On the beach
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 | 27.3 | 0.4 |
| Thu 3 | 27.1 | 0.7 |
| Fri 4 | 26.8 | 0.9 |
| Sat 5 | 26.7 | 0.9 |
| Sun 6 | 27.2 | 0.5 |
| Mon 7 | 27.0 | 0.8 |
| Tue 8 | 26.6 | 1.0 |
Water quality history
Official EEA classification, one rating per bathing season, 2015–2025 — real data reported by national authorities.
- 2015: Excellent2015
- 2016: Excellent2016
- 2017: Excellent2017
- 2018: Excellent2018
- 2019: Excellent2019
- 2020: Excellent2020
- 2021: Excellent2021
- 2022: Excellent2022
- 2023: Excellent2023
- 2024: Excellent2024
- 2025: Excellent2025
Excellent in the most recent season, and 11 of 11 classified years rated Excellent or Good.
- Excellent
- Good
- Sufficient
- Poor
- Not classified
View as table
| Year | Classification |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Excellent |
| 2016 | Excellent |
| 2017 | Excellent |
| 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 | 17 |
| Feb | 16 |
| Mar | 17 |
| Apr | 19 |
| May | 22 |
| Jun | 24 |
| Jul | 26 |
| Aug | 27 |
| Sep | 27 |
| Oct | 25 |
| Nov | 22 |
| Dec | 19 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Akti Komou2.2 kmCrete
- Kaloi Limenes8.5 kmCrete
- Chrisostomos9.3 kmCrete
- Kokkinos Pyrgos9.6 kmCrete
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Ματαλα, about ~160 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest village: Πιτσίδια, about ~3.8 km away.
- 44 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Dolphin, about ~60 m away.
- 19 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Zafiria, about ~160 m away.
- 5 shops nearby, the closest about ~70 m away
What kind of beach is this?
This beach sits in a built-up resort setting, with hotels, restaurants and services clustered around it — a full-service stretch of coast that tends to be busy in peak season and quieter outside it.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
- Full-service days
Is the water clean at Matala?
Matala sits on a stretch of coast classed as a coastal bathing site, carrying an official EU Bathing Water rating of Excellent for the 2025 season. Under the EU Bathing Water Directive, national authorities test for intestinal enterococci and E. coli through the season and report the results the following spring — the 2025 rating was published in spring 2026, and 2026's won't follow until spring 2027. In addition to that yearly rating, some national authorities — for Croatia, the national environmental authority — publish individual water sample results during the season itself, ahead of the annual report. It sits in Crete. There's parking about ~110 m from the beach.
That rating has been consistent: every one of the 11 classified seasons on record has come back Excellent or Good. The most reliable swimming window here typically runs from July–September, with the sea usually at its warmest around August. Outside that window the water is cooler and often quieter. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Excellent for 11 straight years. The nearest town, Πιτσίδια, is about ~3.8 km away.
That “Excellent” label comes from a full season of official water sampling, not a single test — it's one step on a four-point scale (Excellent, Good, Sufficient, Poor) reassessed once a year. Today's actual conditions can differ from the seasonal average, so for a live snapshot see the “Right now” and 7-day outlook panels above. There are 44 places to eat within a kilometre — Dolphin is the closest, about ~60 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is Matala safe to swim in?
Matala is rated Excellent for 2025 — the top EU Bathing Water classification — with 11 of 11 classified seasons rating Excellent or Good, so yes. It's also held steady at Excellent for 11 straight years.
What is the sea temperature at Matala today?
The latest reading puts the sea at Matala at around 27°C — the “Right now” panel above has the full live picture. That's the reading right off Crete. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When does Matala have the warmest water?
For swimming, July–September is usually the best call — that's the modeled window when the sea here runs warmest. That applies to the water around Crete. Within that window, August is typically the single warmest month.
Where does the water quality rating come from?
Behind the annual grade: a season of testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli, reported to the European Environment Agency each spring under the EU Bathing Water Directive. A few countries, Croatia via IZOR included, also publish individual in-season samples ahead of that report, but Matala doesn't have one published yet.
What's the easiest way to reach Matala?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Ματαλα, about ~160 m away. The nearest town is Πιτσίδια, about ~3.8 km away.