Surfing in Europe

Europe Surf Spot Map

Europe covers nearly 7% of the worlds land mass and consists of 45 different countries and has a wide variety of different cultures and spoken languages. There are over 730 million people living within it's borders - almost 11% of the worlds population. Thankfully not all of them surf!

The best surf in Europe is generated from Autumn and Winter low pressure systems track across the far north. The Gulf Stream helps keep water temperatures up in the northern countries like the UK making a winter surf more comfortable (but still flamin' cold!).

The best waves are found on the Atlantic Coasts but there are still decent swells and breaks in the North Sea and also, but not as regularly, in the Mediterranean. As surfing grows more popular it is getting increasingly hard to find empty spots but all in all things are pretty mellow in the water if you behave yourself.

One thing that is quite suprising about surfing in Europe is the lack of representation by European surfers in the ASP top 44. In the 2011 season, only two surfers made the final 44. Tiago Pires from Portugal and Jeremy Flores from France where the only representatives.

There are many popular surf hubs that are worth a visit. The following locations have surf camps, surf lesson and accommodation for surfers, so ideal for a surfing holiday. These include:

Newquay, England
Peniche, Portugal
Biarritz, France
Hossegor, France

There are so many different waves to be surfed in Europe. Your equipment will have to be based on your intended location and time of year. One thing you will need is a wetsuit.

Many of the best waves in Europe are on the Atlantic coastline, so expect the water temperature to be chilly from late autumn through to spring. Obviously the further south you go, the warmer the water. If you are thinking of surfing in the north of Scotland, or any of the Scandinavian countries, you'll need a good wetsuit.