Note to travelling surfers
- Ecosystem first. Be kind to the environment you’re visiting: don’t leave any trash behind.
- Be kind to locals. Every lineup has an order and it was earned over years. Wait your turn, and respect local etiquette.
- Fly less, stay longer. The flight is the biggest impact of any surf trip. Two weeks once beats one week twice!
The best surf spots in Spain are on the north coast: Mundaka, Zarautz and Sopelana in the Basque Country, Somo in Cantabria, Rodiles in Asturias, and Pantín and Razo in Galicia. For warmer water, head south to El Palmar on the Cádiz coast or out to the Canary Islands.
Wondering where to surf in Spain, and when? Spain's official tourism site, Spain.info, sends beginners in summer, when the waves are gentler, and experts in winter. Off San Sebastián the water averages about 12 °C in February and 21 °C in August (seatemperature.org), so pack a wetsuit. From Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris you can take the train to Hendaye, drive in on the A-63 or fly to Bilbao.
- 1. What are the best surf spots in Spain?
- 2. Surfing northern Spain: the Basque Country
- 3. Cantabria
- 4. Asturias
- 5. Galicia
- 6. Surfing southern Spain: the Cádiz coast
- 7. The Canary Islands
- 8. Can you surf the Mediterranean in Spain?
- 9. Surfing in Spain for beginners (and by level)
- 10. When is the best time to surf in Spain?
- 11. Getting to Spain from Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris
- 12. Where to stay
- 13. Showers, wetsuits and washing up
- 14. Surf spots in Spain: locals and the environment
- 15. Summary
- 16. Frequently asked questions
- 17. Sources
What are the best surf spots in Spain?
These 24 surf beaches and reefs cover every Spanish coast that gets real waves. "Works best on" comes from each spot's own Surf-Forecast page. Where no source rates a level, we write "varies": it depends on the swell that day.
| Spot | Region | Type | Level | Works best on (tide, swell, wind) | Best months |
| Mundaka | Basque Country | River mouth | Experienced | Low tide, NW, S | Oct to Feb |
| Laida | Basque Country | River mouth | Ask a school (rips) | Varies, NW, SSE | Summer |
| Bakio | Basque Country | Beach | Beginners and up | All tides, NNW, S | All year |
| Sopelana | Basque Country | Beach | Varies | All tides, NW, SE | All year |
| Zarautz | Basque Country | Beach | Beginners and up | High tide, NNW, S | All year |
| Zurriola (San Sebastián) | Basque Country | Beach | Varies | Varies, NW, SE | All year |
| Somo | Cantabria | Beach | Varies | All tides, NNW, SE | All year |
| Liencres | Cantabria | Beach | Varies | Varies, NW, SE | Autumn to spring |
| Los Locos | Cantabria | Beach | Varies | Varies, NW, NE | All year |
| Rodiles | Asturias | River mouth | Varies (rips) | Low tide, NW, SW | Autumn |
| Salinas | Asturias | Beach | Varies | All tides, NW, SE | All year |
| San Lorenzo (Gijón) | Asturias | Beach | Varies | Low tide, NW, S | Autumn and winter |
| Tapia de Casariego | Asturias | Beach and reef | Varies | All tides, NW, SE | All year |
| Pantín | Galicia | Beach | Varies | Low tide, NW, SE | All year |
| Doniños | Galicia | Beach | Varies | Low tide, WNW, E | All year |
| Valdoviño | Galicia | Beach | Ask a school (rips) | Low tide, NW, SE | All year |
| Razo | Galicia | Beach | Varies | All tides, NW, S | All year |
| Patos | Galicia | Beach and reef | Varies | High tide, NW, SSW | Autumn to spring |
| El Palmar | Andalusia | Beach | Varies (rips) | All tides, SW, E | Winter and spring |
| Los Caños de Meca | Andalusia | Reef | Experienced | Low tide, SW, NE | Winter and spring |
| Famara (Lanzarote) | Canaries | Beach | Varies (rips) | All tides, NNW, SE | Autumn to spring |
| El Quemao (Lanzarote) | Canaries | Reef | Experts only | High tide, WNW, SE | Oct to Mar |
| Las Américas (Tenerife) | Canaries | Beach and reef | Beginners at Las Palmeras | Any tide, SW, E | Oct to Mar |
| Barceloneta | Catalonia | Beach | Varies | Any tide, ESE, WNW | Autumn to spring |
Surfing northern Spain: the Basque Country
The Basque Country is the easiest start for surfing northern Spain: its tourist board counts more than 50 breaks for all levels.
