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 | 25.5 | 0.6 |
| Thu 3 | 25.7 | 0.5 |
| Fri 4 | 25.7 | 0.3 |
| Sat 5 | 25.7 | 0.5 |
| Sun 6 | 25.3 | 0.6 |
| Mon 7 | 25.6 | 0.4 |
| Tue 8 | 25.8 | 0.2 |
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 | 17 |
| Mar | 17 |
| Apr | 19 |
| May | 22 |
| Jun | 24 |
| Jul | 26 |
| Aug | 27 |
| Sep | 26 |
| Oct | 24 |
| Nov | 21 |
| Dec | 19 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Playa de la Alcazaba343 mMelilla
- Playa de San Lorenzo953 mMelilla
- Playa Horcas Coloradas1.2 kmMelilla
- Playa de los C?rabos1.2 kmMelilla
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Ferry: Antigua Estación Marítima, about ~440 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest city: Melilla, about ~600 m away.
- 11 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Bar Sevilla, about ~190 m away.
- 4 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Anfora, about ~290 m away.
- 2 shops nearby, the closest about ~1.1 km 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 los Gal?pagos?
Thinking of swimming at Playa de los Gal?pagos? 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 ~100 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.
“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 11 places to eat within a kilometre — Bar Sevilla is the closest, about ~190 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Should you swim at Playa de los Gal?pagos?
Yes, without much reservation. Playa de los Gal?pagos 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 temperature is the sea at Playa de los Gal?pagos right now?
Playa de los Gal?pagos's sea temperature currently sits at around 25°C, based on the latest update — check the “Right now” panel above for the full live picture. That's the reading right off Melilla. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When is the best time to swim at Playa de los Gal?pagos?
For the warmest water, aim for July–September — that's when the modeled sea temperature is typically at its best. That applies to the water around Melilla. 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 de los Gal?pagos doesn't have that feed set up yet.
What's the easiest way to reach Playa de los Gal?pagos?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By ferry, the nearest landing is Antigua Estación Marítima, about ~440 m away. The nearest town is Melilla, about ~600 m away.