Thirty-seven beach areas and marinas in the Azores were distinguished with the Blue Flag award by the International Coordination of Portuguese applications for the 2011 Blue Flag Programme.

Beach areas will fly the Blue Flag on June 1, the first official day of the bathing season. In 2011, this award will also distinguish another five beach areas in the Azores, making up a total of 33.

The areas awarded the Blue Flag on the island of São Miguel are the following: Caloura and Lagoa beach area in Lagoa; Milícias and Pópulo beaches, Poços de S. Vicente Ferreira and Poças Sul dos Mosteiros in Ponta Delgada; Areal de Santa Bárbara in Ribeira Grande; Vinha d’Areia, Prainha de Água d’Alto, Corpo Santo and Água d’Alto in Vila Franca do Campo and Praia do Fogo (beach) in Povoação.

On the island of Terceira, the distinguished beach areas are: Cinco Ribeiras, Negrito, Silveira, Salga, Praínha and Baía do Refugo in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo; Escaleiras, Praínha, Praia Grande, Porto Martins, Biscoitos beach area and Praia da Riviera in the municipality Praia da Vitória.

The Almoxarife beach, Varadouro and Porto Pim, located in the municipality of Horta, are the selected areas on the island of Faial.
The remaining beach areas distinguished with the Blue Flag award are: Anjos, Formosa beach and Maia on Santa Maria Island; Calheta and Praia on Graciosa Island, and Preguiça on São Jorge Island.

With regard to marinas, the Blue Flag was awarded to the marinas of Horta, Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroísmo and Vila Franca do Campo.
In the 25 years of the European Blue Flag Association, this distinction is annually awarded to beaches and marinas that meet a set of criteria in the area of environment, safety and user comfort, environmental information and awareness.