15 Best European Surf Destinations – Our Staff Picks

Peniche, Portugal

We ummed and ahhed about which of Portugal’s three great surf towns to place in poll position on this list for quite some time.

In fact, we had what surf-Sherlock might call a three-Corona problem while discussing this with the team. But, here it is, the grand winner and overall best European surf destination right now as decided by us: Peniche. And it’s stayed in poll position for 2026 too, so it’s doing something right eh?

It’s really all down to the location. The whole Portuguese coast is exceptional in terms of consistency, but Peniche takes it to a whole new level by offering beaches that face south, north, and west.

They’re all strung along different sides of a tombola and island, and then long lengths of the Centro coast, creating a place that almost always has offshore winds and varying wave sized to suit your level.

It’s not for nothing that Peniche has one of the finest arrays of surf camps in the world, plus countless hotels and beach bars studding its shoreline. Throw in a picture-perfect old town area, the fishing village of Baleal (which is kinda’ a part of Peniche), and good access to Lisbon and you can see why this one’s riding high.

There are downsides, of course. Crowds are the no.1 enemy, but time your surfs right and they can be avoided – think super early mornings if possible.

Where to stay? The Salty – Do this 8-day retreat and you get five surf lessons plus unlimited yoga, not to mention a stay in one of the hottest new surf hostels in the country.

Ericeira, Portugal

Breathing down the proverbial neck of Peniche is another of Portugal’s legendary surf towns. This time, it’s the designated World Surfing Reserve of Ericeira.

Now, there are hordes of people, including a few names here in The Surf Atlas offices, who will argue to the hilt that this one should be listed as the single top surf destination in Europe, so to keep them sated we’ll say it’s an honorary first place – a joint first if you will.

It really is that good.

The town, a maze of winding roads and whitewashed fishing cottages – plus, these days, a good showing of super-cool boutique surf hotels – has long sand stretches to the south that pick up nice summer swells for beginners.

To the north are iconic barrelling reefs like Coxos. To the south are about 20 spots that string down lovely Silver Coast beaches on the way to Lisbon. It’s that south bit of town that gives the area a bit of a broader appeal.

We’re talking about beaches like Foz do Lizandro and Magoito, which have nice, big, open, sand-bottomed spaces that have become go-tos for learners and improvers from May to October.

>>Read our full guide to surfing in Ericeira right now

Where to stay? Lovely Laneez Ericeira Surf House has dorm and double rooms in a very cool boho beach house atop the cliffs of Ericeira. They also run surf courses, fishing courses, and more.

Zarautz, Spain

A lot of people have a lot of love for Zarautz right now. Occupying one of the most stunning bays on the Gipuzkoa coast just along from San Sebastian in the Spanish Basque, it’s at once lively and rustic, charming and filled with things to do.

It’s hardly a surprise to us that Zarautz has now established itself as the kingpin of surf camping in this corner of Spain. You’ll find traditional hostel-style camps for budget backpacking surfers, but also more quirky glamping camps that champion a return to nature and proper cultural experiences.

Surf wise? You won’t hungry, let’s just say that. The main playa that runs in front of the town is met by the Bay of Biscay and comes up trumps as one of the most consistent in Europe. It’s highly exposed at its eastern end, where thick wedges are a fun playground for advanced surfers. Go east along the shoreline and you get more shelter as the waves dip in size and become more beginner friendly.

Where to stay? Zarautz Surf House steals the show here. It’s a beautifully renovated surf house within walking distance of the waves.

Sagres, Portugal

Only the upcoming Spanish surf hub of Zarautz – which is FANTASTIC – could keep Portugal from making it a triple crown. After all, there’s still sunny Sagres to account for…

Capping off the southwestern-most headland of the country, it’s the surf capital of the Algarve. Access to south-facing and west-facing coastline means there’s swell for all levels, no matter the season – if it’s huge, go south for protected beaches; if it’s small, chase the exposed bays of Carrapateira and Arrifana.

Sagres also has charm. Sandy streets lead the way to an old fortazela on the cliffs. There are little beaches for sunbathing hidden below. There’s a touch of nightlife to boot. It’s a cracking all-round surf destination.

>>Read our complete guide to surfing in Sagres right here

Where to stay? Aldeia Caiçara Surf House – A surf camp that’s a bit different to the big brand names. This is homegrown, proper south-Algarve stuff. Done with a smile.

Caleta de Famara, Canary Islands, Spain

We spent one lovely, long month in Caleta de Famara back in 2019. It’s everything you want from the Canaries: Steady surf (it was flat maybe one day out of the 30); great food (think spicy mojo potatoes and country cheeses and volcanic wines); and sunshine (loads of it).

What’s wonderful about Caleta de Famara is that it’s been designated the international surf beach of Lanzarote. That means you don’t get the horrid localism that you might at La Santa and other spots across the island. Plus, the surf can be excellent. It’s beach break from tip to toe, but holds well on bigger swells. The water is also clear as glass.

