Bilbao Surf – The Ultimate Guide
Bilbao surf is pretty excellent. There aren’t really spots in the city, so you will need to drive and travel. What awaits when you do is the crème-de-la-crème of Spain.
An introduction to Bilbao surf
Cantabria to the west, San Sebastian to the east – Bilbao sits in a tempting little bend of European shoreline for surfers. The Bay of Biscay thumps the whole coastline to the north of the city. It’s oeuvre? Well…it goes something like this…
Mundaka, the world’s finest rivermouth left (and we won’t hear any arguments about it, Pavones); Zarautz, a surf town for all levels that’s now arguably the capital of Spain’s surf-camp scene; Sopelana, the just-out-of-city surf hub that’s got the XXL monster of Meñakoz right next to long stretches of beach break that come into their own come the summer.
And that’s just mentioning what lies to the east. To the west are the more undeveloped beaches and coves of the eastern Pais Vasco and Cantabria, which open to the Atlantic at varying angles to offer waves for all levels on quieter beaches. They also happen to be pretty darn spectacular.
Of course, none of the above is accessible at walking distance. You’ll need a car to get out to them (the best option for more advanced surfers), or enrol on a surf camp (the better option for beginners).
Truth is, there aren’t really any surf spots in Bilbao itself. Even the closest ones, which are actually gnarly bombs that smash the outside of the harbor walls, rely on the shape cast by the Bilbao Port. It’s very much that sort of place: Use the city as your base and to sate your cultural needs, drive out whenever you want waves.
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 Spain and surfing in Pais Vasco
Surfing in Bilbao at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Bilbao surf?
Where is Bilbao (and how to get there)?
Bilbao is located in the northern part of Spain, within the Basque Country, nestled along the banks of the Nervión River. It’s only 50 miles west of San Sebastian (one of our all-time favorite surf cities) and just 11 miles to the east of the Cantabrian border.
By air – Fly into Bilbao Airport (BIO), which has direct flights from major European cities. The airport is just 12 kilometers from the city center, easily accessible by bus, taxi, or car rental. Kiwi is now our go-to flight search.
Train – Renfe’s high-speed trains connect Bilbao to major Spanish cities like Madrid and Barcelona (they are VERY nice, VERY fast trains!). The main station, Abando, is close to the town center, but not to the surf beaches, sadly. If you’re not in Spain yet, use RailEurope to book in advance when tickets are cheaper.
Bus – Long-distance buses are run by ALSA and other companies connect Bilbao with various Spanish and European destinations, arriving at the Bilbao Intermodal station. San Sebastian is super easy to reach on public bus.
By car – If driving, take the A-8 motorway from the east or west coasts or the AP-68 from the south. The roads are well-maintained, and the scenic drive offers beautiful views of the Basque landscape.
A NOTE ON DRIVING: Renting a car is, for us, the BEST way to do a surf trip in Bilbao. As we’ve already mentioned, the city isn’t quite on the coast. The nearest spots of Sopelana are only 20 minutes away, plus having your own wheels means you’ll be able to really make the most of the Basque Country (AKA: Drive around looking for working waves that are totally empty).
Bilbao surf spots
When we talk about the surf in Bilbao, what we’re really talking about is the surf within maybe a 40-mile radius. That means the crème-de-la-crème of the Basque Country, from Mundaka all the way to Zarautz.
Going east is best, but west has some gems too.
Zarautz
We wanted to mention Zarautz here simply because it’s now such a famous spot in the Pais Vasco surf scene. We’d say it’s the town that’s established itself as the home of surf camping in Spain.
For now, it’s like a Peniche 15 years ago; chilled, not too busy, very pretty, and with waves for all levels. The main break is a long beachie that’s punchy, ultra consistent and downright fun. The drive to Zarautz from Bilbao takes about an hour, but goes through stunning hilly landscapes and old Basque villages.
We have a complete guide to surfing in Zarautz – read it now!
Orrua
Orrua is just shy of Zarautz, through the small town of Zumaia. It breaks there off the rocky coastline with big NW swells. It’s a slabby bomb of an A-frame that’s usually for shortboarders and kamikazes only.
Laga
Remember when we said that the best of the Basque Country was driving around looking for empty breaks that hardly a soul is surfing. Well…Laga is that sort of place. It takes maybe 50 minutes to drive here from Bilbao. Park at the top of the cliff and take the road through the pine trees down to the water.
Despite some jagged rocks at the east end of the beach, it’s mainly sand-bottomed here, and the longish headlands help to shelter the whole thing from crossshore W winds to keep it clean and mellow when other spots along the north coast are blown out.
Good for all levels, just not for total beginners on their own.
