Bathing water quality in Castile and León, Spain
Castile and León has 41 official bathing waters in the EEA dataset for the 2025 season (24 river and 17 lake). 36.6% were classified Excellent — 50 points below the 86.6% across Spain — and 7 were Poor. By province, the Excellent share is highest in Soria (80% of 5) and lowest in León (8.3% of 12). 12 sites have been Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025.
Calidad de las aguas de baño en Castilla y León
De 41 zonas de baño oficiales de la UE en Castilla y León, el 36,6 % fue «excelente» en 2025; zonas con calificación «insuficiente»: 7.
official bathing waters
Excellent in 2025
Poor in 2025
Map of official bathing waters in Castile and León
Castile and León by province
Sites are placed in the Eurostat NUTS 3 provinces that contain their reported coordinates.
| Province | Sites | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor | Not classified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| León | 12 | 1 (8.3%) | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Zamora | 12 | 6 (50%) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Soria | 5 | 4 (80%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Burgos | 4 | 0 (0%) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Ávila | 3 | 1 (33.3%) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Palencia | 3 | 2 (66.7%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Segovia | 1 | 1 (100%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Valladolid | 1 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Sea, lakes and rivers in Castile and León
| Water type | Sites | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor | Not classified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake | 17 | 13 (76.5%) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| River | 24 | 2 (8.3%) | 11 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
Coastal waters are assessed against stricter bacterial limits than lakes and rivers but are diluted far more; see how the classes are calculated.
Most consistent Excellent sites
12 sites were Excellent in all eleven seasons. Ordered by the length of the unbroken Excellent run ending in 2025.
- EMBALSE AGUILAR DE CAMPOO AGUILAR DE CAMPOO PM1 11 seasons · Palencia
- EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO CIDONES PM1 11 seasons · Soria
- EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO SORIA PM1 11 seasons · Soria
- EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO SORIA PM2 11 seasons · Soria
- EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO VINUESA PM1 11 seasons · Soria
- EMBALSE DE RUESGA CERVERA DE PISUERGA PM1 11 seasons · Palencia
- EMBALSE VALPARAISO VILLARDECIERVOS PM1 11 seasons · Zamora
- LAGO CARUCEDO CARUCEDO PM1 11 seasons · León
- LAGO SANABRIA GALENDE PM1 11 seasons · Zamora
- LAGO SANABRIA GALENDE PM2 11 seasons · Zamora
- LAGO SANABRIA GALENDE PM3 11 seasons · Zamora
- LAGO SANABRIA GALENDE PM4 11 seasons · Zamora
- GARGANTA DE LOS CABALLEROS NAVALONGUILLA PM1 5 seasons · Ávila
- RIO TERA VILLAN?ZAR PM1 5 seasons · Zamora
- EMBALSE LINARES DEL ARROYO MADERUELO PM1 1 season · Segovia
Rated Poor in 2025
For a Poor site the Bathing Water Directive requires management measures, including a bathing prohibition or advice against bathing, so check the authority before visiting.
- ARROYO CIMORRO NAVALACRUZ PM1 Poor in 7 of 11 classified seasons · Ávila
- RIO BURBIA TORAL DE LOS VADOS PM2 Poor in 5 of 5 classified seasons · León
- RIO MERUELO MOLINASECA PM1 Poor in 3 of 5 classified seasons · León
- RIO NELA VILLARCAYO DE MERINDAD DE CASTILLA LA VIEJA PM1 Poor in 3 of 3 classified seasons · Burgos
- RIO ORBIGO LLAMAS DE LA RIBERA 02 PM1 Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons · León
- RIO TUERTO VILLAOBISPO DE OTERO PM1 Poor in 3 of 4 classified seasons · León
- RIO TRUEBA ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS PM1 Poor in 1 of 1 classified seasons · Burgos
Changes from 2024 to 2025
Improved (4)
- EMBALSE LINARES DEL ARROYO MADERUELO PM1 Good → Excellent
- RIO ORBIGO LLAMAS DE LA RIBERA PM1 Poor → Sufficient
- RIO TERA CAMARZANA DE TERA PM1 Sufficient → Good
- RIO TERA MILLES DE LA POLVOROSA PM1 Sufficient → Good
Declined (3)
- EMBALSE EBRO ARIJA PM1 Excellent → Good
- RIO ORBIGO LLAMAS DE LA RIBERA 02 PM1 Sufficient → Poor
- RIO TORMES HORCAJADA (LA) PM1 Good → Sufficient
How Castile and León rated since 2015
Counts for the sites in today’s 2025 inventory; the Excellent share is calculated over classified sites only.