>>Read a complete guide to surfing in Caleta de Famara right now

Where to stay? Lanzasurf Surf & Yoga Camp – Our top-pick surf camp in the Canaries is based in Caleta. It’s fantastico!

Sennen, England

Sennen is like something out of a postcard.

It’s split in two: Sennen itself strung along the clifftops between lush green Cornish farm fields; and then Sennen Cove, a pint-sized village bellow that’s little more than a few salty pubs, a cluster of lovely holiday cottages, and a lifeboat station. You’ll feel like you’re vacationing in a sea shanty.

It also happens to face one of the most swell-sucking beaches in the whole of the United Kingdom. When the rest of the north Cornish coast goes flat in summer, there can be a mini wave here for loggers it’s that consistent.

There are a few spots along the sand: An all-tide A-frame in the middle that’s pretty mellow and a half-reef break that works between Sennen Beach and Gwynver Beach on a lower tide.

For us, it’s the perfect family and group escape in the summer. Score a local cottage, enjoy the balmy Southwest microclimate, and surf every day in cold turquoise seas.

Where to stay? No Place – A charming Cornish cottage with a thatched roof, country kitchen, hot tub, and – get this! – swimming pool. Space for a family on the cliffs above Sennen Cove.

Hossegor has always been one of the stars of the Euro surf scene. Some say the folk of the Landes department north of the town were the first to ride waves on the continent, on hollowed out pine trees they plucked from the forests that still grow on the dunes behind the sands back in the medieval ages.

True or not, there’s no denying the prowess of this fantastic surf town. It’s home to the indubitable La Graviere, a wave of Quicksilver Pro and WSL pedigree that’s simply perfection on its day. We’re talking slabby stand-up barrels on a fricking beach break, like 20 meters from the shoreline.

That’s for the pros, of course. For the rest of us, Hossegor has plenty. Go up the coast to Messanges or Moliets and you’ll find peak after peak after peak, with different sorts of breaks on different levels of tide.

The town of Hossegor itself is a bit spread out. Personally, we hardly leave the beachfront area whenever we’re there. But you could also hop over the river to find sports shops, surf outlets, and more in the way of traditional Aquitaine bistros.

>>Read an in-depth guide to surfing in Hossegor

Where to stay? JO&JOE Hossegor – More than just a hostel, J&J is a full events space. They do summertime music shows, have an on-site volleyball court, and their own bar. It’s one of the most social surf stays in France.

No list of the best European surf destinations could possibly miss out on what’s now seen as the de facto capital of English surfing. Cue Newquay; bustling, boisterous, beautiful Newquay.

Hugging the rugged cliffs of northern Cornwall, it’s flanked by two bays that have surf for both ends of the spectrum (Towan has beginner peaks all year round, while Fistral offers slabby barrels when the peak winter swells punch through).

Don’t be fooled by the abundance of stylo beach cottages here. Newquay still stays true to its swashbuckling pirate history – it’s a party town at heart. Students, stag dos, surf groups, and more all come here to surf by day and hit the beers by night. (Our tip: Start in Belushis, finish in Whiskers).

Where to stay? It has to be St. Christopher’s. This is Newquay’s legendary hostel, with decent enough dorm beds overlooking Towan Beach. Surf lessons can be organized on site and there’s a bumping bar there too.

iStock.com / saiko3p

Downright chic city living and waves right on the doorstep, Biarritz is a place that brings a hint of Monte Carlo to bear on surf culture. Truth be told, they’re not really two worlds that gel all that well, but hey ho!

Royals and regal types have been frequenting the casinos and spa hotels of Biarritz since the 1800s. With their money bags, they managed to turn this place into a sort of Cannes on the Atlantic, something still evident today in the elegant Casino Barrière and the palatial promenade that lines the Grande Plage.

The surf crowd turned up later, of course. It was on that very same Grande Plage that they found punchy A-frame sets with frothing lefts and rights in the shadow of the stylish hotels. Venturing north and south revealed even more, from the punchy rights at Le Miramar to the beginner-friendly and logger mecca of Hendaye on the border with Spain.

If you’re after a city vibe, great gastronomy, and a touch of luxury, this one’s got to be on the radar!

>>Read our full guide to surfing and staying in Biarritz

Where to stay? Hotel Edouard VII – go in style with a stay at this elegant boutique in the midst of the Biarritz Old Town.

We hail Moliets as the “poster boy for the Landes region.” What we mean is that it’s everything you dreamed those long, consistent beach breaks of southwest France would be.

Waves work all year round, though they’re smaller in summer than in winter, and the sandbanks shift this way and that to give different shapes to the sets each season. Most of all, there’s so much room on the 10km or so of shoreline in Moliets that you’ll never feel crowded off a peak.

The town in Moliets, officially Moliets-et-Maa, is a bit inland from the beach but most surfers will choose to stay around the urbanization that’s closer to the shore. That’s where all the surf camps and beach bars are.

Travel north out of town to find empty beaches fringed by dunes and fragrant pine woods. Breaks like La Lette are there, offering uncrowded peaks. Closer to the center is the main playground of surf camps, with reliable lefts and rights for all levels.

