The surf spot of Marinedda, in the municipality of Isola Rossa, Sardinia, turned out to be a truly great discovery. I recently tried out the spot, and here is a guide/review of the location.

Surfing: Marinedda, Isola Rossa, Sardinia 

During my last trip to Sardinia, on October 10, 2026, I had the chance to check out the Marinedda surf spot, which treated me to a truly fantastic morning surf session.

The spot is located in the municipality of Isola Rossa, just north of the main town. To reach it, follow the SP39 road toward Isola Rossa, then turn north (following the signs) just before entering the town itself. This stretch of the Sardinian coast is incredibly striking, featuring red granite cliffs sculpted by the sea and wind into the famous, spectacular rock formations known as *tafoni*. A bit further north lies Costa Paradiso, home to the breathtaking Cala Li Cossi.

Click here for a nice slide gallery taken at the spot

A few hundred meters past the turn, the road brings you right up to the beach, where there are several parking options. In the off-season, I personally parked in the dirt lot behind the "Il Cormorano" bar. In October, the spot was quiet and convenient—even for sleeping in a van—with the added benefit of being able to put on a wetsuit and hit the water the next morning after just a few steps.

In the height of summer, conditions are obviously quite different, and parking requires a fee.

The NESOS SURF SCHOOL operates at this spot, offering board rentals and lessons (https://www.marineddabay.com/surf-school.html).

For other needs (supermarkets, shops, etc.), the center of Isola Rossa is just a few kilometers away.

As for the spot itself, the atmosphere—at least outside of the peak season—is truly pleasant. The bay is beautiful, spanning about 400 meters; it faces west-northwest and is framed on either side by striking, reddish granite rock formations. The beach is sandy, not very deep, but quite steep. The water gets deep quickly, and when there’s a well-formed swell, the shorebreak can be challenging.

The spot gets swell generated by the Mistral (Maestrale) or the Westerly (Ponente) winds, which funnels neatly into the deep inlet, producing clean, well-formed waves—often spanning the entire central section of the bay. Essentially, it is a beach break. The waves break in the middle and can be surfed primarily as lefts, though rights are also possible. Rip currents form along the sides of the bay, which can be used to paddle out more easily (see the photo above).

We tested the spot the day after a significant swell—measuring 2 meters with a 10-second period—that hit the entire north coast of Sardinia. We encountered exceptionally clean waves, with sets reaching around 2 to 2.5 meters.

The bay is famous for hosting major international competitions, such as the Marinedda Bay Open (formerly known as the Frozen Open)—which, in fact, had just concluded the day before my session. A young Leonardo Fioravanti achieved two victories here, in 2013 and 2015.

The spot is suitable for both beginners and advanced surfers, depending on the conditions.

Ciao. Fabio

Click here for a nice slide gallery taken at the spot