A Europe surfingholiday could mean one of a very many things. It could be a cold water adventure on the brooding winter waves of northern Scotland or Ireland’s west coast. Spending evenings drinking pints, huddled round a fire spinning yarns about barrells and triple overhead waves.
More often though it could mean spending a summer’s day watching (or joining) the pros on one of France’s famed surf beaches such as Hossegor and Biarritz. Beyond that it could even mean balmy surfing session in the shimmering waters off the Canary Isles, a few chunks of Africa bravely masquerading as Europe.
The ace up Europe’s sleeve is the amount of diversity it can offer in such a small area. To surf Europe is to spend a morning surfing a pumping beachbreak in southwest France, and then skip down to Spain to feast on the delights of Basque Country’s craggy reefs and points.
Surfing in Europe also offers something for everyone – from the savage Atlantic winter swells that test the mettle of the world’s best, to those taking their first tentative steps on knee high breakers in the Mediterranean.
Mainland Europe’s Atlantic coast offers a bounty of waves to over ten countries. From those frozen fjord dwellers in the north to the tapas eating Andalusians in the south this coast is home to some of the world’s most celebrated spots – the likes of north Spain’s Mundaka and Portugal’s Supertubos.
These famous breaks are what put surf destinations on the map, though the soul of surfing in Europe is not necessarily to be found at these hubs. The best thing to do is hop in a car, keep your eyes peeled and find yourself a little corner of a headland to make your own.
