being taken to ensure safe swimming experiences. Find out how authorities are combating pollution to protect the water quality for everyone. Discover what’s next …
Europe Bathing Water Quality: Report Shows Which Countries shine
Updated june 21, 2025
Swimmers across Europe can generally be confident in the quality of their favorite bathing spots. A recent report indicates that the majority of European Union, Albanian, and Swiss bathing waters meet or exceed minimum standards for cleanliness.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) reported that over 75% of monitored sites boasted “excellent” water quality in 2024. Only a small fraction, 1.5%, were rated “poor.” The EEA monitors over 22,000 areas,testing for bacteria like E. coli and intestinal enterococci, often stemming from agricultural runoff and sewage.
Jessika Roswall, European environment commissioner, said Europeans can be confident in the quality standards.
Cyprus led the way with 99.2% of it’s bathing waters deemed ”excellent.” Bulgaria followed closely at 97.9%, with Greece at 97%, Austria at 95.8%, and Croatia at 95.2%.
Switzerland’s bathing water quality, while still high, dipped to 83.1%,falling below the EU average of 85%. France and Sweden reported 74.2% and 73.5% “excellent” quality, respectively.
Albania ranked lowest, with only 16% of its bathing waters achieving “excellent” status, a meaningful drop from the previous year.
The EEA noted that beaches generally exhibit better water quality than rivers and lakes, owing to seawater’s natural renewal capabilities. Inland bathing areas are more vulnerable to pollution from heavy rains.
The agency also warned that climate change and increasingly frequent extreme weather events could further strain bathing water quality due to sewer overflows and runoff, perhaps increasing health risks for swimmers.
What’s next
Authorities must close areas deemed to have poor water quality and take steps to mitigate pollution before reopening them.