Mundaka, Laida and Bakio
The Basque tourist board calls Mundaka the best wave in Europe. It breaks over sand at a river mouth in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, at 1 to 3.5 m, and "requires a certain level of proficiency". Surf-Forecast adds the fine print: best at low tide on a falling tide, mostly flat in summer, often crowded, with rips.
Nearby Laida is a summer spot, but Surf-Forecast warns of dangerous rips, so ask a local school first. Bakio is the gentler pick: "a suitable beach for beginner surfers", says the board, with consistent waves of 1 to 2 m.
San Sebastián (Zurriola) and Zarautz
Zurriola is the city beach, with waves of 1 to 1.5 m "of a very constant quality throughout the year". Surf-Forecast lists crowds and pollution as hazards, so go early. Zarautz, a sandy beach break of 1 to 2 m, is "ideal for learning to surf thanks to its waves and wide range of surf schools".
Sopelana and the Bilbao coast
Sopelana has dependable surf at any time of year and on every tide, says Surf-Forecast, but it gets busy enough for overcrowding to count as a hazard. In neighbouring Getxo, Spain.info warns of "strong currents and powerful waves" at Barinatxe (La Salvaje).
Cantabria
Cantabria is, in Spain.info's words, a pioneer for surfing in Spain, and Somo is its best-known beach and the country's first surfing nature reserve.
Somo is a sheltered beach break with reliable surf on all tides (Surf-Forecast). Next door, Spain.info describes Loredo's waves as long and gentle, while Langre takes skill. Liencres sits in a natural park and is mostly flat in summer, with rocks to watch. Los Locos, ringed by cliffs, works all year and is often crowded.
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Keep following the coast west and you're in Asturias.
Asturias
Asturias pairs a classic river mouth at Rodiles with town beaches at Salinas, Gijón and Tapia de Casariego.
Rodiles, Salinas, Gijón and Tapia
Surf-Forecast rates Rodiles best in autumn, around low tide as it starts to rise. It's often crowded and has rips, so watch a few sets first. Salinas usually has waves on all tides. Gijón's Playa de San Lorenzo is best in autumn and winter at low tide, with rocks and pollution on the hazard list. Tapia de Casariego adds a left-hand reef and, says Spain.info, hosts the Goanna Pro every Easter.
Galicia
Galicia is the wild end of northern Spain: Spain.info calls the Ferrol area the Costa das Ondas, the Coast of Waves.
Pantín, Doniños and Valdoviño
Pantín is an exposed beach break that is "often working" all year, best around low tide and often crowded (Surf-Forecast). Doniños is very consistent and likes low tide too. Valdoviño is consistent, but rocks and rips are listed hazards. For something calmer, Spain.info calls Villarrube beginner-friendly and Baleo sheltered.
Razo and the Costa da Morte
Razo is the one to remember when everywhere else is busy: consistent, surfable on all tides, and it "very rarely gets crowded" (Surf-Forecast). Its weak spot is wind, since even light onshore winds ruin the quality. Patos is the honest exception: Surf-Forecast calls its waves unreliable and says summer tends to be flat.
Surfing southern Spain: the Cádiz coast
Surfing southern Spain means the Atlantic side of Andalusia, around El Palmar and Los Caños de Meca, and it's a winter and spring game.
El Palmar is a beach break with mainly right-hand waves on all tides, often crowded, with dangerous rips (Surf-Forecast). Los Caños de Meca is a rocky reef for low tide. Spain.info says waves on these very big, virtually unspoilt beaches can reach three metres, and recommends Mazagón, beside Doñana National Park, for all levels. Next stop west: Portugal's Algarve.
The Canary Islands
The Canaries are Spain's warm-water option: the islands' tourist board gives a water temperature of around 20 °C all year.
On Lanzarote, Famara is a consistent beach break with rips, while El Quemao is a left-hand reef over volcanic rock that Spain.info reserves for experienced, skilled surfers. On Tenerife, the Las Palmeras left at Las Américas is long, of medium difficulty and suits beginners. Our guides to the Canary Islands, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura go deeper, as does our list of warm-water winter escapes.
