Spain has officially been named the country with the most Blue Flags in the world, adding 11 more onto its previous score. In 2018 it had 696 beaches given the prestigious Blue Flag.

Since the award was started back in 1987, Spain has dominated the competition racking up more quality beaches than Greece, France, Turkey and Portugal. The results were released on Tuesday by the Association of Environmental Education (ADEAC), the Spanish section Federation of Environment Education (FEE).

The judges look for a range of factors when deciding to award beaches with their flags. Such factors as beach safety, water quality, environmental information and management. They do not just give awards for beaches, other flags can be given out to marinas and sustainable tourist boats.

Parts of Spanish that did particularly well are Valencia which received 132 flags, Galicia which received 109 and Catalonia that received 101 flags.

Madrid, which is 186 miles away from the nearest coast received its first flag for the Virgen de la Nueve, which is located on the Banks of San Juan reservoir near the town of San Martin de Valdeiglesia, just an hour west of Madrid.

Here’s a little taster of some of some Spanish sand:

Playa De Gulpiyuri – Asturias, Northern Spain

Playa De Ses Illetes – Formentera, Spain

Cala Comte – Balearic Islands, Spain

Playa De Alcudia – Majorca, Spain

Cies Islands – Pontevedra, Spain

Playa Del Cañuelo – Malaga Province, Spain