The number of beaches in Sweden which are checked and graded is growing every year, making it easy to make sure that where you are swimming is clean and safe. 

The number of ‘EU bathing spots’, which are monitored as part of the union’s clean bathing water scheme, increased to 457 this year from the 445 registered last summer, according to a press release issued in June by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management.

At the same time, 14 harbours and seven beaches in Sweden qualified this year for the international Blue Flag scheme, which is awarded to beaches and small ports with a high level of environmental friendliness, water quality and safety. 

For a bathing spot to qualify for the EU scheme, more than 200 people must swim there a day on average during the bathing season. The local municipality is then responsible for checking the water quality and posting the results up on a sign at the beach. 

This year, 356 of the Swedish bathing spots, or about 78% qualified as having “excellent quality”, the highest possible classification, whereas 89 percent had “good quality”. 

The bad news this year is that the number of bathing spots which have received the worst “poor quality” classification has risen to 15, up from only one back in 2019, something Emma Glad, the agency’s beach investigator, said could be connected to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bathing spots get a “poor quality” rating if levels of bacteria from human and animal faeces are too high, leading to a risk that swimmers get infected with  E. coli or other bacteria. 

Because so many people holidayed at home in Sweden in 2020 and 2021, she said, there were more visits to beaches. The number of dogs in Sweden also rose during the pandemic, increasing the risk that dog poo gets into the water.

Finally, heavy rain may have led sewage to spill into the sea at some spots. 

You can find the quality classification, algae levels, and even the water temperature of swimming spots near you on the agency’s interactive map, which you can find here. 

Blue flag beaches 

Here is a list of the beaches and harbours in Sweden which have received the blue flag certification. 

Harbours: 

Båstad Hamn

Båtfjordens hamn 

Burgsviks hamn

Fyruddens hamn, Gryt

Gästhamnen Stavsnäs 

Gävle Gästhamn

Getterön Marina, Varberg

Hälleviks Hamn, Sölvesborg

Heleneborgs Båtklubb, Stockholm

Torekovs hamn,Torekov

Pampas Marina, Solna

Trosa Gästhamn

Uvmarö Hamn

Varbergs innerhamn

Beaches

Falsterbo strandbad

Kämpinge strandbad, Höllviken

Lagunen Camping, Strömstad

Långa Bryggan, Bjärred

Rydebäcksstranden, Rydebäck

Skanörs havsbad, Skanör

Trosa Havsbad