>>Read our full guide to Moliets right now

Where to stay? Logis Hôtel de L’Océan – Location is everything at this ocenafront lodge. Well, not everything. It also has a seafood restaurant on a deck, and cozy rooms done out in the French coastal style.

We hesitate to list a WHOLE ISLAND here; we feel like it’s a bit of a cop out since you’re still going to have to do lots of travel planning after deciding it’s the right place for you.

Thing is, Tenerife is an island of many sides.

In the south, it’s a tourism mecca, with big hotels with pools that tumble to umbrella-dotted beaches. In the north, it’s wild and rugged and very local, with Canarian fincas that ooze charm.

Both regions have surf. The north is a bit more challenging. Less-accessible beaches like Playa de Benijo and Bajamar aren’t the most accessible up there, but come with inviting point breaks off the rocks. Go south for the surf camps and beginner areas, which are largely clustered around the hub of Playa de las Americas.

Where to stay? The Volcano Surf Center does the best surf package here in our opinion. They’re a very good school who know the breaks around Playa de las Americas like their back of their hands.

Aljezur, Portugal

For the slow traveler, the culture buff, and couples, Aljezur is a fine spot to while away a few months of the spring or autumn while surfing every day.

It’s one of the lesser-known surf towns of Portugal, plonked close to the border between the region of Alentejo and the Algarve.

You’ll find it set at the end of the Aljezur river valley, draped over a knife-edge hillside that’s capped by an old Moorish castle. Cozy cottages spill down to the center of the old part of town, offering some very characterful places to stay – think whitewashed boltholes with wood-burning stoves and balconies.

You will need a hire car if you want to stay here. That’s because Aljezur is 20 mins or so from the surf beaches, which include beginner-friendly Arrifana, pretty Praia da Amoreira with its rivermouth and outer bombie, and consistent Monte Clérigo.

>>Read a full surf-travel guide to Aljezur

Where to stay? Hillside 2 Aljezur Old Town – this is precisely the sort of fire-warmed cottage you can expect in the historic core of Aljezur.

Sopelana, Spain

Think of Sopelana as the surf district of Bilbao. It’s about 20 minutes by car, or 40 minutes on the metro, outside of the heart of the Basque city, where it opens up to a series of very pretty whitish-sand beaches on the Bay of Biscay.

It’s actually cut off from the coast by a dash of sand dunes but you can walk to the surf spots from the center in  10 minutes or drive in just two.

There’s a good variety of peaks strung along the main sands. On the main playa, there are sand-bottomed banks that pick up any and every swell, offering primary sets for intermediates and up and secondary whitewash for schoolers. Go further along to the west and you’ll come to La Triangular, which is one of the best waves in northern Spain, though it does get busy.

Most of all, though? Sopelana is a prime gateway to all the riches of the Basque country. Stay here and rent a car and everything between here and Zarautz is on the menu, including a tiny little port town called Mundaka…heard of that?

>>Read our full guide to surfing in Sopelana right now

Where to stay? Moana Eco Surf House reigns as one of the very best surf lodges in Europe. It’s super stylish, has a spa, and is within walking distance to the waves.

Pembrokeshire is the western extremity of South Wales. It’s linked up by the 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path, one of the UK’s most alluring long-distance hiking trails if you ask us – think a montage of white-sand beaches and glorious cliffscapes where seals and porpoises make a regular appearance.

Anyway, Pembs – as it’s known to the locals – also magnetizes any SW/W swell that pushes up through the Celtic Sea off the Atlantic, making it just as consistent as most of the spots in North Cornwall, only a whole lot more off the beaten track.

There are three peninsulars to pick from here. We’d go for south Pembrokeshire, which has glorious Freshwater West and its punchy reef lefts and high-tide beach barrels. Or there’s mid Pembs, which is home to Newgale, a very fun pebble and sand beach that has a great local surf school in the summer months.

Where to stay? Timber Hill Self Catering Cedar Lodges are hidden in the woods just above the charming village of Broadhaven, which has surfing but also access to about five more surf beaches within 20 minutes’ drive.

El Cotillo, Spain

El Cotillo is the place to surf on the island of Fuerteventura. That makes it the third and final destination on the Canaries to be mentioned here, and for good reason – there’s waves and warm water virtually all year round.

On top of that, we’d say that Fuerte has one of the best overall offering of surf schools in the region – that’s along with Lanzarote’s Caleta (see above). You can score excellent, ISA-rated teaching for under $40 a lesson in these parts, on glimmering white beaches and in turquoise seas.

Stay in El Cotillo’s main town and you’ll also get to experience the charms of the eastern Canaries. It’s a whitewashed village of little tapas taverns that opens onto about five volcanic coves. Stunning is the keyword.

Where to stay? El Hotelito del Cotillo is a really nice boutique lodging that has a touch of Morocco about it. Very charming and close to the beaches. Plus, it’s adults only. Woop.