Unfortunately, the number of days you can walk onto the beach with your board under your arm and the sun on your head to catch some waves can be counted on two hands, maybe three hands if you live in Northwestern Europe.
Surfing Around Bilbao
Fortunately, with some planning, you can be in sunny Spain for just a few dozen euros, where the weather conditions are somewhat better. Flying to Bilbao is quite affordable. From there, you have all the options. Head towards San Sebastian, or plan a road trip to the east.
Therefore, we have listed some cool surf spots for you in Northern Spain, all easily accessible from Bilbao.
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Playa Razo
Okay, this one might be a bit harder to reach from Bilbao. Razo Beach is located west of the Spanish city of A Coruña in the northwest of Spain. It’s a beautiful road trip from Bilbao.
The expansive beach with many sandbanks ensures that A-frame waves are produced at Playa Razo. This is ideal for surfers of all levels. What makes it even more beautiful is that it’s an open beach. This ensures a constant supply of good waves, even during the smallest swells.
Since the waves are not gigantic, it’s a good place to learn the basics or to perfect your technique.
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Zarautz
Zarautz is a small town about 20 minutes from San Sebastian. The town has a long bay with about 3 km of beach and beach breaks. The extensive beach also provides a constant supply of waves. The quality of the waves is evident as the San Miguel Pro Surfing Event is held annually in Zarautz.
Learning to surf here is no problem either, as there are several surf schools eager to share their passion with you.
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Playa Somo
Playa Somo is an hour’s drive east of Bilbao. Somo Beach is a golden sandy beach that stretches 2km to Loredo. The beach is surrounded by dunes and pine forests, creating a very surf-oriented vibe with a variety of good peaks to choose from.
At high tide, it’s a good spot to learn surfing. At low and mid tide, Somo Beach is more suited for the more advanced surfers. Since the beach is directly on the sea, you can find good waves all year round!
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Zumaia
This town is located just west of Zarautz and has a beach break of good quality and consistency. Here, you’ll find plenty of waves with small to medium swell in both left and right directions. The beach offers waves up to one and a half meters, suitable for both beginners and advanced surfers. If you follow the coast a bit further, you’ll reach Playa Gris of Zumaia, a spot for experts with waves up to six meters near the rocks. Thus, Zumaia offers surfing fun for everyone.
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Mundaka
Located about 40km from the center of Bilbao, Mundaka is considered by many to be one of the best waves in Spain.
This left-hander can produce 200+ meter waves that are near perfection with a SSW wind and a strong NW swell. Combine this with the triangular sandbank, and it produces fantastic waves with deep barrels.
This wave is not for beginners but is more for advanced surfers who want to take their skills to the next level.
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San Vicente and Oyambre
San Vicente de la Barquera, or Sanvi for short, is another beautiful surf spot in Spain next to Oyambre. Many Dutch surfers are familiar with this spot and return regularly. Sanvi is a cozy authentic Spanish village with various spots in the bay. And if the wind is westerly, then just around the corner at Oyambre, it’s likely wonderfully offshore. Read more about surfing at San Vicente.
