You taste salt before you see the sea. It is a sharp, metallic tang on your lips as you walk down the wooden boardwalk toward the beach. The sound builds gradually: first a low rumble, then a crash, then the hiss of foam sliding up the sand. Portugal west coast faces the full force of the Atlantic, and the waves here are not gentle. They arrive in sets of five or six, dark green walls of water that rear up and throw themselves onto the shore with a violence that demands respect. Europe surf beaches are world class and the surf culture here is as deep as any in the world.

Portugal the Surfing Capital of Europe

Portugal is the undisputed surfing capital of Europe. The entire west coast faces the Atlantic swell, and the consistency of waves is unmatched anywhere on the continent. Ericeira, a fishing town thirty minutes from Lisbon, is the only World Surfing Reserve in Europe. The coastline here has seven world class surf breaks within a radius of ten kilometers. Ribeira dIlhas is the most famous, a right hand point break that holds swell up to six meters. The waves peel perfectly across the reef for over two hundred meters on a good day. Further north, Peniche is the home of the World Surf League event Supertubos, a fast, hollow beach break that produces some of the best barrels in Europe. The town of Nazare has the biggest waves in the world, with recorded swells over thirty meters, but those are for tow in surfers only. For everyone else, the beach breaks at Baleal and Consolacao offer fun, manageable waves in a stunning setting.

France and Spain Atlantic Coast

France southwest coast, from Hossegor to Biarritz, is the birthplace of European surfing. Biarritz was where the first surfers in Europe paddled out in the 1950s, and the area has retained its surf culture through decades of change. Hossegor has some of the best beach breaks in Europe, with hollow waves that break fast over sandbars. The water is colder than Portugal, and a wetsuit is necessary year round. The Basque Country, straddling the border between France and Spain, has a distinct surf culture that combines French cuisine with Spanish energy and world class waves. In Spain, the coast of Galicia offers powerful waves with fewer crowds. The beaches around the town of Mugia are wild, undeveloped, and face the full fetch of the Atlantic. The water is cold and the weather is unpredictable, but for surfers willing to brave the elements, the reward is empty waves that rival anything in Portugal.

Less Crowded Surf Destinations

Not every good wave in Europe has a lineup of fifty surfers. Ireland west coast faces the Atlantic and gets consistent swell, but the water is cold and the weather is challenging. The beaches of County Donegal and County Sligo offer powerful waves with a fraction of the crowd that Portugal sees. The town of Bundoran in Ireland has a right hand reef break called The Peak that works in almost any swell. Scotland is even less crowded. The Thurso area in the far north gets excellent waves, and the water temperature rarely rises above fourteen degrees Celsius even in August. A thick wetsuit, boots, gloves, and a hood are essential. The reward is solitude and waves that rival anything in Europe. The Basque coast in northern Spain offers consistent waves with a vibrant surf culture and excellent seafood.

What You Need to Surf in Europe

Surfing in Europe requires a different approach than surfing in the tropics. A wetsuit is mandatory everywhere except in the height of summer in southern Europe. In Portugal and Spain, a three millimeter wetsuit is adequate for summer, but a four or five millimeter suit is necessary for spring and autumn. In Ireland, the UK, and Scandinavia, a five millimeter wetsuit with boots, gloves, and a hood is essential year round. Surf schools are common at most beaches, and a two hour lesson typically costs between thirty and fifty euros including equipment. The best time for beginners is summer, when the waves are smaller and the water is warmer. For experienced surfers, autumn and winter deliver the best swell, but the conditions are more challenging and the crowds are smaller. The European surf community is welcoming, and surf etiquette is the same as everywhere: respect the locals, do not drop in, and be friendly in the water.

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