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 | 19.5 | 0.6 |
| Thu 3 | 19.7 | 0.5 |
| Fri 4 | 20.0 | 0.5 |
| Sat 5 | 19.9 | 0.7 |
| Sun 6 | 20.2 | 0.7 |
| Mon 7 | 20.3 | 1.1 |
| Tue 8 | 19.9 | 0.9 |
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 | 22 |
| Jul | 24 |
| Aug | 25 |
| Sep | 24 |
| Oct | 23 |
| Nov | 20 |
| Dec | 18 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Playa Bao449 mPontevedra
- Playa Lavanqueira1.2 kmPontevedra
- Playa Espi?eiro1.2 kmPontevedra
- Playa Conserrado1.7 kmPontevedra
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Vilanova de Arousa, about ~3.1 km away.
- 1 place to eat within 1 km Closest is Casa do Mar, about ~920 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 Canteira?
Thinking of swimming at Playa Canteira? 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, the national environmental authority — 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 11 straight years. You can park about ~110 m away.
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–October, with the sea usually at its warmest around August. Outside that window the water is cooler and often quieter. Vilanova de Arousa — the closest town — sits about ~3.1 km from here.
Worth remembering: “Excellent” isn't a live reading, it's an annual grade — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — set once a year from that season's water samples and describing the average, not this afternoon's conditions. For what the sea is doing right now, check the “Right now” panel and 7-day outlook above. It sits in Pontevedra. There's 1 place to eat near the beach — Casa do Mar, about ~920 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Can you safely swim at Playa Canteira?
It's about as safe as bathing water gets: Playa Canteira's 2025 EU rating is Excellent, the top tier on the scale, and 11 of 11 classified seasons have come back Excellent or Good. It's also held steady at Excellent for 11 straight years.
Is the sea warm at Playa Canteira today?
Checking in on Playa Canteira right now: the water is around 19°C, per the latest reading — the “Right now” panel above tracks it live. That's the reading right off Pontevedra.
Which month has the warmest sea at Playa Canteira?
July–October is typically the most reliable swimming window, with the sea usually warmest in the second half of summer. That applies to the water around Pontevedra.
What's behind the water quality rating shown above?
The grade comes from a full season of official sampling for intestinal enterococci and E. coli, reported to the European Environment Agency each spring under the EU Bathing Water Directive, which assigns Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor. Some countries (Croatia, via IZOR) also publish individual in-season samples ahead of that report; Playa Canteira doesn't have that feed yet.
How do you get to Playa Canteira?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. The nearest town is Vilanova de Arousa, about ~3.1 km away.