Get a year of super-useful advice
Who to book with, how to get the best deals plus inspiring destination ideas from the experts, for only £49 for the year.
Join Which? TravelPlanning a dip in the Med? Europe’s cleanest and dirtiest seas revealed
Find out if your favourite holiday destination is safe for swimming this summer
Jo is an award-winning travel journalist and hiking holiday enthusiast. Her specialisms include sustainable travel and money-saving advice.
Many of us will be cooling off in the sea on a beach holiday this summer. We know that many of the UK’s rivers and seas are blighted by sewage spills, but how do Europe's waterways measure up?
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has released its annual report and the good news is that 96% of EU bathing waters meet the minimum standards for quality.
Cyprus has the cleanest waters overall, with 100% of the country's swim sites classed as excellent. Greece, Bulgaria and Austria aren’t far behind with more than 95% of their bathing waters meeting the same threshold.
Which country has the dirtiest seas in Europe?
At the other end of the scale, less than 16% of bathing waters in Albania are rated excellent.
In fact, 23% were found to be of poor quality, meaning that significant levels of faecal bacteria were found.
It’s a worry given that beach holidays to Albania have soared in popularity in recent years, thanks to its white sand beaches and budget-friendly accommodation.
Other countries at the bottom of the rankings include Estonia, Poland and Hungary. All three had less than 65% of their bathing waters rated excellent.
Polluted seas: a danger to human health
E. coli and intestinal enterococci can enter our rivers and seas from sewage overflows or agricultural runoff following heavy rainfall.
These contaminants can cause a range of illnesses from skin, eye and ear infections to diarrhoea and vomiting.
Young children, the elderly or those with weakened immune systems may be even more susceptible.
European countries with the cleanest bathing waters
| Country | % of bathing waters rated excellent |
|---|---|
| Cyprus | 100 |
| Greece | 97.1 |
| Bulgaria | 96.9 |
| Austria | 96.5 |
| Luxembourg | 94.1 |
| Denmark | 92.4 |
| Germany | 90.9 |
| Italy | 89.8 |
| Malta | 88.5 |
| Lithiania | 86.7 |
| Spain | 86.6 |
| Croatia | 86.2 |
5 European countries with the dirtiest bathing waters
| Country | % of bathing waters rated excellent |
|---|---|
| Albania | 16.8 |
| Estonia | 56.9 |
| Poland | 58.7 |
| Hungary | 64 |
| Belgium | 67.9 |
Assessment covers 22,289 bathing waters in Europe reported to the EEA for the 2025 bathing season. A total of 22,010 bathing waters were reported across the EU.
How do Europe’s seas and rivers compare with those in the UK?
In 2025, 85% of the EU’s 22,000 bathing water sites were classified as excellent - the highest standard available - while 1.5% were of poor quality.
In the UK, just 66% of coastal and inland waters were rated excellent, and 7% were poor.
Both the UK and the EU use the same framework established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to monitor their bathing waters.
While the UK’s stats are a slight improvement on last year, our waterways are still lagging way behind much of Europe for cleanliness.
How to check if your beach is safe for swimming
The EEA has an interactive map where you can check if a beach or lake meets the EU standards for cleanliness.
For the UK, the Safer Seas & Rivers Service app alerts users in real time when untreated sewage is discharged into the sea or when water quality is affected by extreme weather.
The free-to-use app covers 450 locations across the UK. Just type the name of the beach into the search bar to check if any water quality alerts are in place before you travel.
You also need to be wary of winds, tides, currents and water temperature before taking the plunge.
Find out more with our advice article about how to check for raw sewage at beaches near you.
How to stay safe from bacteria when swimming
- Check real-time predictions of water quality or the most recent bathing water classification at Swimfo.
- Take notice of any local safety signs.
- Avoid swimming for 48 hours after heavy rainfall. Sewer overflows are more likely to discharge during a deluge, causing an increase in harmful bacteria entering the water.
- Wear a wetsuit to minimise your body’s contact with the water. Keep any cuts or sores covered with a waterproof plaster to avoid infection.
- Try not to swallow any water, and wash your hands thoroughly before eating or drinking.
For more expertly researched destination ideas and unbiased travel advice and recommendations, subscribe to Which? Travel