| Season | Classified | Excellent | Excellent share | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | 15 | 39.5% | 7 |
| 2024 | 38 | 15 | 39.5% | 7 |
| 2023 | 38 | 17 | 44.7% | 8 |
| 2022 | 36 | 20 | 55.6% | 2 |
| 2021 | 36 | 19 | 52.8% | 4 |
| 2020 | 34 | 17 | 50% | 3 |
| 2019 | 32 | 16 | 50% | 1 |
| 2018 | 32 | 15 | 46.9% | 5 |
| 2017 | 30 | 17 | 56.7% | 5 |
| 2016 | 29 | 19 | 65.5% | 3 |
| 2015 | 29 | 19 | 65.5% | 3 |
Places with the most bathing waters in Castile and León
Each site is matched to its nearest named place (GeoNames, within 8 km in a straight line), so beaches of one resort or lake shore can be compared together. Select a place to show only its sites in the full list.
| Place | Province | Sites | Excellent | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vega de Espinareda | León | 4 | 0 (0%) | 0 |
| Abejar | Soria | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Molinos de Duero | Soria | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Trefacio | Zamora | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Ruesga | Palencia | 2 | 1 (50%) | 0 |
| Arija | Burgos | 2 | 0 (0%) | 0 |
| Cimanes del Tejar | León | 2 | 0 (0%) | 1 |
All 41 official bathing waters in Castile and León
Grouped by province, alphabetical within each group. Open a site for its 2015–2025 history, nearby alternatives, weather forecast and the national profile link.
Download all 41 sites as CSV (classes 2015–2025, coordinates, nearest place; EEA data, CC BY 4.0)
León 12 sites · 8.3% Excellent · 4 Poor
- LAGO CARUCEDO CARUCEDO PM1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- RIO ANCARES VEGA DE ESPINAREDA PM1 Good
- RIO ANCARES VEGA DE ESPINAREDA PM2 Good
- RIO BOEZA IG?E?A PM1 · Igüeña Good
- RIO BURBIA TORAL DE LOS VADOS PM2 · Carracedelo Poor Poor in 5 of 5 classified seasons
- RIO C?A VEGA DE ESPINAREDA PM1 Good
- RIO C?A VEGA DE ESPINAREDA PM2 Good
- RIO MERUELO MOLINASECA PM1 Poor Poor in 3 of 5 classified seasons
- RIO ORBIGO CIMANES DEL TEJAR 02 PM1 Good
- RIO ORBIGO LLAMAS DE LA RIBERA 02 PM1 · Cimanes del Tejar Poor Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons
- RIO ORBIGO LLAMAS DE LA RIBERA PM1 Sufficient Poor → Sufficient since 2024
- RIO TUERTO VILLAOBISPO DE OTERO PM1 Poor Poor in 3 of 4 classified seasons
Zamora 12 sites · 50% Excellent
- EMBALSE RICOBAYO MUELAS DEL PAN PM1 · Villalcampo Good
- EMBALSE VALPARAISO VILLARDECIERVOS PM1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LAGO SANABRIA GALENDE PM1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LAGO SANABRIA GALENDE PM2 · Trefacio Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LAGO SANABRIA GALENDE PM3 · Trefacio Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LAGO SANABRIA GALENDE PM4 · Cobreros Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- RIO DUERO ZAMORA PM1 Not classified
- RIO ORBIGO SANTA CRISTINA DE LA POLVOROSA PM1 Good
- RIO TERA BURGANES DE VALVERDE PM1 Good
- RIO TERA CAMARZANA DE TERA PM1 Good Sufficient → Good since 2024
- RIO TERA MILLES DE LA POLVOROSA PM1 Good Sufficient → Good since 2024
- RIO TERA VILLAN?ZAR PM1 · Villanázar Excellent Excellent 5 seasons in a row
Soria 5 sites · 80% Excellent
- EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO CIDONES PM1 · Abejar Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO SORIA PM1 · Molinos de Duero Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO SORIA PM2 · Abejar Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO VINUESA PM1 · Molinos de Duero Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- RIO DUERO SAN ESTEBAN DE GORMAZ PM1 Good
Burgos 4 sites · 0% Excellent · 2 Poor
- EMBALSE EBRO ARIJA PM1 Good Excellent → Good since 2024
- EMBALSE EBRO ARIJA PM2 Sufficient
- RIO NELA VILLARCAYO DE MERINDAD DE CASTILLA LA VIEJA PM1 · Medina de Pomar Poor Poor in 3 of 3 classified seasons
- RIO TRUEBA ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS PM1 Poor Poor in 1 of 1 classified seasons
