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 | 23.2 | 0.5 |
| Thu 3 | 23.8 | 0.4 |
| Fri 4 | 24.7 | 0.2 |
| Sat 5 | 24.5 | 0.6 |
| Sun 6 | 25.3 | 0.5 |
| Mon 7 | 25.7 | 0.2 |
| Tue 8 | 25.9 | 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 el Palmeral466 mAlmería
- Playa San Miguel-Las Conchas569 mAlmería
- Playa Nueva Almeria1.1 kmAlmería
- Playa las Olas3.5 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: Plaza del Zapillo, about ~120 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest city: Almería, about ~2.2 km away.
- 54 places to eat within 1 km Closest is Santa Clara Playa-bar, about ~50 m away.
- 18 shops nearby, the closest about ~120 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 Zapillo?
Playa Zapillo 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, Sandy shore, and Showers. You can park about ~260 m away.
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 July–September, 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.
Worth remembering: “Excellent” isn't a live reading, it's an annual grade — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — set once a year from that season's water samples and describing the average, not this afternoon's conditions. For what the sea is doing right now, check the “Right now” panel and 7-day outlook above. It sits in Almería. There are 54 places to eat within a kilometre — Santa Clara Playa-bar is the closest, about ~50 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Can you safely swim at Playa Zapillo?
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 Zapillo today?
Checking in on Playa Zapillo 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 Zapillo?
July–September is typically the most reliable swimming window, with the sea usually warmest in the second half of summer. That applies to the water around Almería.
What's behind the water quality rating shown above?
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 Zapillo isn't yet covered by that in-season feed.
Can you drive to Playa Zapillo?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Plaza del Zapillo, about ~120 m away. The nearest town is Almería, about ~2.2 km away.