Mundaka
No guide to the surf in Bilbao could possible skip Mundaka. This is the world’s most legendary rivermouth. Strong winter/fall swells push into the harbor on the west side of the bay and go off like freight trains and draw in every sponsored rider from here to Sagres.
So, yea, it gets busy, and you definitely don’t want to be out there if you don’t know how to thread barrels. Mundaka sections like 5 orr 7 times, first steep and pitching, then hollow, then fatter and rippable before barrelling again. The shape and nature of the wave changes year on year as the sand shifts but it’s always epic.
We have a complete guide to the epic lefts of Mundaka right here
Bakio
Beautiful Bakio has one of the most jaw-dropping beaches on this stretch of the Basque coast. Over 1,000 meters long from end to end, it’s perfectly daffodil yellow and flanked by muscly cliffs. You’ll love it.
The surf is also very high quality. Ultra-consistent, it works summer and winter, feeding through into a series of sandbanks that run along the whole bay. Best on a mid- to pushing tide and with something for all levels.
There’s also the famous right-hand point break of Peñaroja here. It’s either a jump-off-the-rocks jobby (but we cannot, for the life of us, find where) or a 400-meter paddle up the coast from the shore. That’s more of a local’s wave, but long and bowly when it gets going.
Meñakoz
There’s no chance you’ll catch yours truly heading out to Meñakoz. It’s a beast of a wave, often compared to Mavericks or Jaws. Can hit 30-foot plus on XXL swells and is for gun-toters only. Good to watch but you’ll have to be around Bilbao int eh winter and get lucky with low-pressure storms.
Sopelana
Sopelana is BEEEAAUUTTIIFUL. It’s actually one of our top picks for undisocovered surf towns right now, though the locals would wince at us saying that. Plus, anyone who’s used to surfing the Basque would say it’s hardly undiscovered.
What’s important here is that Sopelana is essentially THE surf town of Bilbao. Driving here takes 12-15 minutes using the tunnel and the bridge (it’s a toll road but it’s a cheap toll). Or you can hop on public transport – that takes roughly 40 minutes (just be warned that certain staff, not all!, might prevent you from boarding the metro trains if you’ve got a board with ya).
There are actually about five named breaks dotting the coastline of Sopelana. We got into them all in more detail in our Sopelana guide, but for now suffice to say that the main playa here is a gem. It’s got beach break peaks up and down its length that have primary swell that can hold some decent size before reforming into mush for learners. Talking of learning – there are some really great surf schools here to help with that.
More advanced surfers can hit either the reefy at the eastern end of the beach. It’s got lefts and rights but the lefts are short and you’ll need to lip out quick since the rocks are close to the surface. The rights there go from rampy, fast numbers that remind us a little of Snapper Rocks to cruisy longboard sets depending on swell size (winter usually the first, summer the latter).
All in all, this is a cracking spot to base yourself if surfing is your first aim on your Spain trip and seeing Bilbao comes second. The city is under 20 mins away and you’ll have cracking waves on the doorstep.
Where to stay? Moana Eco Surf House – no doubt about, this is the top surf lodge in the Bilbao region.
We have a complete guide to surfing in Sopelana
La Salvaje
La Salvaje is the nudist beach that’s just one bay around from Sopelana. You can easily get between the two of them because the car park is actually located on the headland in between – walk east you get to Sopelana, walk west you to La Salvaje.
The beach breaks here are a bit of a continuation that you get nextdoor, but a tad punchier, and can handle more size. The main draw, though, has to be the right known as La Triangular. When it’s on there, it’s fantastic – think a monstrous wall that stays clean up to 12 foot, offering heavy right walls that can give the odd slab barrel. That wave has a left section too; just as fun but less hollow.
Sadly, Triangular is one of the most localized waves in the region. People can be nasty over there, so we’d say avoid if it’s one of those days the locals wait for.
Aizkorri
The namesake of a huge mountain massif located inland in the Basque Country, this dark-sand beach awaits one more headland around from La Salvaje. It’s a world away, though. There’s hardly ever a crowd here. In fact, it’s one of the many places we go to steal a surf totally alone in the region of Bilbao.
It’s a cracker for goofies, too. With 5 foto plus and a long period, the lines will march into the western cliffs and start curling in like a mini Chicama or something. The sections can surprise, too, offering maybe two barrels in a single run. It’s no Mundaka but it’s good quality surfing that’s never got tons of bodies on it.
Just be warned: It’s a long paddle! Best for good intermediates and up. Though there’s a dumpy beach break towards the middle of the bay that most levels will enjoy.
Also, this one’s only 10 minutes or so from Bilbao.
