Europe Swimming Spots: Cleanest & Dirtiest Beaches 2024
- Across Europe, the quality of bathing water remains high, but some countries offer cleaner, safer swimming than others.
- The European Environment Agency found that over three-quarters of monitored bathing waters met "excellent" standards.
- Cyprus leads the way in bathing water quality, with 99.2% of its waters rated as "excellent." Bulgaria, Greece, Austria, and Croatia followed, each boasting over 95% excellent quality...
Dive into the latest report revealing the state of Europe’s bathing water quality in 2024. Discover which countries boast the cleanest swimming spots and which face challenges. Cyprus leads the way with nearly pristine waters, while Albania presents a contrasting picture. This detailed analysis examines the rating of “excellent” bathing waters, highlighting the impact of factors like climate change and heavy rains on water quality. News Directory 3 provides key insights into the health of European beaches,lakes,and rivers.Learn about the percentage of monitored sites and the measures in place to ensure safe swimming experiences. Uncover the specific percentage rankings for several European nations. Explore the actions authorities are taking to safeguard public health. Discover what’s next for European bathing water quality.
Europe’s bathing Water Quality: Where Are the Cleanest Swimming Spots?
Updated June 22, 2025
Across Europe, the quality of bathing water remains high, but some countries offer cleaner, safer swimming than others. A recent report details the state of bathing water quality across the European Union,Albania,and Switzerland,highlighting the best and worst performers in 2024.
The European Environment Agency found that over three-quarters of monitored bathing waters met “excellent” standards. Only a small fraction, 1.5%,were rated “poor.” The agency monitors over 22,000 sites for bacteria like E. coli, frequently enough caused by agricultural runoff and sewage.
Cyprus leads the way in bathing water quality, with 99.2% of its waters rated as “excellent.” Bulgaria, Greece, Austria, and Croatia followed, each boasting over 95% excellent quality bathing waters. Other countries with high ratings include Denmark, Germany, Italy and Spain.
However, not all countries fared as well. Albania ranked last, with only 16% of its bathing waters receiving an “excellent” rating, a significant drop from the previous year. Switzerland also fell below the EU average,with 83.1% of its waters deemed excellent.
European Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall said, “Europeans can confidently bathe in the vast majority of the EU’s bathing sites.”
The report also noted that beaches generally have cleaner water than rivers and lakes,due to seawater’s natural renewal capabilities.smaller inland bodies of water are more vulnerable to pollution from heavy rains.
The agency also warned that climate change could worsen bathing water quality. Increased extreme weather events, including heavy rains, can lead to sewer overflows and runoff, posing health risks to swimmers.
While the EEA no longer tracks data for the United Kingdom, its Environment Agency reported that only 64.2% of England’s bathing waters were “excellent,” with 8.2% classified as “poor.” British water companies have faced criticism for sewage discharges into rivers and seas.
EU members are required to monitor bathing sites from May to September, classifying water quality as excellent, good, sufficient, or poor.Countries with poor ratings must close the affected areas and take steps to reduce pollution.
What’s next
Authorities will continue monitoring bathing water quality, implementing measures to mitigate pollution and address the impacts of climate change to ensure safe swimming conditions for the public.