Spain · Murcia
Playa Cala Cortina
Murcia, Spain
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) |
|---|---|---|
| Tue 1 | 25.0 | 0.7 |
| Wed 2 | 25.8 | 0.6 |
| Thu 3 | 26.5 | 0.5 |
| Fri 4 | 27.3 | 0.4 |
| Sat 5 | 27.3 | 0.4 |
| Sun 6 | 27.2 | 0.5 |
| Mon 7 | 27.3 | 0.4 |
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 | 21 |
| Jun | 24 |
| Jul | 26 |
| Aug | 27 |
| Sep | 26 |
| Oct | 24 |
| Nov | 21 |
| Dec | 19 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Playa el Portus8.7 kmMurcia
- Playa Portman-El Lastre12 kmMurcia
- Playa del Barco16 kmMurcia
- Playa Estrella de Mar17 kmMurcia
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Cala Cortina, about ~130 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest city: Cartagena, about ~4.0 km away.
- 1 place to eat within 1 km Closest is Restaurante Mares Bravas, about ~20 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).
- Families
- A quiet swim
Is the water clean at Playa Cala Cortina?
Playa Cala Cortina 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 Murcia. There's parking about ~40 m from the beach.
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, Cartagena, is about ~4.0 km 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. There's 1 place to eat near the beach — Restaurante Mares Bravas, about ~20 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to go in the water at Playa Cala Cortina?
Yes, without much reservation. Playa Cala Cortina holds the top EU Bathing Water classification, Excellent, for 2025, and 11 of 11 classified seasons here have rated Excellent or Good. It's also held steady at Excellent for 11 straight years.
What's the current water temperature at Playa Cala Cortina?
The latest reading puts the sea at Playa Cala Cortina at around 25°C — the “Right now” panel above has the full live picture. That's the reading right off Murcia. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When should you plan a swimming trip to Playa Cala Cortina?
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 Murcia. Within that window, August is typically the single warmest month.
Where does the water quality rating come from?
It's based on official water samples: authorities test for intestinal enterococci and E. coli through the season, then report the full-season results to the European Environment Agency each spring, which assigns one of four grades — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor. A few national authorities, including Croatia's IZOR, also publish individual samples during the season itself, ahead of that annual report — that isn't yet available for Playa Cala Cortina.
Is there parking near Playa Cala Cortina?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Cala Cortina, about ~130 m away. The nearest town is Cartagena, about ~4.0 km away.