Croatia, a beloved destination for millions of British tourists each year, has suffered a significant drop in the European Union's annual bathing water quality rankings. The European Environment Agency (EEA) report, published this week, shows the central European nation falling from fifth place last year to 12th place among the countries assessed.
Decline in Excellence
Only 86.2% of Croatia's monitored bathing waters were rated "excellent" this year, a sharp decline from the over 95% achieved in previous years. While 96% of sites met the minimum quality requirements, and only 1.5% were classified as poor, the drop in top-tier ratings has raised concerns.
Coastal vs. Inland Waters
The report highlights a disparity between Croatia's coastal and inland waters. Coastal waters ranked 14th, while inland waters performed poorly, placing 22nd out of the assessed countries. The EEA monitors for faecal indicator bacteria, including E. coli and intestinal enterococci, under the Bathing Water Directive.
European Leaders
Cyprus topped the rankings with 100% of its bathing waters rated excellent, followed by Greece (97.1%), Bulgaria (96.9%), Austria (96.5%), and Luxembourg (94.1%). Among Mediterranean nations, Italy placed eighth (89.8%), Malta ninth (88.5%), and Spain 11th (86.6%).
EU Officials Comment
European Commissioner for Environment Jessika Roswall stated that the results demonstrate the long-term benefits of EU environmental legislation and investment in wastewater treatment. EEA Executive Director Leena Ylä-Mononen added that coordinated European action has ensured most bathing waters are safe for swimming, contributing to climate resilience.
The findings are based on 22,289 water samples collected in 2025 from bathing sites across EU member states, Albania, and Switzerland.
