Best Time to Surf Spain: Month-by-Month Guide 2027
The best time to surf Spain as a beginner is late spring (May/June) and early autumn (September/early October). That's when waves on the north coast are moderate, the water is pleasant and the beaches are quieter than in high summer. July and August are the warmest but also the busiest months, while winter on the north coast belongs to experienced surfers. Beginners are better off heading to Andalusia or the Canaries at that time of year.
In a minute
- For beginners: May, June, September and early October are the best months on the north coast (Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Basque Country). Waves are smaller than in winter, days are long and the line-ups are calmer.
- High summer: July and August bring the warmest water, but on the north coast also the smallest and most crowded conditions, especially during the Spanish holidays.
- Winter: From November to March the big swells hit the north coast. On average, waves off Galicia are roughly twice as high as in summer. Great for experienced surfers, too much for your first sessions.
- Water temperature: Galicia stays fresh at roughly 16–18 °C in August, the Basque Country reaches about 21–22 °C, the Costa de la Luz around 23 °C and the Canaries 18–23 °C all year.
- Galicia's season: Surf camps such as Semesterkur's in Louro run from roughly March to October, with May/June and September as the sweet spots.
Tip: wide tables scroll sideways on small screens.
Last updated: November 2026. All figures in this guide are long-term averages. The weather in your particular week can be quite different, so always check the live forecast shortly before you travel.
How does the surf season work in Spain?
Spain has three surf coasts, each with a completely different rhythm:
- The north coast (Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Basque Country) faces the open Atlantic or the Bay of Biscay. Here everything depends on North Atlantic low-pressure systems. In winter they're strong and send big, powerful swell. In summer they're weak, so waves become smaller and cleaner.
- Andalusia (Costa de la Luz, province of Cádiz) only receives part of that swell and is generally calmer. Wind plays a big role here: the easterly levante can blow hard for days around the Strait of Gibraltar.
- The Canary Islands sit far to the south in the open Atlantic. They get northerly swells in winter and steady trade winds in summer. There are waves almost all year, and both water and air stay mild.
The rule of thumb: the bigger the swell, the more sheltered bays matter. In winter an exposed beach in Galicia can have three-metre waves while a bay a few kilometres away shows perfect beginner waves. Good surf schools move between spots depending on conditions. To spot this in a forecast yourself, read our guide on how to read a surf forecast.
How to read the monthly tables
To give you more than gut feeling, we analysed official and scientific data for each region:
- Waves: average daily maximum wave height in open water just offshore (Open-Meteo reanalysis, 2016–2025). On the beach, especially in bays, waves are usually much smaller. Use the figures to compare months, not as a forecast.
- Water: monthly mean sea surface temperature (NOAA OISST, 1991–2020 normals), rounded.
- Air: average daily maximum at the nearest AEMET climate station (1981–2010 normals).
- Crowds and beginner rating: our editorial assessment (low/medium/high and ★ to ★★★).
Galicia: month by month
Galicia has Spain's most consistent waves and its coolest water. Because the coast is full of rías (fjord-like inlets) and bays, you can nearly always find a sheltered spot even when the swell is big. Louro beach at the mouth of the Ría de Muros e Noia is one example.
| Month | Waves offshore | Water | Air (A Coruña) | Crowds | Beginners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | approx. 3.6 m | approx. 13–14 °C | approx. 14 °C | low | ★ |
| February | approx. 3.5 m | approx. 13 °C | approx. 14 °C | low | ★ |
| March | approx. 3.5 m | approx. 13 °C | approx. 16 °C | low | ★–★★ |
| April | approx. 2.5 m | approx. 13–14 °C | approx. 16 °C | low (Easter medium) | ★★ |
| May | approx. 1.9 m | approx. 14–15 °C | approx. 18 °C | low | ★★★ |
| June | approx. 1.8 m | approx. 16 °C | approx. 21 °C | medium | ★★★ |
| July | approx. 1.7 m | approx. 16–17 °C | approx. 22 °C | medium–high | ★★★ |
| August | approx. 1.8 m | approx. 17–19 °C | approx. 23 °C | high | ★★★ |
| September | approx. 2.2 m | approx. 17–19 °C | approx. 22 °C | medium | ★★★ |
| October | approx. 2.9 m | approx. 16–17 °C | approx. 19 °C | low | ★★ |
| November | approx. 3.4 m | approx. 15–16 °C | approx. 16 °C | low | ★ |
| December | approx. 3.5 m | approx. 14–15 °C | approx. 14 °C | low | ★ |
Water: NOAA OISST near A Coruña and Open-Meteo near Louro, rounded. Air: AEMET, A Coruña station, 1981–2010 normals.