Can you surf the Mediterranean in Spain?
Yes, now and then, but don't plan a surf trip around it. Surf-Forecast calls Barceloneta's waves unreliable, fed by local windswell, and flat in summer. Around Valencia, Spain.info recommends autumn and winter, with beginners at La Patacona's surf schools. In Málaga province it calls Cabopino ideal for beginners.
Surfing in Spain for beginners (and by level)
Spain is a good place to learn if you come in summer and pick a sandy beach with a surf school.
Beginner surfers
The beaches our sources describe as beginner-suitable are Zarautz, Bakio, Loredo, Villarrube, Cabopino and Las Palmeras. Book a lesson early, choose a lifeguarded beach and ask where the rips are. See also the best places to learn to surf in Europe and what to expect at your first surf camp.
Intermediate surfers
The dependable beach breaks are yours: Sopelana, Somo, Salinas, Pantín and Razo. If you're getting hammered set after set, the waves are too big for you that day.
Advanced surfers
Mundaka from October to February, Los Caños de Meca and El Quemao are the serious waves here. Read the rips and rocks from shore, surf with a friend on bigger days, and if locals say it's not on, believe them.
When is the best time to surf in Spain?
Autumn is the best all-round time to surf northern Spain: the Basque tourist board dates the best sessions from October to February, and San Sebastián's water still averages about 19 °C in October. Temperatures are seatemperature.org monthly averages (north coast: San Sebastián); wetsuits follow Surf-Forecast. Our wetsuit thickness guide explains the numbers.
| Period | Swell | Water temp (°C) | Wetsuit | Verdict |
| Sep to Nov, north | Season starts | 21 down to 16 | 3/2 mm, then 4/3 mm | Best all-round |
| Dec to Feb, north | Big winter swells | 14 down to 12 | 4/3 mm and boots, or 5/3 mm | Experienced surfers |
| Mar to May, north | Varies | 12.5 up to 16 | 4/3 mm and boots | Cold water |
| Jun to Aug, north | Gentler, some spots flat | 19 to 21 (Galicia 16 to 19) | Shorty or 3/2 mm | Beginners |
| Dec to May, Cádiz | Best season | 16 to 19 | 4/3 mm, or 3/2 mm and boots | Milder than the north |
| Oct to Mar, Canaries | Recommended season | 19 to 24 | 3/2 mm and boots at coldest | Winter sun |
Getting to Spain from Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris
The Basque Country is the front door: change trains at Hendaye, drive in on the A-63 and AP-8, or fly to Bilbao.
By train. Eurostar runs direct from Amsterdam Centraal to Paris Gare du Nord in 3 hours 20 minutes and serves Brussels too. SNCF links Paris with Hendaye (book on SNCF Connect), where Euskotren continues to San Sebastián, Zarautz and Bilbao. Further west, try Renfe. See also surf trips without flying.
By car. San Sebastián Turismo lists the A-63 and AP-8 motorways, and warns that foreign vehicles must register in advance for the city centre's low-emission zone. Biarritz is an easy stop on the way, and our surf van trips guide covers the rest.
By plane. In October 2026, Aena's lists showed Bilbao with flights from Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris; Asturias from Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris Orly; Santander from Charleroi and Paris Orly; and Seville, for Cádiz, from all three cities. Routes change, so check first.
Hand luggage only? A solid bar isn't a liquid at airport security, so it skips the clear bag. More on taking soap on a plane.
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Travel sorted. Now, where to sleep?
Where to stay
Pick one base per region instead of chasing the whole coast in a week.
- San Sebastián: surf plus city life, with Zarautz a train ride away.
- Zarautz: for learners. The Club Surfing Euskadi network lists schools, surf camps and surf-friendly stays.
- Somo: a Surf Town with schools, accommodation and an international crowd.
- The Ferrol area: Pantín, Doniños and Valdoviño on one stretch of coast.
- El Palmar: for winter and spring on the Cádiz coast.
Showers, wetsuits and washing up
Facilities change from beach to beach, so check before you count on a shower. Spain.info's listing for Pantín shows toilets, showers and a footwash.
One house rule: Don't rinse shampoo or soap directly into the ocean or into beach showers that drain to the sea. Use the beach shower for a plain-water rinse and lather up at your accommodation, where the water goes into a drain.
