The best waves of winter are here: like Trafalgar
Contradictory as it may seem, surfing is a winter sport in our country . We are used to summer and advertising campaigns bringing us that aspirational sport that has its heroes, its language, its rules and a legendary history of centuries and saltpeter.
We envision a beach packed with blond boys, bikini girls, barbecues, electric color boards, and long sunsets. The reality of surfing is different: the boards are usually white... and the best days to practice it come with the storms and winds from the south , those we miss so much in summer. Sometimes, we even miss the rain and cold. But here the important thing happens from the shore inwards , where the waves break and where you only think about them : the wave is everything for the surfer.
We are lucky that Spain is, without a doubt, a paradise to enjoy surfing all year round and, beginners, you are lucky that the winter season is perfect for you to start.
surfing is for winter
WHEN
Good periods of waves appear with the tides of autumn , they consolidate in winter and disappear as we approach summer. If you enjoy the sea in summer, imagine yourself in winter with the silent, clean and empty beaches . add to this a rich dose of our infinite gastronomy coming out of the water with white feet and a boiling face. In addition, not everything is cold in winter in our kilometers of coastline...
WHERE
We are going to review places to surf in the coming months, destinations of great international renown and others that are somewhat less consistent but that surely offer us a extreme satisfaction.
the waves of the north
Let's start with the Cantabrian Sea: here is one of the most emblematic places, where we will set the bar very high: the internationally known left of Mundaka . Get ready to fight for the bombs and run for the tubular bar. If you have already done it, you are at the top of national surfing.
Without leaving the Basque Country we can face great challenges such as Menakoz , without forgetting the multitude of beaches and cliffs that give meaning to the cradle of this sport as Zarautz, the Zurriola or Sopelana.
Mundaka: the Iberian MUST
Thinking about the season we are in, a good option is look for more sheltered places in Cantabria as Laredo, for more delicate winds ; sliding capitals as we are or set course for the beautiful Quotation marks to enjoy the sandbanks that border San Vicente de la Barquera.
If we continue with the search for the perfect wave we will have to drive to the exclusive left of Rodiles , valuing all the gifts that the Asturian coast offers us as Ribadesella , the consistent Salinas to the emblematic Tapia of Casariego.
The north is the seed of national surfing . Euskadi and Cantabria have carried the weight since the beginning. So let's fast forward to Galicia that welcomes as a first stop the western component seas all year . Although in summer it is Ferrolterra and the Finistere area the most consistent on the peninsula, in winter the options multiply becoming a wave theme park. There is no coast with more offer for surfing.
The Maria Lucense dresses up these winter months with southerly winds to offer from Ribadeo to Burela a unique North Shore with rock breaks and desert sand . If your thing is to intersperse dozens of options and more secluded places, head south towards Vigo. The Rías Baixas withstand storms like few places in the north: you can always take shelter inside an estuary , manage the winds and eat like in few other places after a good session with hardly any people .
The surfer Goni Zubizarreta riding in Sanxenxo, Galicia
Mediterranean
We want to go further with unusual proposals for surfers who already know the north as a scene of consistent waves.
We're going to the Mediterranean. Little consistent? No, in winter. The mask has long been removed to be the object of desire. You will depend a lot on the winds for the countless options from the Costa Brava to Malaga, passing through all the Balearic Islands. Barcelona is already a benchmark for the sector every winter. If there are waves in the Barceloneta, is the national Surf City . Amazement is continuous for outsiders, the secrets of the shores of Tarragona, Alicante, Menorca, Palma or the popular Ibiza drive us crazy.
if you want a surf trip with some essence and adventure, interpret the parts and find a way to get there fast. The force of the sea will be brief and the locals will be on the lookout . Of course, the quality will make you forget the quantity that the north offers.
Barcelona, the urban destination par excellence
South Path
Warming up, we look to the south, **specifically to Cádiz**. During these dates the area becomes one of the capitals of surfing. From Barbate to Chiclana de la Frontera on the way to Huelva . In the middle you will have El Palmar as a reference , the rest you already know. Spring neoprene, easterly winds to enjoy, some shorelines in Trafalgar, wide lines in Yerbabuena, some tubes in Roche, but you must be aware of the part of the waves to go down like a rocket.
El Palmar, the Cadiz mecca of surfing
South of the South
And we leave for the end Canary Islands , where everything is different and They play in another league. We can call them, calmly, the Hawaii of Europe . Seven islands with all kinds of waves for all levels with perfect backgrounds designed to make your dreams come true , while you dry your bones from the harsh peninsular winter.
Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife
EXPERT ADVICE
Winter comes, thick wetsuits and the desire to get those boards that are useless for summer out of the closet. Although the most important is respect for the sea and respect for local surfers, who are the ones who set the pace of the sessions. We must know our limits and choose a peak according to our level , this will be essential to not hinder others. And the most important, leave the beach cleaner than how you found it. Because summer is coming in no time and we want to continue surfing like in the movies.
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What about 'sharks' from Cadiz
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Cheer up: winter is the season for surfing