La Galea
The first spot that works actually inside the Bilbao port area is La Galea. It’s a thumping right hander with loads of power, mainly because it demands big winter swells to fire properly. Access is right off the rocks but to be honest it’s too sketchy for us!
Jefry’s
The inside of Bilbao port has Jefry’s. It’s unbelievably fickle – like once or twice per year sorta’ fickle. Needs the heaviest low-pressures to send through 10-foot swells and there needs to be loads of N in the compass direction for it to make it past the breakwaters. When it does work, you can find hollowish right lines peeling underneath the Parque Puerto Viejo.
Ereaga
The main beach of Bilbao on its eastern side is Ereaga. It’s never, ever had surf when we’ve been around but that’s to be expected given just how far inside the port it sits. We’ve seen photos of crazy shapes forming up on the breakwater like a Spanish Wedge, though, so it will happen. When it does it’s for deathwishers and bodyboarders really.
La Arena
If it wasn’t for the massive oil refinery right next door, La Arena would probably be our top beginner break in the Basque Country. As it is, the water can suffer here, but it’s not too bad – just check water quality numbers before getting in and maybe keep your mouth shut.
To us, the beach looks like something out of Cornwall or South Wales. It’s got green headlands on both sides and is wide and long. We’d say the best peaks are towards the eastern end, which tends to pick up just a little more swell than the west, but really it’s a question of marching up and down to find a peak to call your own for a couple of hours.
Can be a good spot for learning, and will often be on the menu of the local surf schools in Bilbao.
Surf camps in Bilbao
There aren’t any surf camps in Bilbao. Butttt..the town of Zarautz (see above) is now the de facto home of surf camping in Spain; think what Peniche or Ericeira is in Portugal.
It’s still WAYYY smaller and more chilled than it’s PT compadres, though, and hosts some of the best packages in the country…
- Good People Surf (8-day surf camp) – Good People Surf are doing it the right way. They’ve designed a package that’s got loads of technical tuition and teaching but maintains a focus on simply having a good time. They’re a great crew with a base in a local campsite. You’ll stay in either simple or boutique tents, enjoy evenings of BBQ and food trucks, and get 5x 1.5-lessons. It’s a really great package, about an hour from Bilbao, and all for around the $500 mark.
- Stoke Surf House (11-day surf camp) – Nestled in the serene Pagoeta Nature Reserve just south of Zarautz, the Stoke lodge offers a cozy retreat with daily trips to the waves. The communal vibe here is very strong, fuelled by a touch of party atmosphere.
Want more ideas for surf camps? We’ve got a complete guide to the best in Spain right now. We update it every single year (sometimes every season), just to ensure you’re getting the recs that are hottest right now.
Where to stay for surfing in Bilbao?
Remember when we said that staying in Bilbao wouldn’t be our first pick if you wanted to surf every day? That’s because we think a hotel in a nearby beach town is the better option for maximizing time on the waves.
You can still cruise into Bilbao by car or metro whenever you want to go to the Guggenheim or whatever, you know.
For that reason, it’s the area of Sopelana that really takes our eye but we’ve also listed what we reckon is the slickest hotel in the city center just in case you wanted to prioritize culture.
- Moana Eco Surf House – A fantastic surf lodge that’s just behind the dunes near Sopelana beach. It’s got doubles, dorms, and family rooms, wonderful deck spaces, amazing breakfast offerings, a yoga shala, an in-house surf school, and even a spa – it’s THE best place to stay in/near Bilbao if you want to surf every day. Period.
- Bilder Boutique Hotel –This is the option in Bilbao city. It’s a stunning boutique place with exquisite rooms that look a bit 1930s, a bit futuristic. The bar captures our imagination – it’s like something out of Mad Men. Everything of note in the old town is within walking distance from here.
When to surf in Bilbao?
Bilbao – or, more accurately – the region around Bilbao has surf every month of the year. It just changes from summer to winter. Generally speaking, summer is better for beginners and longboarders, while winter is peak time for more advanced surfers.
We’d say that lower-intermedaite and beginner surfers should stary thinking about surfing around Bilbao about April or May. The swells can be nice and medium-sized then, with less of the strong winter crossshore winds. Plus, the summer crowds haven’t arrived in earnest. Waves will be smaller and water warmer June-August, though it’s still great for learning. September is another sweet spot.
The Atlantic swell channels really start firing usually by mid-Oct. It kick-starts the heavier wave season along the Basque shore, although there will always be a mix of smaller days and bigger days. December and Jan can send bombs through, and is the peak time for spots like Mundaka, but they also suffer from winds, so keep eyes on forecasts and choose your moments wisely.
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!
