In short
The flag on the mast is raised by the lifeguards, who change it when conditions change (Generalitat Decree 67/2020, art. 9). Green: swimming allowed. Yellow: swim with caution, restrictions apply. Red: swimming prohibited. No flag: there is no lifeguard service on the beach. The surest way to know today’s flag is to look at the mast by the beach entrance; Guardamar and Torrevieja also show flags online.
What each colour means
The Generalitat classifies beaches as free, dangerous or closed to swimming, and each type has a permanent flag. The flag is changed temporarily because of waves, currents, weather or biological and chemical pollution. Torrevieja’s bylaw spells out the colours in more detail.
- In Torrevieja a row of small red pennants at the water’s edge marks a stretch where swimming is not allowed.
- In Torrevieja, people who go into the water under a red flag can be told to come out and fined.
- Every beach must have signs at its entrances showing the beach type, the meaning of the flags, the 112 number and lifeguard hours (Decree 67/2020, art. 10).
| Flag | Generalitat rules (Decree 67/2020) | Torrevieja bylaw |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Free beach: swimming and leisure under the general rules | Calm sea, swimming allowed |
| Yellow | Dangerous beach, or temporary limits and safety measures on a free beach | Caution: waves of about 1.5 m, moderate currents, jellyfish or poor visibility |
| Red | Swimming prohibited; permanently on beaches closed to swimming | Waves over 2 m, strong currents, pollution or dangerous weather; access to the beach may be closed |
| No flag | — | No lifeguard service on the beach |
Jellyfish and additional flags
In Torrevieja, jellyfish are one of the reasons to raise the yellow flag. The Generalitat decree also allows additional flags that add detail to the general one; their colour and meaning are set by the regional department by order. So if you see an unfamiliar flag or one with a picture, read the sign at the entrance or ask the lifeguards. For a jellyfish sting go to the lifeguard post, and call 112 if someone is seriously unwell.
Where to check today’s flag
The Torrevieja page belongs to the Proyecto Mastral weather project, and the beach data in it come from the town hall and the lifeguard contractor (EULEN Sport). Outside the lifeguard season both pages show “no data”: there are no flags then. Spain’s state weather agency AEMET publishes beach forecasts for waves, water temperature and UV index, but it does not show the flag.
| Town | Official route | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Guardamar del Segura | Town hall website, “Estado de las playas de Guardamar” section → SafeBeach page | The flag for each beach: El Camp, El Montcaio, La Roqueta, Les Ortigues, Els Vivers, Centre/Babilònia |
| Torrevieja | Town hall website, “Playas” section → “Estado del mar en las playas” link | Flag, jellyfish, water temperature and how busy it is, for each beach from La Mata to Cala Piteras |
| Orihuela Costa | The mast on the beach and the lifeguard post | We found no online flag page on Orihuela Town Hall’s website |
The Blue Flag is not a safety flag
The Blue Flag (Bandera Azul) is an annual ADEAC award for water quality, safety, accessibility and services. It flies all season and says nothing about the sea today: a Blue Flag beach can have a red flag up on the same day. In 2026 five Guardamar beaches, six in Torrevieja and ten in Orihuela Costa received Blue Flags; the lists are in our beach guides.
Out of season and with a dog
Each municipality sets its own lifeguard seasons and hours and reports them to the Generalitat every year. At La Mata-Norte beach, for example, the 2026 high season ran from 1 July to 31 August, and in low season there are no lifeguard posts. Out of season you swim at your own risk: in an emergency call 112.
Looking for a dog beach in Orihuela? Orihuela’s bylaw bans animals from all its beaches, Orihuela Costa included. The nearest official dog beach is Cala del Rocío in Torrevieja, next to Punta Prima.