Croatia · Primorje-Gorski Kotar
Mali Raj
Opatija — Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Croatia
Right now
Live conditions from Open-Meteo, refreshed hourly.
7-day outlook
7-day marine forecast from Open-Meteo.
Sea temperature
Next 7 days, °C
Wave height
Next 7 days, metres
View as table
| Day | Sea temp (°C) | Wave height (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 2 | 26.7 | 0.1 |
| Thu 3 | 26.6 | 0.0 |
| Fri 4 | 26.9 | 0.0 |
| Sat 5 | 27.0 | 0.1 |
| Sun 6 | 27.0 | 0.1 |
| Mon 7 | 27.2 | 0.0 |
| Tue 8 | 27.4 | 0.1 |
Water quality history
Official EEA classification, one rating per bathing season, 2015–2025 — real data reported by national authorities.
- 2015: Not classified2015
- 2016: Not classified2016
- 2017: Not classified2017
- 2018: Excellent2018
- 2019: Excellent2019
- 2020: Excellent2020
- 2021: Excellent2021
- 2022: Excellent2022
- 2023: Excellent2023
- 2024: Excellent2024
- 2025: Excellent2025
Excellent in the most recent season, and 8 of 8 classified years rated Excellent or Good.
- Excellent
- Good
- Sufficient
- Poor
- Not classified
View as table
| Year | Classification |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Not classified |
| 2016 | Not classified |
| 2017 | Not classified |
| 2018 | Excellent |
| 2019 | Excellent |
| 2020 | Excellent |
| 2021 | Excellent |
| 2022 | Excellent |
| 2023 | Excellent |
| 2024 | Excellent |
| 2025 | Excellent |
Typical sea temperature by month
Modeled estimatePlausible seasonal climatology derived from latitude, for illustration — not a measured average.
Monthly sea temperature
Typical range across the year, °C
View as table
| Month | Typical sea temp (°C) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 15 |
| Feb | 14 |
| Mar | 15 |
| Apr | 17 |
| May | 20 |
| Jun | 23 |
| Jul | 25 |
| Aug | 26 |
| Sep | 25 |
| Oct | 23 |
| Nov | 20 |
| Dec | 17 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- kod Hotela Giorgio II114 mOpatija, Primorje-Gorski Kotar
- Punta Kolova214 mOpatija, Primorje-Gorski Kotar
- Villa Ariston378 mOpatija, Primorje-Gorski Kotar
- Kupalište Ičići790 mOpatija, Primorje-Gorski Kotar
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- No parking is mapped within 1.5 km of the beach — expect a walk, or arrive early once the season gets busy.
- Bus stop: Ičići 1 Motel, about ~150 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest village: Ičići, about ~900 m away.
- 1 place to eat within 1 km Closest is Mali raj, about ~110 m away.
- 1 place to stay mapped nearby Closest is Mali raj, about ~110 m away.
What kind of beach is this?
This beach belongs to a small coastal village. It's usually calmer than a resort or town beach, though a popular village spot can still fill up on the best summer days.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
Is the water clean at Mali Raj?
Thinking of swimming at Mali Raj? The short answer: its official EU Bathing Water rating for 2025 is Excellent — the highest official classification under the EU bathing-water assessment. That rating is set once a year under the EU Bathing Water Directive, from a full season of testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli reported to the European Environment Agency the following spring, so the 2025 season's grade appeared in spring 2026 and the 2026 season won't be graded until spring 2027. In addition to that yearly rating, some national authorities — for Croatia, IZOR (Croatia's Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries) — publish individual water sample results during the season itself, ahead of the annual report. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Excellent for 8 straight years.
Looking to avoid the busiest weeks? The water is typically warmest around August, with the most reliable swimming window running July–September; outside that stretch you'll find a cooler sea but a quieter beach. That rating has been consistent: every one of the 8 classified seasons on record has come back Excellent or Good. Ičići — the closest town — sits about ~900 m from here.
“Excellent” is one point on a four-step scale — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — assigned once per year from that season's water samples, not a live reading. It describes how the site performs on average across the season, not the exact water quality this afternoon; for day-to-day sea conditions, see the “Right now” and 7-day outlook panels above. There's 1 place to eat near the beach — Mali raj, about ~110 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Can you safely swim at Mali Raj?
It's about as safe as bathing water gets: Mali Raj's 2025 EU rating is Excellent, the top tier on the scale, and 8 of 8 classified seasons have come back Excellent or Good. It's also held steady at Excellent for 8 straight years.
How cold or warm is the water at Mali Raj today?
As of the latest update, the sea temperature at Mali Raj is around 26°C — see the “Right now” panel above for live conditions. That's the reading right off Opatija, Primorje-Gorski Kotar.
What's the ideal time of year to swim at Mali Raj?
July–September tends to be the sweet spot for swimming here, with sea temperatures usually peaking later in that stretch. That applies to the water around Opatija, Primorje-Gorski Kotar.
What's behind the water quality rating shown above?
National authorities sample the water for intestinal enterococci and E. coli bacteria through the bathing season and report the full-season results to the European Environment Agency each spring for the season just finished, which assigns one of four annual classifications — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — under the EU Bathing Water Directive. Some national authorities, including Croatia's IZOR, also publish individual in-season sample results ahead of that annual report.
How do you get to Mali Raj?
There's no parking mapped within 1.5 km of Mali Raj, so plan on a walk, or arrive early once it gets busy. By bus, the nearest stop is Ičići 1 Motel, about ~150 m away. The nearest town is Ičići, about ~900 m away.