A long, wiggling coastline with rocks and sands aplenty, running for almost 140 miles north from the Lazio border to the dramatic shores of the Apuan Alps.
An introduction to surfing in Tuscany
Think Tuscany, think undulating hills, its slender cypress trees, its babbling hot springs and Etruscan hill towns. That’s what this region that spills down from the soaring Apennine Mountains in the heart of Italy is all about, right? Well…not quite. There’s a coastline here, too. A long one. It runs from sunny Orbetello in the south to the beaches that string along the edge of the high Apuan Alps, encompassing over 130 miles of The Boot’s shoreline.
There are lots of spots, running from the old marble towns of the north to the long beach breaks of the Maremma coast that joins Lazio. Many lack quality but the Italian locals are grateful for what they get and ride the slappy walls like it’s Supertubos on a good day, every session. What really adds to the draw of surfing in Tuscany is the potential to finish a session and then hit a trattoria for country food and Chianti wine.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Italy
Surfing in Tuscany at a glance
The good:
- Beautiful scenery
- Long coast
- Fantastic food
The bad:
- Waves lack quality – it’s Tuscany!
- Often flat
- Not reliable
What’s in this guide to surfing in Tuscany?
Where is Tuscany?
Tuscany is often called the heart of Italy. It spreads across a huge cut-out of the country north of Rome and runs south from its own regional capital, Florence (a must-visit if you haven’t been yet!). The coast is all on the western side and the Appeninne mountains dominate the landscapes to the east. The best ways in are via airports in Pisa, in Florence itself, and even in Rome, which is a couple of hours’ drive to the south.
A guide to the Tuscany surf spots
Forte dei Marmi
Forte dei Marmi is intimately linked to the history of the Tuscan region. Once upon a time, there would have been no wave here worthy of mention. However, then came the booming Ferrara marble industry and ports were built to serve the quarries high up in the nearby Apuan Alps. Of course, a few big chunks of stone ended up in the water and the local jetty break was born. It’s now among the top-rated spots in the country, forming just north of the pier in a sort of mini version of Huntington Beach. It’s usually quite mushy and messy but does offer some very good lefts and rights of an A-frame top on its best days.
Tito Del Molo
Tito Del Molo has a fat and mellow break that’s better for cruising on 8 footers than for ripping. There’s a big local scene here and whenever it’s working it’s usually crowded.
Lido Di Camaiore
A good wintertime right forms at the pier in Lido Di Camaiore. It’s a lot like the Forte dei Marmi break to the north but a little fatter and more peeling. Good for shortboarders on stronger wind days but will mellow for loggers when it’s smaller. Some great eateries around the nearby promenade and a local surf school to boot.
Livorno
The Livorno surf relies on a cluster of three beaches and rocky coves to the south of the port city. They can be quite good but the best of the bunch is at Tre Pointe, where a fat A-frame rolls into the center of the bay. There’s also another spot at Il Sale that’s usually flat as a pizza base but can get heavy when the rest of the coast is totally blown out.
Piombino/Carbonifera
The long and open stretch of coast that goes between the port in Piombino and the sands of Carbonifera suffers from a swell shadow cast by Elba (the place where Napoleon was exiled) and Corsica. That cuts down the consistency but there are some good days when the south winds blow in the sirocco season. It’s a very protected spot with a shallow bottom, so good for beginners.
Rocchette
There’s a pretty jagged rock reef ringing one headland at Rocchette that can form a nice A-frame peak when there’s SW-W swell directions in winter. It’s for the better surfers out there because the left can get shallow on the stones and the right still isn’t a beginner wave. You’ll have to wait for it to work but will get some good quality when it does kick into life.
Ansedonia/Il Cartello
A right-hand point break that works a little like a south Cali point when there’s SW swell coming up. Take offs are close to the rocks and then the water peels inwards like a mini Imsouane to offer pretty long rides that let you rest in the pocket. Again, the swell shadows cast by the outlying islands of the western Med mean that this one lacks a little consistency compared to the north Tuscan breaks.
Where to stay when surfing in Tuscany?
Tuscany isn’t hailed as a vacation mecca for nothing. There are hotels bursting from every Etruscan hilltop village and every wooded valley in these much-holidayed parts. Closer to the coast, the stays do thin out a little and become a bit more orientated towards domestic Italian travellers. There are some that we really like for being near the breaks, though…
Hotel Olimpia
Hotel Olimpia is one of the top-rated hotels on the Forte dei Marmi beach strip. Grand rooms with some quirky artistic touches that hearken back to the golden age of Italian fashion and cinema combo up with fantastically made breakfasts of poached eggs, granola, and fresh fruit juices. You’re only a few steps from the town’s pier here too, which means the best surf break around.
Hotel La Pace
Fresh, bright, and airy rooms combine with on-site bike rentals and a location that’s just across the road from the main break at Forte dei Marmi to make this one of the best places to stay for surfing in Tuscany. The Hotel La Pace also do big – like SUPER BIG – breakfast spreads if you add that to the package. It’s a bit of a rarity in Italy (where the locals mainly drink coffee in the morning) and is great for surfers straight off a dawn patrol.
Camping La Pineta
There are some bargain stays at the Camping La Pineta site for surfers watching the euros. They get access to a large communal pool and most have small self-catering facilities. The main draw is the good access to all the beaches and breaks that lie on the western side of the Apuan Alps – in our opinion, the best in the region. The units might be a little cold if you travel in the low winter season is all.
Step-by-step guide to planning your surfing Tuscany trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the surfing Tuscany…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp. Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Rent a car. If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Tuscany?
November to March is high time on the Tuscan seas for wave seekers. The summer is just too flat almost anywhere, bar when the southern winds get rolling in from Africa, but they’re rarely strong enough to get something rideable. Good offshores early on in the morning can mingle with wind swells whipped up by the mistral, offering waves from Liguria to the border with Lazio. The area around Livorno and the Apuan Alps is the most exposed here, so they pick up the best of the conditions when the colder months are in full flow. Wetsuits required. It’s Italy, but it gets chilly. A 4/3 should cut it for the whole season.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
