Spain · Cádiz
Playa la Costilla
Cádiz, 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 | 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
- 753 m
- Playa la Costilla756 mCádiz
- Playa Galeones1.6 kmCádiz
- Playa el Puntalillo1.7 kmCádiz
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Rotonda Virgen del Mar, about ~150 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Rota, about ~900 m away.
- 19 places to eat within 1 km Closest is El Faro, about ~30 m away.
- 1 place to stay mapped nearby Closest is Hotel Caribe, about ~320 m away.
- 5 shops nearby, the closest about ~710 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 la Costilla?
Playa la Costilla sits on a stretch of coast classed as a coastal bathing site, carrying an official EU Bathing Water rating of Excellent for the 2025 season. Under the EU Bathing Water Directive, national authorities test for intestinal enterococci and E. coli through the season and report the results the following spring — the 2025 rating was published in spring 2026, and 2026's won't follow 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 sits in Cádiz. You can park about ~150 m away.
Looking to avoid the busiest weeks? The water is typically warmest around August, with the most reliable swimming window running July–October; outside that stretch you'll find a cooler sea but a quieter beach. That rating has been consistent: every one of the 11 classified seasons on record has come back Excellent or Good. On site you'll find Lifeguard, Sandy shore, and Showers. Rota — the closest town — sits about ~900 m from here.
“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 19 places to eat within a kilometre — El Faro is the closest, about ~30 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is Playa la Costilla a safe beach for swimming?
Yes. Its official 2025 EU Bathing Water rating is Excellent, the top classification, and 11 of the 11 classified seasons on record have rated Excellent or Good. It's also held steady at Excellent for 11 straight years.
How cold or warm is the water at Playa la Costilla today?
Checking in on Playa la Costilla 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 Cádiz.
What's the ideal time of year to swim at Playa la Costilla?
The most reliable stretch for warm water runs through July–October, based on the modeled climatology. That applies to the water around Cádiz.
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 la Costilla doesn't have that feed yet.
Can you drive to Playa la Costilla?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Rotonda Virgen del Mar, about ~150 m away. The nearest town is Rota, about ~900 m away.