Windsurfing in Spain

If you love an adrenaline rush, you'll be sweapt away by the wind and sea of one of the world's best windsurfing destinations: Spain. The only thing you need is a board, a sail, and the force of the wind to let you skim across the water. A fun sport that is bound to hook you.

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WHY SPAIN

Because of its 8,000 kilometres of coastline, its variable winds, its crystal clear waters and its mild temperatures.
Because Spain is considered the windsurfing mecca in Europe, its beaches are the usual venue for international competitions, and it is the destination chosen by the most renowned windsurfers.
Because of its countless large reservoirs suitable for this sports, some of them located inland.
Because of the quality of its hotels, apartments and country guest houses where you can stay while going to windsurfing school and exploring Spain's best beaches and reservoirs.
Because of its windsurfing spots, selected places with practically constant winds that form the perfect waves.

TYPES OF WINDSURFING AND WINDSURFING COMPETITIONS

Each championship hosts specific windsurfing disciplines. The most common are:Freestyle: this involves performing tricks and spectacular manoeuvres in calm water.Wave: regarded as the most radical category. The score will depend on the jumps made and the way of surfing the waves.Slalom: racing on a route marked out by buoys.Formula: the board and the sail used are larger than the more classic models.Some of the most prestigious international competitions are the IWA (International Windsurfing Association) and the International Tour of the PWA (Professional Windsurfers Association). The Canary Islands host several competitions in the tour.

Depending on the competition or event you want to participate in, we recommend that you check the terms and conditions: some require membership of a federation, others don't.

AREAS

If there's one area in Spain that offers outstanding windsurfing conditions and is famous all over the world, it's the city of Tarifa in Cadiz, known as “Europe's wind capital”. With constant winds from the east or west, its coast is the perfect place for windsurfing. Some of its best known beaches are:Playa de Bolonia: where, in addition to windsurfing, you can also visit the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia.Playa Chica: its crystal clear waters are frequented by windsurfers in winter, as windsurfing is not allowed in summer.Playa de Valdevaqueros: the urban beach of Tarifa. Famous for its good winds.Playa Dos Mares: it has a large space for windsurfing, which makes it very popular with enthusiasts.In addition to Tarifa, another good area for windsurfing is the Canary Islands, known as the “European Hawaii”. One of the best islands is Gran Canaria, with Pozo Izquierdo and Vargas, the beaches of Jandía, Sotavento in Fuerteventura, Las Cucharas in Costa Teguise in Lanzarote, and El Médano in the south of the island of Tenerife.

You will also find good areas to go windsurfing for the first time in the north of the Costa Brava, more specifically, in the area of the Gulf of Roses in Girona.In Murcia, don't miss the Mar Menor, with areas like La Llana and Los Alcázares.And if you want to discover more regions of Spain while enjoying your favourite sport, you can visit beaches like El Ejido in Almeria or La Lanzada in Pontevedra.Other areas for windsurfing are the nautical stations located in inland reservoirs, such as the Atazar and San Juan reservoirs in Madrid and the Iznájar reservoir in Cordoba.

Tips and recommendations

Check the weather forecast before entering the sea, find out about the marine currents in the area and the strength and direction of the wind.The ideal conditions for learning to windsurf are a gentle breeze and completely flat water. The light wind will allow you to perform all kinds of manoeuvres.A neoprene suit and sun protection are mandatory. If you are going to windsurf on a beach with a rocky bottom, we recommend that you wear special shoes.Having the right board and sail size is a factor you need to take into account. To begin with, we recommend a small sail and a board with a broad surface or with a centreboard, an element that gives you greater stability and makes learning easier.You should not go windsurfing on your own. In Spain, you can find a large number of windsurfing schools and companies where you can rent equipment and take a course to get started in this sport or improve your technique.In the event of an accident, you can contact the emergency service by calling 112.For more information on windsurfing, visit the tourist offices in each area or contact the respective windsurfing federations. You can also visit the website of the Spanish Royal Sailing Federation.We recommend you read our practical health and safety tips.Since the recommendations and regulations may change, you should always check the requirements before starting the trip.