Spain · Biscay
Playa de Aritzatxu
Biscay, 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 2 | 23.6 | 1.1 |
| Thu 3 | 23.4 | 0.7 |
| Fri 4 | 23.9 | 0.7 |
| Sat 5 | 23.4 | 1.5 |
| Sun 6 | 23.3 | 1.5 |
| Mon 7 | 23.8 | 1.2 |
| Tue 8 | 23.8 | 1.1 |
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 | 17 |
| May | 20 |
| Jun | 22 |
| Jul | 24 |
| Aug | 24 |
| Sep | 24 |
| Oct | 22 |
| Nov | 20 |
| Dec | 18 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Playa de Laidatxu3.5 kmBiscay
- Playa de Laida4.1 kmBiscay
- Playa de Laida4.6 kmBiscay
- Playa de To?a4.6 kmBiscay
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- By car: there's parking about ~440 m from the beach.
- Nearest bus stop is about ~330 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Bermeo, about ~900 m away.
- 40 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Futbol zelaiko taberna, about ~530 m away.
- 3 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Aldatzeta ostatua, about ~850 m away.
- 15 shops nearby, the closest about ~570 m away
What kind of beach is this?
This is a town beach, woven into the everyday fabric of a city or larger settlement — expect company on warm days, especially through July and August, alongside easy access to shops and services.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
- Families
Is the water clean at Playa de Aritzatxu?
Thinking of swimming at Playa de Aritzatxu? 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. There's parking about ~440 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, Bermeo, is about ~900 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. There are 40 places to eat within a kilometre — Futbol zelaiko taberna is the closest, about ~530 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to go in the water at Playa de Aritzatxu?
Playa de Aritzatxu 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's the current water temperature at Playa de Aritzatxu?
The latest reading puts the sea at Playa de Aritzatxu at around 23°C — the “Right now” panel above has the full live picture. That's the reading right off Biscay. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When should you plan a swimming trip to Playa de Aritzatxu?
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 Biscay. Within that window, August is typically the single warmest month.
How is bathing water quality actually assessed?
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 de Aritzatxu.
Is there parking near Playa de Aritzatxu?
By car, there's parking about ~440 m from the beach. There's a bus stop about ~330 m from the beach. The nearest town is Bermeo, about ~900 m away.