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 | 0.5 |
| Thu 3 | 23.9 | 0.4 |
| Fri 4 | 25.0 | 0.2 |
| Sat 5 | 24.7 | 0.6 |
| Sun 6 | 25.3 | 0.4 |
| Mon 7 | 25.6 | 0.2 |
| Tue 8 | 25.6 | 0.1 |
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 | 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 Costacabana2.8 kmAlmería
- Playa el Toyo3.3 kmAlmería
- Playa Retamar3.9 kmAlmería
- Playa Torregarcia5.3 kmAlmería
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Carretera de Níjar 191, about ~1.3 km away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest village: El Alquián, about ~1.4 km away.
- 1 place to eat within 1 km Closest is La Barraquilla, about ~130 m away.
- 1 shop nearby, about ~1.3 km away
What kind of beach is this?
This beach belongs to a small coastal village. It's usually calmer than a resort or town beach, though a popular village spot can still fill up on the best summer days.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
Is the water clean at Playa el Alquian?
Playa el Alquian is a coastal bathing site with an official EU Bathing Water rating of Excellent for the 2025 season — the highest official classification under the EU bathing-water assessment. 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 Restaurant and Parking. You can park about ~140 m away.
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. El Alquián — the closest town — sits about ~1.4 km from here.
That “Excellent” label comes from a full season of official water sampling, not a single test — it's one step on a four-point scale (Excellent, Good, Sufficient, Poor) reassessed once a year. Today's actual conditions can differ from the seasonal average, so for a live snapshot see the “Right now” and 7-day outlook panels above. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Excellent for 11 straight years. There's 1 place to eat near the beach — La Barraquilla, about ~130 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is the water at Playa el Alquian safe right now?
It's about as safe as bathing water gets: Playa el Alquian'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.
How cold or warm is the water at Playa el Alquian today?
Checking in on Playa el Alquian right now: the water is around 22°C, per the latest reading — the “Right now” panel above tracks it live. That's the reading right off Almería.
What's the ideal time of year to swim at Playa el Alquian?
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 Almería.
What does the water quality rating actually measure?
The annual classification — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — is built from a full season of official testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli, reported to the European Environment Agency each spring. Some national authorities (Croatia's IZOR among them) also publish individual samples during the season itself; Playa el Alquian isn't yet covered by that in-season feed.
How do I get to Playa el Alquian without a car?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Carretera de Níjar 191, about ~1.3 km away. The nearest town is El Alquián, about ~1.4 km away.