Where To Go

In summer, when the thermal winds of Europe turn on, the choice of windsurfing real estate suddenly expands. Mediterranean winds blast much of Spain, Portugal, Southern France, Greece, and North Africa. The Kite and Windsurfing Guide – Europe explains the weather systems and spot choices in depth, but here’s the low down on some of the most reliable and easily accessed summer locations: On the Iberian peninsula you can find the two most reliable thermal winds in Europe, the Nortada and Levante. The former turns on spots like Portugals’ Guincho, Sagres and Vianna do Castello, while the Levante provides Tarifa and Western Andalucía with fantastic conditions. In June, July and August one of these winds will blow at any one time for at least several days, but they rarely work together.

With only six hours between Tarifa and Sagres, a 75kg person can sail everyday on a 3.7-4.7m. When the Levante is not blowing in Tarifa the Poiniente, the sea breeze, will get the same person going on a 6.0m to 4.7m for a few hours, following a relaxing morning in the sun. Tarifa offers brilliant bump and jump, freestyle and freeride, as long as you make the effort to explore spots like Bolonia and Canos de Meca away from the huge free camping spot. Sagres is a freeride and freestyle spot with perfectly flat water at the Dani Windsurf Centre, Martinhal Beach and for waves head up the road to Tonel, which you can over look from the huge cobbled campervan parking area. Portugal’s coast north of Lisbon will provide you with some incredible wave and jumping conditions starting at Guincho and ending at Moledo, Vianna do Castello, with a huge selection of wave and flat spots that work in between, also providing great summer surf when the wind is down. Make the most of your mornings in nearby Lisbon before the wind switches side shore mid afternoon.

Heading further north and the Galician area of northern Spain also gets a summer thermal wind, usually when the Nortada is not blowing. If you get this combined with a summer swell you will have incredible sailing in breath taking surroundings, often accompanied by a pod of dolphins. But, if you are planning to take a trip here, pack a raincoat as the weather is a little unpredictable. Strong trade winds ignite Morocco and the Canaries in the summer months, with near 100% wind in July. Ferries to Morocco are available across southern Europe, the most popular being Algercias or Tarifa, costing in the region of 350 Euros (peak season), however last minute deals are often available at the ferry ports. The crossing and customs can make for a long tiring day, but Morocco is an incredible country with an abundance of windsurfing locations, particularly around Essaouira.

The more adventurous should certainly visit Dakhla, 1,500 miles south for a truly unique experience. In the summer there is a world-class freeride and freestyle spot in the lagoon, with some incredible waves to be caught on the coast in the winter. If you have the time, and fancy some island hopping in the Canaries, ferries are available for Portimao and Cadiz. From Tenerife to Gran Canaria, Lanzarote to Fuerteventura, all the islands encounter exceptionally strong winds during the summer but each have their own individual feel. Most of the Italian coast line does not get treated to any strong thermal winds in the summer, however the inland mountainous areas tell a different story. Lake Garda has two winds, the stronger one (5.0-6.0m weather) allowing sailing from dawn until 10:00am and the other, from completely the opposite direction, blowing between 1:00pm and 5:00pm. The afternoon usually requires big freestyle or freeride kit, and remember it’s a lake so you need a bit more volume in the board. Personal bouyancy is a requirement on Lake Garda and you will usually have to pay a launch or parking fee.

In France, Leucate has become a hotspot for summer windsurfers, with great lagoons for beginners and improvers as winds only picks up above a force four 50% of the time. It is a more reliable spot for high thermal winds in the winter and spring, but can still get more than windy enough in the summer for freeride and freestyle. Leucate is a superb spot to stop off at between Italy and Spain, and worth keeping on your windguru favourites just in case its looking good.