Country
Spain
A year-round destination: the Canaries and Andalusia in winter, the green north and Basque Country in autumn.
- Best season
- year-round, depending on region
- Water temperature
- 15-22 °C
- Spots
- 4
The region
Spain is not one region but three. The north coast, from the Basque Country through Cantabria and Asturias to Galicia, sits on the Atlantic and catches the same lows as France — except the coastline here is deeply indented. Bays, headlands and river mouths alternate, so there is nearly always a corner that works while the next bay along is unusable.
The south around Andalusia is its own chapter: less swell, but far more consistent wind, and in Tarifa the best-known wind spot in Europe. The Canary Islands, meanwhile, lie far enough south to stay warm all year and, as an exposed volcanic chain, pick up swell from several directions. There the wave usually breaks over reef rather than sand — a different proposition entirely.
Because of that spread there is no single Spanish season. In the north it is autumn and winter; in the Canaries it works year-round. Water temperatures between 15 and 22 degrees cover both extremes.
- Baskenland
The river mouth at Mundaka produces one of the longest left-handers in Europe — when wind and tide line up it becomes a very long ride.
- Kanarische Inseln
Season effectively runs year-round and is unbeatable in winter: consistent waves with water at 17–19 °C in January.
- Andalusien
In southern Spain the waves come alive precisely in the cooler months — a popular escape from the European winter.
- Nordspanien
The Costa Verde is often overlooked in favour of the better-known south.
Countries