The surfing paradise on the Costa de la Luz
Learn Spanish & Surf in Andalucia!
On Andalusia’s Atlantic coast you will find optimal conditions for surfing all year round: 3000 hours of sunshine a year, a sky that is always wonderfully blue, pleasant temperatures even at the height of summer and most importantly, almost always the right wind and waves!
No wonder that you will find some of the most famous and popular surfing spots in Spain.
Also the water temperatures are right, they are around 23° in summer, around 20° in October and never below 16° in January and February, so they are suitable for surfing all year round. In other words, even if most surf camps in Europe are in deep hibernation, Andalusia has the best conditions to learn the art of surfing.
Learn Spanish & Surf on the Costa de la Luz
The Costa de la Luz is known as the Eldorado for surfers!
The coastal section from Tarifa to Cádiz is particularly beautiful. It is about 200 km long and is characterised by kilometres of fine-grained, white sandy beaches.
In this region strong winds blow – except for a few days, mainly in August – throughout the year. These are the warm “Levante”, which comes from the eastern (Sahara) direction, and the cooler and usually somewhat weaker “Poniente”, which arises over the Atlantic Ocean.
For more advanced surfers, the winter months are very attractive when the storms over the Atlantic create the perfect “swell” and thus the optimal wave. They then often reach a height of 1.5 to 3 metres. It is most beautiful when the Poniente wind changes to the Levante wind, then the sea is completely smooth (glassy) so that the board reacts very smoothly in the wave.
Learn Spanish & Surfing in Tarifa
One of the world capitals for wind – and kite surfers is Tarifa, the southernmost city on the European mainland. It is located less than an hour’s drive from Conil, in the Strait of Gibraltar, and only 14 km separate this surfing paradise from Africa. The fine sandy beach stretches over 10 km and ends at the famous dune of Bolonia. It is really impressive, with a height of 30 – and a width of 200 meters. The historical centre of the town is mainly surrounded by old fortress walls and reminds a bit of Morocco. In Tarifa there are the most surf schools in Spain. The wind blows especially strong in this corner, which is why especially the advanced “surfer cracks” feel drawn here. The town with its approx. 17,000 inhabitants is completely dedicated to water sports; lovers of the wetsuit get everything their heart desires here and also in the evening the street scene is dominated by the surfer scene. The locals also call the surfers “locos por el viento”, the “wind crazy people”.
Learn Spanish and Surf in El Palmar
El Palmar has also developed into a Mecca of the surfing scene due to the optimal weather and wind conditions. It is located about 6 km from our course location Conil and can be reached by a wonderful walk along the beach. The 8 km long sandy beach (Beachbreak) of El Palmar is located behind a sandbank and is considered by far the best swell catcher in Andalusia. It is suitable for surfers of all levels.
Along the sea one surf school follows the other. In between are surf shops that offer everything that water sports requires. If you walk along the long beach promenade, you inevitably get an ocean beach feeling with hippie ambience.
Learn Spanish & Surfing in Conil
But Conil is also a perfect place to learn and develop surfing. The beach is miles long, without reefs and stones and, like El Palmar, is oriented to the west, so that the swell lands here perfectly on the long way across the Atlantic.
Our partner school “Trafalgarsurf” offers the surf courses directly in front of our door. It is a 10 minute walk from the school to the beach section “Los Bateles” at the mouth of the “Rio Salado”. Trafalgarsurf writes on their homepage: “Thanks to the beach profile, the waves here break gently in the shallow water. This means that beginners can always stand on the bottom! The waves have a long lead time, which gives students plenty of time to get up on the board. The summer months are particularly suitable for beginners, as the waves are gentler then. For advanced surfers with experience, the months between September and June are recommended”.
But Conil has much more to offer than surfing, sun, beach and crystal clear sea. The once small fishing village has been spared from mass tourism until today and inspires with its typical white houses, winding alleys and flower-decorated courtyards. The town has largely preserved its historical townscape and traditions, and has a very authentic Andalusian flair.
And if there is time, you should definitely explore the surroundings. There is an abundance of very interesting and beautiful destinations. To name but a few: Cádiz, the oldest city of the Occident, Seville, also called the “Beautiful Andalusia”, Jerez, famous for its bodegas and royal riding school or the Strait of Gibraltar, where dolphins cavort.
We guarantee you, it will be an unforgettable holiday when you book your Spanish language course and surfing with us in Conil de la Frontera!