Ávila 3 sites · 33.3% Excellent · 1 Poor
- ARROYO CIMORRO NAVALACRUZ PM1 Poor Poor in 7 of 11 classified seasons
- GARGANTA DE LOS CABALLEROS NAVALONGUILLA PM1 · Nava del Barco Excellent Excellent 5 seasons in a row
- RIO TORMES HORCAJADA (LA) PM1 · Junciana Sufficient Good → Sufficient since 2024
Palencia 3 sites · 66.7% Excellent
- EMBALSE AGUILAR DE CAMPOO AGUILAR DE CAMPOO PM1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- EMBALSE DE RUESGA CERVERA DE PISUERGA PM1 Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- EMBALSE DE RUESGA CERVERA DE PISUERGA PM2 Not classified
Segovia 1 site · 100% Excellent
- EMBALSE LINARES DEL ARROYO MADERUELO PM1 Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
Valladolid 1 site · 0% Excellent
- RIO PISUERGA VALLADOLID PM2 Not classified
Compared with other autonomous communities in Spain
| # | Autonomous community | Sites | Excellent | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andalusia | 382 | 96.6% | 2 |
| 2 | Murcia | 85 | 96.5% | 0 |
| 3 | Canary Islands | 218 | 95.9% | 0 |
| 4 | Catalonia | 263 | 92.8% | 1 |
| 5 | Galicia | 519 | 89.2% | 5 |
| 6 | Valencian Community | 293 | 88.4% | 5 |
| 7 | Asturias | 73 | 86.3% | 2 |
| 8 | Cantabria | 40 | 85% | 1 |
| 9 | Basque Country | 62 | 72.6% | 2 |
| 10 | Balearic Islands | 191 | 69.6% | 3 |
| 11 | Navarre | 15 | 66.7% | 0 |
| 12 | Castilla–La Mancha | 38 | 60.5% | 7 |
| 13 | Aragon | 21 | 42.9% | 1 |
| 14 | Castile and León | 41 | 36.6% | 7 |
| 15 | Extremadura | 29 | 31% | 11 |
Autonomous communities with at least 15 official bathing waters. Size, water type and how densely sites are designated differ, so the table is context rather than a verdict.
Quick answers
- How many bathing waters in Castile and León were rated Excellent in 2025?
- 15 of 41 (36.6%) in the official EEA 2025 classification; 13 were Good, 3 Sufficient and 7 Poor, and 3 had no class. That ranks Castile and León 14 of 15 Spain autonomous communities by Excellent share.
- Which province of Castile and León has the highest share of Excellent sites?
- Soria: 80% of its 5 sites were Excellent in 2025. Zamora follows with 50%. Only provinces with at least five sites are compared; see the full table.
- Which beaches in Castile and León have the best long-term record?
- 12 sites were Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025, for example EMBALSE AGUILAR DE CAMPOO AGUILAR DE CAMPOO PM1, EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO CIDONES PM1, EMBALSE CUERDA DEL POZO SORIA PM1. See the ranking.
- Which places in Castile and León have the most official bathing waters?
- Vega de Espinareda (4, 0% Excellent), Abejar (2, 100% Excellent), Molinos de Duero (2, 100% Excellent). See the place table; places are the nearest named settlement to each site.
- Were any bathing waters in Castile and León rated Poor?
- Yes, 7: ARROYO CIMORRO NAVALACRUZ PM1, RIO BURBIA TORAL DE LOS VADOS PM2, RIO MERUELO MOLINASECA PM1, RIO NELA VILLARCAYO DE MERINDAD DE CASTILLA LA VIEJA PM1 and 3 more.
- Where do I check whether swimming is allowed today?
- On NÁYADE (Ministry of Health) (Ministry of Health (NÁYADE system) and the regional health authorities). Temporary bans, pollution alerts and closures are published there and on signs at the water, not in the annual EEA class.
Spain overview · All autonomous communities of Spain · Bathing season dates
Sources and method
Bathing-water records: European Environment Agency (EEA), data and coordinates reported by Spain, licensed CC BY 4.0. Region and province boundaries: Eurostat NUTS 2024 (© EuroGeographics for the administrative boundaries). Place names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). A site belongs to the area that contains its reported coordinates; a site up to 10 km off the generalised coastline is placed in the nearest area of Spain. Counts, shares and rankings are calculated by BathingWaterFinder from the official records.