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 | 18.6 | 0.9 |
| Thu 3 | 19.2 | 0.7 |
| Fri 4 | 19.3 | 0.7 |
| Sat 5 | 19.2 | 1.1 |
| Sun 6 | 19.6 | 1.1 |
| Mon 7 | 19.5 | 1.7 |
| Tue 8 | 19.0 | 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 | 16 |
| Feb | 15 |
| Mar | 16 |
| Apr | 18 |
| May | 20 |
| Jun | 23 |
| Jul | 25 |
| Aug | 26 |
| Sep | 25 |
| Oct | 23 |
| Nov | 20 |
| Dec | 18 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Playa Barreiri?o226 mPontevedra
- Playa Area Grande - Grove327 mPontevedra
- Playa O Carreiro - Grove574 mPontevedra
- Playa Mexiloeira1.3 kmPontevedra
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.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: O Grove, about ~5.3 km away.
- 2 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Parrilla Tango, about ~150 m away.
What kind of beach is this?
With no facilities mapped nearby, this beach is usually on the quiet side even in season — worth knowing if you're after solitude, but also worth bringing your own water and shade.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
- A quiet swim
Is the water clean at Playa A Barcela?
Playa A Barcela is a coastal bathing site with an official EU Bathing Water rating of Excellent for the 2025 season — the highest official classification under the EU bathing-water assessment. That annual classification comes from the EU Bathing Water Directive: national authorities test for two indicator bacteria, intestinal enterococci and E. coli, throughout the bathing season, then report the full-season results to the European Environment Agency (EEA) the following spring — the 2025 season's rating was published in spring 2026, and the 2026 season won't be rated 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. On site you'll find Sandy shore, Showers, and Restaurant.
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, O Grove, is about ~5.3 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 2 places to eat within a kilometre — Parrilla Tango is the closest, about ~150 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to go in the water at Playa A Barcela?
Yes — Playa A Barcela 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 is the sea temperature at Playa A Barcela today?
Playa A Barcela's sea temperature currently sits at around 18°C, based on the latest update — check the “Right now” panel above for the full live picture. That's the reading right off Pontevedra. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When should you plan a swimming trip to Playa A Barcela?
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 Pontevedra. Within that window, August is typically the single warmest month.
How is bathing water quality actually assessed?
Once a year, national authorities report a full season of testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli to the European Environment Agency, which grades the season Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor under the EU Bathing Water Directive. A handful of countries, including Croatia via IZOR, also publish individual in-season samples ahead of that report — Playa A Barcela doesn't have that feed set up yet.
What's nearby Playa A Barcela — parking, buses, or a ferry?
There's no parking mapped within 1.5 km of Playa A Barcela, so plan on a walk, or arrive early once it gets busy. The nearest town is O Grove, about ~5.3 km away.