Spain · Cádiz
Playa los Lances
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 | 22.0 | 0.9 |
| Thu 3 | 22.2 | 0.9 |
| Fri 4 | 23.3 | 0.8 |
| Sat 5 | 23.3 | 0.9 |
| Sun 6 | 23.2 | 0.9 |
| Mon 7 | 23.4 | 0.7 |
| Tue 8 | 24.3 | 0.7 |
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 los Lances1.7 kmCádiz
- Playa los Lances6.0 kmCádiz
- Playa Valdevaqueros9.1 kmCádiz
- Playa Bolonia17 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: Av. Pintor Guillermo Pérez Villalta - Kiosco, about ~270 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest town: Tarifa, about ~1.4 km away.
- 39 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Papaya, about ~380 m away.
- 4 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Tarifa Lances, about ~480 m away.
- 13 shops nearby, the closest about ~340 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
- Water sports
Is the water clean at Playa los Lances?
Playa los Lances 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 Lifeguard, Showers, and Parking. You can park about ~100 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–October is the safest bet, with August typically the peak — expect a cooler, calmer sea either side of that stretch. Tarifa — 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 are 39 places to eat within a kilometre — Papaya is the closest, about ~380 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Can you safely swim at Playa los Lances?
It's about as safe as bathing water gets: Playa los Lances'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 los Lances today?
Checking in on Playa los Lances 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 los Lances?
The most reliable stretch for warm water runs through July–October, based on the modeled climatology. That applies to the water around Cádiz.
What's behind the water quality rating shown above?
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 los Lances doesn't have that feed yet.
Can you drive to Playa los Lances?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Av. Pintor Guillermo Pérez Villalta - Kiosco, about ~270 m away. The nearest town is Tarifa, about ~1.4 km away.