Green Flags 2024, here are the 155 child-friendly beaches (8 are abroad)
Only one entry compared to last year: it is San Salvo Marina (Chieti)
6' min read
6' min read
A beach with the necessary space between umbrellas to allow free and undisturbed play. A clean sea where the water does not immediately become too high for safe bathing. Beach attendants, equipment and services, catering facilities. These are the requirements that make a seaside resort child-friendly: in 2024, the number of 'Green Flags' selected by 2,949 paediatricians will rise to 155 (one more than in last year). The new entry is San Salvo Marina (Chieti).
The records of Abruzzo and Calabria
."In total, in Italy, from North to South, 147 have been hoisted, one every 55 km, with differences between the various regions," explains Italo Farnetani, the paediatrician who devised the initiative and coordinated the research for the awarding of the prizes. "Another five are well planted in the rest of Europe, three in Africa. The Abruzzo is the 'greenest' region in Italy because it has the highest density of green flags, one every 11.8 km, followed by Emilia-Romagna (one every 13.5 km) and Marche (one every 13.8 km). But in absolute numerical values it is Calabria that occupies first place, with a total of 20 green flags. Second is Sicily with 18 and third is Sardinia with 16.
The selection criteria
.As for the criteria adopted, Farnetani explains that for the paediatricians 'who worked on a voluntary basis, without remuneration, profit motive or sponsor intervention, it was a professional indication and a medical opinion drawn up on the basis of knowledge of the real needs of minors in terms of growth, health, bodily and psycho-affective development'.
How does one arrive at the selection of the ideal seaside destinations for the little ones? "There are no self-nominations," explains Farnetani, "because the choice depends solely on the evaluations of paediatricians: there must be at least 35 who indicate the same location" for it to be taken into consideration. The requirements range from the possibility of playing on the beach next to parents, to water that does not become deep already on the shore and in a rough way, from safety guaranteed by beach attendants to equipment and services on the seashore, and then restaurants and places to eat, shops, bars, sports facilities.
"For the quality of the water and the possibility of bathing, we always and only refer to Italian institutional and public structures: the ordinances of the mayor, who represents the health authority for his municipality, and the findings of the regional Arpa, public structures in charge of environmental controls," Farnetani further points out.
