Cyprus is among the best performing countries in the European Union in terms of bathing water quality, as in 2025 all 123 bathing sites monitored in all free provinces of the Republic of Cyprus, were ranked in the highest category of "excellent quality".
According to the latest annual EU Bathing Water Report, Cyprus is among the countries where more than 95% of bathing water was assessed as being of excellent quality, along with Austria, Bulgaria and Greece. In the case of Cyprus, the rate stood at 100%, as all 123 bathing sites assessed during the 2025 bathing season received the highest possible ranking.
As stated in a Commission statement published on Tuesday, 85% of the bathing sites monitored in Europe were classified as "of excellent quality", while 96% met at least the EU's minimum quality standards. Only 1.5% of bathing spots were classified as "poor quality". According to the Commission, the overall picture remained broadly stable compared to 2024.
The assessment was based on data from more than 22,200 bathing sites monitored during the 2025 season in all EU Member States, as well as Albania and Switzerland. For Cyprus, a total of 1,198 water samples were collected and analyzed from the 123 declared bathing areas.
According to the communication, the quality of coastal waters generally remains higher than that of inland waters. In 2025, 88% of coastal bathing waters in the EU were classified as of excellent quality, compared to 78% of inland waters such as rivers and lakes.
The Commission says the assessment examines the suitability of bathing waters, with a focus on monitoring bacteria that may cause serious illness in bathers. At the same time, an updated interactive map was published that allows citizens to be informed about the quality of each bathing area in Europe. It is noted that the assessment and the interactive map were prepared by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in cooperation with the Commission.
As pointed out in the communication, the improvement in bathing water quality over time is attributed to the implementation of European water legislation, including the Bathing Water Directive. Progress is linked to better monitoring and management practices, investments in urban wastewater treatment facilities, improved wastewater collection networks, and more effective assessment of phenomena such as cyanobacteria blooms.
The Commission notes that these continuous interventions have made it possible to swim safely even in urban waters and rivers that were heavily polluted in the past. At the same time, it underlines that further progress is needed to address challenges such as chemical pollution and the effects of climate change on surface and groundwater.
According to the Commission, protecting and improving water quality is a key element of the European Water Resilience Strategy, with the aim of ensuring healthy and resilient aquatic ecosystems, for the benefit of both citizens and the natural environment.
