Surfing Galicia

The North-Western Tip of Spain

1. The Ultimate Guide to Surfing Galicia – Northern Spain

Galicia is the most north-western part of the mainland of Spain. It is not as touristy as other regions of Spain, mainly known for its raw and wild nature, the way of Jacob, and a true paradise for nature lovers, campers, and surfers. Here you still find remote, huge stretches of beaches that offer several peaks for surfing and less crowded lineups in comparison to France and Portugal.

2. Galicia Coastline & Surf Regions

The coastline is characterized by raw untouched lush landscapes. Concrete in front of the beach as you might know it from the more touristy regions in the south of Spain you barely find except in A Coruña, the most north-western city of Spain with roughly a quarter million inhabitants. Its city beach Playa del Orzán is a relatively exposed beach break that picks up swell from different directions. A Coruña has a small airport. Another option to fly into Galicia is by traveling to Santiago de Compostela, a city about a 1-hour drive inland from the coastline. Alternatively, you can fly to Porto (Portugal) and travel by car or public transportation cross-border direction north.

A Coruña to Malpica – Northern Galicia

Heading west from A Coruña in the direction of Malpica, you find many bays and beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean direction north. The most popular one along the way is Razo, an incredibly long beach that works quite consistently year-round. There are some surf schools, camps, and restaurants close by and you can park right in front of the beach which makes Razo a great place, offering a good mixture of infrastructure and nature.

Just a short drive from Razo, you will find Praia dos Riás and Aviño – an incredibly raw and rugged beach, without any sightable concrete around. Into the wild, just you and nature, perfect for camping.

Other spots worth checking out along the way are Valcobo, Barrañán, Caión,

Malpica to Fisterra – Western Galicia

Heading down the coastline direction south from Malpica, you will find the surf spots Soesto, Nemiña, and Praia do Rostro.

Louro to Ribeira – Western/Southern Galicia

Continuing to travel down south, check out O Pindo, Praia de Carnota, Larino, and Louro. Louro (Area Maior Beach) is an incredibly picturesque beach that looks similar to certain parts of Cape Town, South Africa in terms of landscape and vegetation.

From Louro, it is about an hour’s drive around the bay Ria de Muros y Noya until you reach As Furnas / Río Sieira and Queiruga.

Ferrol, Valdoviño, Foz – The most Northern part of Galicia

Following the coastline direction north from A Coruña, you first reach the city of Ferrol. Surf Spots in that area are Doniños, San Xurxo, and Ponzos. At Doniños, WSL contests are held every once in a while.

Continuing direction north, in the district of Valdoviño, a huge open bay awaits with three different spots to surf, depending on the swell size and direction: Frouxeira, Lago, Cristina. Usually from the northern part (Frouxeira) through the middle part (Lago) to the southern tip of the bay (Cristina), waves tend to get smaller, the more the swell comes in from a western direction.

Another great and arguably the most famous surf spot in Galicia is situated in this area, named Pantin, where WSL (World Surf League) contests are held on the right-hander wave that breaks at the northern tip of the bay. A wave that can get punchy and technical and is populated with locals on a good day (when there is no contest) – so make sure you only paddle out there if your skillset is appropriate and respect the locals. If this part of Pantin is not for you (locals will certainly tell you), similar to Valdoviño, the bay offers more peaks in its center and at the bay’s southern tip – better suitable for less experienced surfers.

Further north, another two less popular surf spots await: El Baleo and Villarube. El Baleo is a very small bay that on bigger days can get dangerous to surf due to strong rip currents that tend to pull you out of the bay to the open sea. Villarube is a spot that is very sheltered and only works during bigger swells, when everywhere else is maxed out or on medium size swells it can work well, especially for longboarders.

Last but not least, in the south of the bay of Valdoviño, Playa de Meirás is a spot that can work during low tide – but only rarely does. Further down south from there, Campelo awaits. A remote spot that picks up a lot of swell from the west direction that tends to break mostly to the right from the rocky cliffs of the northern side of the bay. Beware, waves get bigger and stronger than in other parts of this region quickly and you should not underestimate what you are paddling into when looking at it from high above. Also, the spot is under the protection of the locals! Be respectful and humble and best not to go there to surf in the evening or during the weekend to stay out of their way. If you decide to go at the wrong time, especially when the conditions are perfect, you will have a hard time catching waves from the point, as the locals most likely won’t let you.

Overall, this area of Galicia offers great quality waves but also has the strongest localism at the point breaks. Keep this in mind and pick your spot and time wisely, respect the locals, and stay humble.

3. Galicia Surf Season

Galicia offers year-round swells that cater to surfers of all levels. The best times are late fall and early spring when you’re most likely to get consistent waves. Winter swells are serious and they can reach heights of more than 30 feet / 10 meters. Conditions only for thrill-seeking expert surfers. While swells are less consistent during the summer months, they cater nicely to beginner surfers.

4. Galicia Surf Map