Costa del Sol and Cádiz: beach reality check
Short answer: 14 beaches checked. In mid-July the sun leaves first at Playa de Maro (20:30), Playa Burriana (21:00), Playa de La Malagueta (21:00); the latest sun is at Playa de La Barrosa, Playa de la Cortadura, Playa de La Caleta.
| Beach | Surface | Sun in July | Climb from parking | Water | Sea in Aug | Clubs mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playa Burriana Nerja | Sand | 07:45–21:00 | — | gradual | 24 °C | — |
| Playa de Maro Nerja | Sand | 08:40–20:30 | — | gradual | 24 °C | — |
| Playa de La Malagueta Málaga | Sand | 07:35–21:00 | — | gradual | 23 °C | — |
| Playa de Cabopino Marbella | Sand | 07:30–21:25 | — | shallow | 23 °C | — |
| Playa de Bolonia Tarifa | Sand | 07:40–21:15 | — | gradual | 22 °C | — |
| Playa de Los Lances Tarifa | Sand | 07:40–21:40 | — | gradual | 22 °C | — |
| Playa de Valdevaqueros | Sand | 08:15–21:20 | — | deep fast | 22 °C | — |
| Playa de Zahara Barbate | Sand | 08:10–21:40 | — | gradual | 22 °C | — |
| Playa de El Palmar Vejer de la Frontera | Sand | 08:00–21:40 | — | shallow | 23 °C | — |
| Playa de La Caleta Cádiz | Sand | 08:05–21:45 | — | deep fast | 23 °C | — |
| Playa de la Cortadura Cádiz | Sand | 08:00–21:45 | — | gradual | 23 °C | — |
| Playa de la Carihuela Torremolinos | Sand | 07:20–21:00 | — | gradual | 23 °C | — |
| Playa de Calahonda - Calahonda Mijas | Sand | 07:35–21:15 | 90 m | gradual | 23 °C | — |
| Playa de La Barrosa Chiclana de la Frontera | Sand | 07:50–21:45 | — | gradual | 23 °C | — |
Plan it
Questions
Which beaches in Costa del Sol and Cádiz lose the sun first?
14 beaches checked. In mid-July the sun leaves first at Playa de Maro (20:30), Playa Burriana (21:00), Playa de La Malagueta (21:00); the latest sun is at Playa de La Barrosa, Playa de la Cortadura, Playa de La Caleta.
Which beaches in Costa del Sol and Cádiz are sand?
Playa Burriana, Playa de Maro, Playa de La Malagueta, Playa de Cabopino, Playa de Bolonia, Playa de Los Lances, Playa de Valdevaqueros, Playa de Zahara, Playa de El Palmar, Playa de La Caleta, Playa de la Cortadura, Playa de la Carihuela, Playa de Calahonda - Calahonda, Playa de La Barrosa.
Sun and shade come from the sun's position and the skyline around each beach, measured every 4° of compass direction from a 30 m elevation model out to 6 km. The climb back up is the height difference between the beach and the nearest mapped car park or bus stop (about 0.17 m per step). Water depth comes from the EMODnet seabed model; surface, beach clubs, toilets and showers from OpenStreetMap; sea temperature is the 1991–2020 average from NOAA OISST and waves the 2015–2024 average from ERA5. Prices are not shown: they change every season and differ between clubs. Map data checked 7 Nov 2026; next check 1 Dec 2026 (monthly). Sea averages are refreshed every January. Sun and shade are calculated for any date you pick.