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 | 27.5 | 0.5 |
| Thu 3 | 27.3 | 0.8 |
| Fri 4 | 27.2 | 1.2 |
| Sat 5 | 27.1 | 1.3 |
| Sun 6 | 27.1 | 0.8 |
| Mon 7 | 27.1 | 1.0 |
| Tue 8 | 26.9 | 1.3 |
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
- Linoperamata3.4 kmCrete
- Lygaria3.8 kmCrete
- Made3.8 kmCrete
- Ammoudara4.8 kmCrete
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: ΠΑΛΑΙΟΚΑΣΤΡΟ, about ~120 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest village: Παλαιόκαστρο, about ~100 m away.
- 1 place to stay mapped nearby Closest is Gabriella's Garden, about ~170 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 Palaiokastro?
Palaiokastro 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.
That rating has been consistent: every one of the 11 classified seasons on record has come back Excellent or Good. If you're timing a visit around water temperature rather than crowds, July–September is the safest bet, with August typically the peak — expect a cooler, calmer sea either side of that stretch. The nearest town, Παλαιόκαστρο, is about ~100 m away.
“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.
Frequently asked questions
Is Palaiokastro safe to swim in?
Yes — Palaiokastro carries the top EU Bathing Water classification, Excellent, for 2025, and 11 of its 11 classified seasons have rated Excellent or Good. It's also held steady at Excellent for 11 straight years.
What's the current water temperature at Palaiokastro?
The most recent reading for Palaiokastro shows the sea at around 27°C. For live, up-to-the-hour conditions, see the “Right now” panel above. That's the reading right off Crete. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When is the best time to swim at Palaiokastro?
If you're planning around water temperature, July–September is the window to target — the modeled sea temperature is typically highest then. That applies to the water around Crete. Within that window, August is typically the single warmest month.
Who measures the water quality rating, and how?
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 Palaiokastro doesn't have one published yet.
Is there parking near Palaiokastro?
There's no parking mapped within 1.5 km of Palaiokastro, so plan on a walk, or arrive early once it gets busy. By bus, the nearest stop is ΠΑΛΑΙΟΚΑΣΤΡΟ, about ~120 m away. The nearest town is Παλαιόκαστρο, about ~100 m away.