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 | 22.3 | 0.6 |
| Thu 3 | 22.1 | 0.6 |
| Fri 4 | 22.4 | 0.6 |
| Sat 5 | 22.1 | 0.5 |
| Sun 6 | 22.5 | 0.5 |
| Mon 7 | 22.5 | 0.4 |
| Tue 8 | 21.9 | 0.6 |
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 | 23 |
| Jul | 25 |
| Aug | 25 |
| Sep | 25 |
| Oct | 23 |
| Nov | 21 |
| Dec | 19 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Playa la Costilla957 mCádiz
- Playa la Costilla1.7 kmCádiz
- Playa Punta Candor1.8 kmCádiz
- 2.4 km
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Av. Diputación - Urb. Rotamar, about ~250 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Rota, about ~1.8 km away.
- 12 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Chiringuito Las Dunas, about ~350 m away.
- 2 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Hotel Playa de la Luz, about ~460 m away.
- 3 shops nearby, the closest about ~440 m 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).
- Families
- Naturist
Is the water clean at Playa el Puntalillo?
Thinking of swimming at Playa el Puntalillo? 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 ~240 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–October is the safest bet, with August typically the peak — expect a cooler, calmer sea either side of that stretch. The nearest town, Rota, is about ~1.8 km 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 12 places to eat within a kilometre — Chiringuito Las Dunas is the closest, about ~350 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to go in the water at Playa el Puntalillo?
Yes, without much reservation. Playa el Puntalillo 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 is the sea temperature at Playa el Puntalillo today?
The most recent reading for Playa el Puntalillo shows the sea at around 22°C. For live, up-to-the-hour conditions, see the “Right now” panel above. That's the reading right off Cádiz. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When is the best time to swim at Playa el Puntalillo?
For the warmest water, aim for July–October — that's when the modeled sea temperature is typically at its best. That applies to the water around Cádiz. 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 el Puntalillo.
Is there parking near Playa el Puntalillo?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Av. Diputación - Urb. Rotamar, about ~250 m away. The nearest town is Rota, about ~1.8 km away.