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Italy revels in Blue Flag bliss

Italy's beaches are once again among the best in the world...

The number of Italian beaches to be awarded a prestigious 'blue flag' for clean water and pristine sands has risen once again this year, reveals the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE).

Italy now has 104 environmentally top-notch swimming beaches, eight more than last year and 14 more than in 2006. While 10 beaches that made it onto the 2007 list failed to meet FEE standards this year, a total of 18 new beaches received the international thumbs-up, the association said.

This year Tuscany was joined at the top of the league by the Marche, with each region boasting 15 awards. Close on their heels are Liguria, with 14 blue flags, and Abruzzo, with 13.

Developing tourism

Carla Creo of the Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment commented: ''Of the 18 beaches that were not present on the list last year, around 13 come from the south and central regions. It's a result that follows an awareness programme carried out through the course of the year in those regions.

Campania earned two more flags this year, bringing its total up to 11, while Puglia, Sicily, Calabria and Sardinia each earned one additional flag, bringing their totals up to 5, 4, 3 and 2 respectively.

Claudio Mazza, secretary general of FEE Italy, commented: ''Developing tourism by safeguarding the environment is the challenge that the Blue Flags pose to many tourist districts along our coastline”.