On the beach
Right now
Sample dataIllustrative conditions — the live Open-Meteo marine feed wasn't reachable, so these are deterministic placeholder values that will be replaced automatically once the feed is available.
7-day outlook
Sample dataModeled placeholder forecast for demonstration — will be replaced by a live marine-weather feed.
Sea temperature
Next 7 days, °C
Wave height
Next 7 days, metres
View as table
| Day | Sea temp (°C) | Wave height (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 2 | 25.5 | 0.3 |
| Thu 3 | 26.0 | 0.3 |
| Fri 4 | 26.0 | 0.3 |
| Sat 5 | 25.7 | 0.3 |
| Sun 6 | 25.1 | 0.3 |
| Mon 7 | 24.9 | 0.3 |
| Tue 8 | 25.1 | 0.3 |
Water quality history
Official EEA classification, one rating per bathing season, 2015–2025 — real data reported by national authorities.
- 2015: Sufficient2015
- 2016: Good2016
- 2017: Good2017
- 2018: Good2018
- 2019: Good2019
- 2020: Good2020
- 2021: Good2021
- 2022: Excellent2022
- 2023: Sufficient2023
- 2024: Sufficient2024
- 2025: Poor2025
Poor in the most recent season, and 7 of 11 classified years rated Excellent or Good.
- Excellent
- Good
- Sufficient
- Poor
- Not classified
View as table
| Year | Classification |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Sufficient |
| 2016 | Good |
| 2017 | Good |
| 2018 | Good |
| 2019 | Good |
| 2020 | Good |
| 2021 | Good |
| 2022 | Excellent |
| 2023 | Sufficient |
| 2024 | Sufficient |
| 2025 | Poor |
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 Ereaga1.6 kmBiscay
- Playa de Arrigunaga2.9 kmBiscay
- Playa de Azkorri5.8 kmBiscay
- Playa de Barinatxe6.4 kmBiscay
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- By car: there's parking about ~540 m from the beach.
- Bus stop: Zugazarte 2 (Marítimo), about ~350 m away.
- Ferry: Embarcadero Getxo, about ~870 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Santurtzi, about ~1.1 km away.
- 110 places to eat within 1 km Closest is El Faro, about ~440 m away.
- 10 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is El Embarcadero, about ~600 m away.
- 56 shops nearby, the closest about ~410 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 las Arenas?
Playa de las Arenas is a transitional bathing site with an official EU Bathing Water rating of Poor for the 2025 season — below the EU standard; swimming may be discouraged or restricted by local authorities. 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 Lifeguard, Sandy shore, and Showers. You can park about ~540 m away.
Over the 11 classified seasons on record, 7 have come back Excellent or Good — a track record worth checking each year rather than assuming. 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. Worth noting: the rating slipped from Sufficient to Poor in 2025, so it's especially worth checking the latest local advisories. Santurtzi — the closest town — sits about ~1.1 km from here.
Worth remembering: “Poor” 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 Biscay. There are 110 places to eat within a kilometre — El Faro is the closest, about ~440 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is the water at Playa de las Arenas safe right now?
This one calls for caution — Playa de las Arenas's 2025 rating is Poor. Look for posted flags and local advisories before you go in.
Is the sea warm at Playa de las Arenas today?
The panel above shows a sample value of around 26°C. This is placeholder data shown because a live marine-weather feed wasn't reachable — it will be replaced automatically once the feed is available. That's the reading right off Biscay.
What's the best month to visit Playa de las Arenas for swimming?
July–September tends to be the sweet spot for swimming here, with sea temperatures usually peaking later in that stretch. That applies to the water around Biscay.
How is the water quality rating measured?
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 de las Arenas doesn't have that feed yet.
How do I get to Playa de las Arenas without a car?
By car, there's parking about ~540 m from the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Zugazarte 2 (Marítimo), about ~350 m away. By ferry, the nearest landing is Embarcadero Getxo, about ~870 m away. The nearest town is Santurtzi, about ~1.1 km away.