Spain · Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Playa San Marcos
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 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 | 25.1 | 1.7 |
| Thu 3 | 25.4 | 1.4 |
| Fri 4 | 25.6 | 0.9 |
| Sat 5 | 25.4 | 0.9 |
| Sun 6 | 25.5 | 1.2 |
| Mon 7 | 25.7 | 1.4 |
| Tue 8 | 25.7 | 1.5 |
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 | 19 |
| Feb | 18 |
| Mar | 19 |
| Apr | 20 |
| May | 22 |
| Jun | 24 |
| Jul | 25 |
| Aug | 26 |
| Sep | 26 |
| Oct | 24 |
| Nov | 22 |
| Dec | 20 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- Playa Piscinas Naturales de el Caleton4.2 kmSanta Cruz de Tenerife
- Playa Muelle (El) -Garachico4.4 kmSanta Cruz de Tenerife
- Playa Socorro (El)12 kmSanta Cruz de Tenerife
- Playa Jardin16 kmSanta Cruz de Tenerife
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Playa San Marcos, about ~50 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest village: San Felipe, about ~800 m away.
- 14 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Italia in Bocca, about ~50 m away.
- 6 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Monis, about ~280 m away.
- 5 shops nearby, the closest about ~80 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
- Water sports
Is the water clean at Playa San Marcos?
Playa San Marcos 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife. 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. The most reliable swimming window here typically runs from June–October, with the sea usually at its warmest around August. Outside that window the water is cooler and often quieter. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Excellent for 11 straight years. The nearest town, San Felipe, is about ~800 m away.
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. There are 14 places to eat within a kilometre — Italia in Bocca is the closest, about ~50 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is Playa San Marcos safe to swim in?
Yes, without much reservation. Playa San Marcos 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's the current water temperature at Playa San Marcos?
The latest reading puts the sea at Playa San Marcos at around 25°C — the “Right now” panel above has the full live picture. That's the reading right off Santa Cruz de Tenerife. On the modeled climatology here, August usually runs warmest.
When is the best time to swim at Playa San Marcos?
If you're planning around water temperature, June–October is the window to target — the modeled sea temperature is typically highest then. That applies to the water around Santa Cruz de Tenerife. 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 San Marcos.
What's nearby Playa San Marcos — parking, buses, or a ferry?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Playa San Marcos, about ~50 m away. The nearest town is San Felipe, about ~800 m away.