Surf camp showers rarely have much shelf space, and one solid 3-in-1 bar for hair, body and face takes less room than three bottles.
Shampoo, body and face wash, all in one bar. Cooling, refreshing and designed for those always on the go.
Your wetsuit gets the same care: a fresh-water rinse, then time to dry.
Surf spots in Spain: locals and the environment
Respect the locals
Crowds are the hazard Surf-Forecast lists most often here, from Mundaka and Zurriola to Pantín. Watch the line-up, wait your turn and never drop in. Our surf etiquette rules cover the basics. On land, park properly and keep the noise down.
Respect the environment
Several of these waves break inside protected nature: Mundaka in a biosphere reserve, Liencres in a natural park, Somo in a surfing reserve. Stick to paths and walkways, pack out everything, wax scraps included, and try Spain.info's tip: take three pieces of rubbish with you every time you surf.
Summary
Spain gives you the Basque Country for famous waves, Cantabria and Asturias for road trips, Galicia for consistency and space, Cádiz for winter and the Canaries for warm water. Match the spot to your real level, learn in summer, chase swell in autumn, and check the forecast every morning.
Planning a wider trip? Compare Spain with the best surfing destinations in Europe, cross the border to the best surfing destinations in France, or keep driving to Portugal.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to surf in Spain?
The north coast. Mundaka is the most famous wave but needs experience. For most visitors, Zarautz, Sopelana, Somo, Pantín and Razo are better: dependable beach breaks.
When is the best time to surf in Spain?
Autumn for most surfers: the Basque tourist board dates the best sessions from October to February, and the water is still about 19 °C in October. Beginners do better in summer, when the waves are gentler.
Where can beginners surf in Spain?
Zarautz and Bakio in the Basque Country, Loredo in Cantabria, Villarrube in Galicia, Cabopino in Málaga province and Las Palmeras on Tenerife are all described as beginner-suitable by the tourist boards we checked.
Is northern or southern Spain better for surfing?
Northern Spain is the main surf coast, and many beaches work all year. Southern Spain, around El Palmar in Cádiz, is best in winter and spring, with water of about 16 °C at its coldest against 12 °C off San Sebastián.
Do you need a wetsuit to surf in Spain?
On the north coast, yes. Surf-Forecast suggests a 4/3 mm wetsuit with 3 mm boots in early March, when the water is coldest, and a shorty or 3/2 mm in August.
Sources
The facts in this article are based on the sources below, checked in October 2026.
- Surfing Euskadi. Basque Country Tourism, 2026.
- Surfing in Spain. Spain.info, 2026.
- Surf Towns Network. Spain.info, 2026.
- Surfing in the south of Spain. Spain.info, 2026.
- Canary Islands surfing beaches. Spain.info, 2026.
- Surfing in Valencia. Spain.info, 2026.
- Eco surfing. Spain.info, 2026.
- Pantín beach. Spain.info, 2026.
- Goanna Pro. Spain.info, 2026.
- Surfing. Canary Islands Tourism, 2026.
- Mundaka. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Laida. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Bakio. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Sopelana. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Zarautz. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Zurriola. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Somo. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Liencres. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Los Locos. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Rodiles. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Salinas. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- San Lorenzo. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Tapia de Casariego. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Pantín. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Doniños. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Valdoviño. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Razo. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Patos. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- El Palmar. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Caños de Meca. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Famara. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- El Quemao. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Las Américas. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Barceloneta. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Mundaka sea temperature. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Pantín sea temperature. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- El Palmar sea temperature. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- Famara sea temperature. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
- San Sebastián sea temperature. Seatemperature.org, 2026.
- A Coruña sea temperature. Seatemperature.org, 2026.
- Cádiz sea temperature. Seatemperature.org, 2026.
- Las Palmas sea temperature. Seatemperature.org, 2026.
- Amsterdam to Paris. Eurostar, 2026.
- Destinations. Eurostar, 2026.
- SNCF Connect. SNCF, 2026.
- Train maps. Euskotren, 2026.
- Renfe. Renfe, 2026.
- How to get here. San Sebastián Turismo, 2026.
- Bilbao destinations. Aena, 2026.
- Asturias destinations. Aena, 2026.
- Santander destinations. Aena, 2026.
- Seville destinations. Aena, 2026.