What the table shows: From May to September the average wave height halves compared with winter, yet the water warms only slowly. That's because cold deep water rises to the surface when northerly winds blow in summer (upwelling). So pack, or make sure your camp provides, a 4/3 mm wetsuit even in August. The air, on the other hand, is pleasant: AEMET records only around 35 mm of rain a month in A Coruña in July and August, compared with about 130 mm in October. Galician autumns are noticeably wetter.
For more on the region, read our guide to surfing in Galicia.
Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country: month by month
Further east in the Bay of Biscay the waves get smaller and the summer water much warmer. Cantabria (Somo, Loredo, Liencres) still gets a fair amount of swell, while the Spanish Basque Country (Zarautz, Sopelana, San Sebastián) is often very small in summer. Asturias sits between Galicia and Cantabria for both waves and water temperature.
| Month | Waves Cantabria | Waves Basque Country | Water (Santander / San Sebastián) | Air (San Sebastián) | Crowds | Beginners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | approx. 2.2 m | approx. 1.6 m | approx. 13 °C | approx. 11 °C | low | ★ |
| February | approx. 2.4 m | approx. 1.7 m | approx. 12–13 °C | approx. 12 °C | low | ★ |
| March | approx. 2.0 m | approx. 1.4 m | approx. 12–13 °C | approx. 13 °C | low | ★–★★ |
| April | approx. 1.6 m | approx. 1.1 m | approx. 13–14 °C | approx. 15 °C | low (Easter medium) | ★★ |
| May | approx. 1.3 m | approx. 1.0 m | approx. 15–16 °C | approx. 18 °C | low | ★★★ |
| June | approx. 1.1 m | approx. 0.9 m | approx. 18–19 °C | approx. 20 °C | medium | ★★★ |
| July | approx. 1.2 m | approx. 0.9 m | approx. 20–21 °C | approx. 22 °C | high | ★★★ |
| August | approx. 1.4 m | approx. 1.0 m | approx. 21–22 °C | approx. 23 °C | very high | ★★ |
| September | approx. 1.6 m | approx. 1.1 m | approx. 20–21 °C | approx. 21 °C | medium | ★★★ |
| October | approx. 1.7 m | approx. 1.2 m | approx. 18 °C | approx. 19 °C | low | ★★–★★★ |
| November | approx. 2.4 m | approx. 1.7 m | approx. 16 °C | approx. 14 °C | low | ★ |
| December | approx. 2.4 m | approx. 1.7 m | approx. 14 °C | approx. 12 °C | low | ★ |
Air: AEMET, San Sebastián-Igeldo station (about 250 m above sea level, so the beach is usually a little warmer), 1981–2010 normals.
What the table shows: September is often the best month of all here. The water is almost as warm as in August, the first autumn swells arrive and the holiday crowds have gone home. In August many days are small and the well-known beaches are packed. That's fine for your very first sessions, less so for making progress.
Andalusia (Costa de la Luz): month by month
On the Atlantic coast of Cádiz province (El Palmar, Conil, Los Caños de Meca, Tarifa) the waves are smaller overall and the climate is warmer. Surfing here is mainly an autumn, winter and spring affair. Summer is often flat.
| Month | Waves offshore | Water | Air (Cádiz) | Crowds | Beginners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | approx. 1.7 m | approx. 16 °C | approx. 16 °C | low | ★★★ |
| February | approx. 1.6 m | approx. 15 °C | approx. 17 °C | low | ★★★ |
| March | approx. 2.0 m | approx. 15–16 °C | approx. 19 °C | low | ★★ |
| April | approx. 1.5 m | approx. 16–17 °C | approx. 20 °C | medium (Easter) | ★★★ |
| May | approx. 1.1 m | approx. 18 °C | approx. 22 °C | medium | ★★ |
| June | approx. 1.1 m | approx. 20–21 °C | approx. 25 °C | medium | ★★ |
| July | approx. 0.9 m | approx. 22–23 °C | approx. 28 °C | high | ★ |
| August | approx. 0.9 m | approx. 23 °C | approx. 28 °C | very high | ★ |
| September | approx. 1.0 m | approx. 22 °C | approx. 26 °C | medium | ★★ |
| October | approx. 1.4 m | approx. 20–21 °C | approx. 23 °C | low | ★★★ |
| November | approx. 1.4 m | approx. 18 °C | approx. 20 °C | low | ★★★ |
| December | approx. 1.6 m | approx. 16–17 °C | approx. 17 °C | low | ★★★ |
Air: AEMET, Cádiz station, 1981–2010 normals.
What the table shows: Andalusia is the best choice if you want to learn in the winter half of the year: small to medium waves with air temperatures of about 16–20 °C. In summer it's often too flat or too windy. That's exactly when Tarifa comes into its own for kitesurfers and windsurfers.
