Europe Swimming Spots: Cleanest & Dirtiest Beaches 2024
- Swimmers across Europe can be confident in the cleanliness of most beaches, rivers, and lakes.
- The report, which focuses on European bathing water quality, found that only a small fraction, about 1.5%,were rated "poor." The vast majority met at least the EU's minimum...
- The EEA monitors over 22,000 areas, testing for bacteria like Escherichia coli (E.
Discover the cleanest and dirtiest swimming spots in Europe for 2024. A new report reveals the best and worst countries for bathing water quality, with Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Greece leading the pack in excellent ratings. Find out which European beaches, rivers, and lakes are safe for your next swim, and which ones you should avoid. This comprehensive analysis from News Directory 3 dives deep into water quality standards, assessing over 22,000 areas for contaminants. From the Mediterranean to the Baltic, explore the latest rankings of Europe’s bathing water, and compare the performance of countries like France, Sweden, and Albania. Discover what’s next …
Europe’s Bathing Water Quality: Which Countries Rank Highest in 2024?
Updated June 22, 2025
Swimmers across Europe can be confident in the cleanliness of most beaches, rivers, and lakes. A recent report indicates that over 75% of monitored bathing waters in the European Union, albania, and Switzerland boast “excellent” quality. The European Environment Agency (EEA) released its annual update,assessing thousands of sites for fecal contamination.
The report, which focuses on European bathing water quality, found that only a small fraction, about 1.5%,were rated “poor.” The vast majority met at least the EU’s minimum “sufficient” standard. the standards remained consistent with the previous year.
The EEA monitors over 22,000 areas, testing for bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. coli) and intestinal enterococci. These bacteria often stem from livestock farm runoff and household sewage.
European Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall said, “Europeans can confidently bathe in the vast majority of the EU’s bathing sites that meet the EU’s bathing quality standards.”
Cyprus leads the pack with 99.2% of its bathing waters rated “excellent.” Bulgaria follows at 97.9%, with Greece at 97%, Austria at 95.8%, and croatia at 95.2%.
Other countries with high bathing water quality include Denmark, Germany, Italy and Spain. Switzerland, however, fell below the EU average, with 83.1% rated “excellent,” a decrease from 2023.France and Sweden also scored lower, at 74.2% and 73.5% respectively, compared to the EU average of 85%.
Albania ranked last, with only 16% of its waters receiving an “excellent” rating, a significant drop from the previous year.
Beaches generally fare better than rivers and lakes due to seawater’s natural renewal capabilities. Inland bathing areas,often smaller bodies of water,are more vulnerable to short-term pollution from heavy rains,according to the EEA.
The agency also noted that climate change is expected to increase extreme weather events, including heavy rains, which can further impact bathing water quality through sewer overflows and surface runoff, potentially increasing health risks for swimmers.
While the EEA no longer tracks data for the United Kingdom, the national Environment Agency reported that only 64.2% of England’s bathing waters were “excellent” in 2024, with 8.2% failing to meet minimum standards.
EU members are required to monitor popular bathing spots between May and September, classifying water quality as excellent, good, sufficient, or poor.
Estonia, Sweden, the Netherlands, and France reported poor water quality at 3% or more of their bathing sites last year. Though, a fifth of the sites classified as poor in 2023 improved by the following year. France saw an increase in poor bathing areas, notably in its rivers.
Authorities must close areas with poor water quality to bathers and take steps to mitigate pollution before reopening them.