Canary Islands: month by month
The Canaries are the year-round option. You'll find powerful waves over lava reefs, but also some sandy beaches suitable for beginners, such as Famara on Lanzarote. Winter is high season on the islands, as many northern Europeans escape the cold.
| Month | Waves offshore | Water | Air (Lanzarote) | Crowds | Beginners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | approx. 2.3 m | approx. 19 °C | approx. 21 °C | high | ★★ |
| February | approx. 2.5 m | approx. 18 °C | approx. 21 °C | high | ★★ |
| March | approx. 2.9 m | approx. 18 °C | approx. 23 °C | high | ★★ |
| April | approx. 2.3 m | approx. 18–19 °C | approx. 24 °C | medium | ★★ |
| May | approx. 1.9 m | approx. 19–20 °C | approx. 25 °C | low | ★★★ |
| June | approx. 1.7 m | approx. 21 °C | approx. 26 °C | low | ★★ |
| July | approx. 1.8 m | approx. 21–22 °C | approx. 28 °C | medium | ★★ |
| August | approx. 1.9 m | approx. 22 °C | approx. 29 °C | medium | ★★ |
| September | approx. 1.8 m | approx. 23 °C | approx. 29 °C | low | ★★★ |
| October | approx. 2.0 m | approx. 23 °C | approx. 27 °C | medium | ★★★ |
| November | approx. 2.2 m | approx. 21–22 °C | approx. 24 °C | high | ★★ |
| December | approx. 2.5 m | approx. 20 °C | approx. 22 °C | high | ★★ |
Air: AEMET, Lanzarote Airport station, 1981–2010 normals. Waves: point off Lanzarote's north coast.
What the table shows: The water varies by only about 5 °C over the year. In summer the trade winds keep the waves coming, but they also make the north-facing coasts choppy. September and October combine the warmest water with fewer visitors.
Which month suits you?
Your first surf camp during the summer break
If your university break falls in summer, the north coast from May/June to September is ideal. June and September give you the best mix of waves, daylight until late evening and fewer people. July and August work too, but expect busy line-ups and, in the Basque Country, some very small days.
You feel the cold
Choose July to September in the Basque Country or Cantabria, or June to October in Andalusia. The Canaries are a safe bet all year. In Galicia a good 4/3 mm suit is part of the deal even in high summer. Our wetsuit thickness guide explains which thickness fits which temperature.
You want to learn in winter
Go for Andalusia (October to April) or the Canary Islands. On the north coast, winter only makes sense for beginners with very experienced local instructors who know the sheltered bays.
You already ride green waves
Things get exciting from October on the north coast. Autumn brings clean groundswells, the water isn't cold yet and the line-ups are empty. In deep winter (December to February) exposed beaches get big and powerful. You'll need a 5/4 mm suit, boots and experience.
Galicia: why March to October is surf camp season
Semesterkur's surf camp in Louro runs from roughly March to October, and the data above shows why. Over these months the waves shrink, the days lengthen and the air is mild. Beginner courses can be planned sensibly, even if spring and autumn throw in the odd big day. When the swell is large, lessons move to sheltered corners of the ría.
The sweet spots are:
- May and June: green landscapes, few people, waves already well below winter levels, water around 14–16 °C.
- September: the water is close to its annual peak at approx. 17–19 °C, the summer visitors have left and the first autumn swells add a little more push to the waves.
- July and August: the warmest and most sociable months on land, but busier.
Find out more about the camp, accommodation and programme in our guide to the surf camp in Galicia (Louro).
Checklist: plan your surf trip around the season
- Pick your month: use the tables above. For beginners, ★★★ months are the best bet.
- Match the region to the month: summer → north coast, winter → Andalusia or the Canaries.
- Plan your wetsuit: below about 17 °C water, 4/3 mm; above that, 3/2 mm. Camps often include one.
- Mind the holidays: Spanish summer holidays and Easter (Semana Santa) mean busy beaches and higher prices.
- Check the forecast: about 5–7 days before you leave, look at the forecast. On the day, your surf school will pick the spots to suit the conditions.
- Pack smart: sun protection, earplugs, a sun hat and something warm for the evenings. See our surf trip packing list.
Verdict: when is the best time to surf Spain?
For beginners, late spring and early autumn on the north coast are the best times: May/June and September/early October. High summer works too, but it's busier. Winter on the north coast belongs to experienced surfers, while Andalusia and the Canaries shine for beginners at that time of year. Not sure which country suits you overall? Our comparison surf camp Spain vs Portugal vs France will help.
Want to go to Galicia at the best time of year? You'll find Semesterkur's Louro surf camp with a 4-day surf course on the Galicia surf trip page, and all summer trips under summer trips. Please note that the booking pages are in German.
Sources
- AEMET: climate normals by station (Valores climatológicos normales)
- MeteoGalicia: Galicia's weather and ocean service
- Puertos del Estado: Marine Climate Indicators
- Puertos del Estado: historical data (buoys, waves, water temperature)
- NOAA NCEI: Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature (OISST)
- Open-Meteo Marine Weather API (historical wave data)
