Sixth trip for me, in Northern Spain, among Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria, in search of waves and wind for windsurfing and surfing, and breathtaking views to relax my mind.

 

Windsurfing, Surfing e Trekking: Northern Spain, summer 2026

 

Finally, finding a window of about 10 days among my family commitments, and also taking advantage of good forecasts regarding swell and wind, I left Italy, with my camper van, on Saturday 27 June in the late morning.

 

Click here for a collection of photos taken during the trip  

 

Sunday, June 28: arrival

 

In a day and a half of driving, as usual, I cover the approximately 1,800 km separating Monza from the Ferrol area. This time, too, the journey gives me everything: from the intense heat of southern France (overnight stay near Carcassonne, with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius) to the 13 degrees Celsius and fog upon arriving in Galicia on the stretch of the Cantabrian Highway, between Ribadeo and Villalba. I arrive at Playa de Pantin, a stunning beach and a fantastic surfing spot, which immediately welcomes me with a magnificent sunset and good waves conditions, which some young people exploit until the last light of day to train for the Spanish surfing championship, scheduled here in the following days. Read the article with reviews of local surfing and windsurfing spots.

 

 

 

Monday 29 June: surfing in Doninos and windsurfing in San Xurxo

 

A solid swell from the North West, of over 2 metres and a 12 seconds period, is expected on Monday, thanks to a large low pressure system off the coast of Ireland.

 

And indeed, the day (and the following ones) will offer truly remarkable conditions. I've also brought my Torq Mod Fish 7.2 surfboard, and I decide to try the Doninos spot (in the northern part of the bay) in the morning. I'm aiming for a double session: surfing in the morning and windsurfing in the afternoon.

Doninos offers significant waves, even at the northernmost spot, where I go out (in the center of the bay and on the southern side, they're even bigger). I look at the spot, which isn't crowded, and realize there's a nice rip curl, which I can use to exit at the northern end of the beach, close to the rocks and cliffs. It's a perfect treadmill that takes you, without too much effort, into the mouth of the waves. At the peak, waves over 2 meters high await me, nice and glassy, but also quite steep. I manage to get up immediately a few times, and I also get some good wipe-outs. For my surfing skills, the conditions are challenging. However, after surfing each wave, I let the foam carry me to the beach, onto my board, and I do the rip curl again to get me out, starting, each time, another spin on the carousel. I promise myself not to burn too much energy, but I realize I'm having fun, and I haven't surfed for a while. I stay in the water for about an hour and a half, which will turn out to be too much... And in fact, I come out a little tired. So I move on to San Xurxo, and, while I grab a quick bite to eat, I assess the situation.

 

Click here for the slide gallery of the holiday's surf sessions

 

When I arrive, the bay shows rising tide conditions, shortly after the low tide peak, with plenty of foam on the shore, and waves of about 3-4 meters about 100-150 meters from the beach, stretching across the entire bay. I've never seen such long and continuous waves here in San Xurxo. The wind is still light, especially on the inside, although some riders are starting to rig. I start waiting, both to wait for the tide to rise a bit (but this will be a mistake) and because the forecast calls for stronger winds from mid-afternoon. Around 3:30 PM, I start to rig. After considering a 4.7 (also looking at the Swiss Jeremy), I opt for a more powerful Banzai 11 5.3 24/25, pairing it with the Tabou Da Curve 88 2025, with K4 standard fins.

 

 

 

I try to enter the water around 4:00 PM, at half tide. The rising tide has increased the size of the waves near the shore, which are no longer foams, but form a treacherous shorebreak of  1 meter, close to the shoreline. The wind, in the inside area, unfortunately, doesn't want to push any further...

In short, I try to enter the water several times, but, perhaps due to an inadequately focused mindset, the sea spits me out repeatedly, and quite badly, with some embarrassing wipe-outs. The problem is that when you start from the beach, with a flat sea, perhaps taking advantage of a few gusts of wind, you're often dropped by the wind, floating 50-70 meters from the shore, and inevitably a new set of waves arrives, with the biggest ones exceeding 2 meters, which easily wipe you to the shore. Other times, in Chile or South Africa, I've been able to get out in tricky conditions. Today, perhaps I lack the necessary determination, and I'm also tired, both physically and mentally. I humbly accept the defeat.

I see that many locals, however, are having the same difficulties as me, and only 3-4 local riders manage to get out and stay in the sea. They surf the bigger waves offshore, usually logo-high, but generally abandon them early, never returning too far to the inside, where they would suffer from the lack of wind.

At 7:00 PM, the wind finally picks up better (especially in the inside zone), and others manage to get out to the sea, even if the conditions remain challenging. I've given up, and I no longer feel like putting myself out there. Tomorrow will be better, I think.

 

Click here, for the slide gallery of the sessions in San Xurxo on 29 and 30 June.

 

 

Tuesday 30 June: surfing in Doninos and windsurfing in San Xurxo

 

Tuesday is very similar to Monday, as for the sea and wind conditions. The forecast swell is slightly decreasing, while the wind intensity and direction are similar. Since I had fun the previous day, I go surfing again in Doninos in the morning. The waves are still nice, between 1 and 2 meters, and I have another good session, in a rather relaxed atmosphere. Parking near the beach is very convenient, and the public beach is beautiful and well-equipped.

In the afternoon, I return to San Xurxo and go out again with the Banzai 11 5.3 and the Da Curve 88, set up as a quad with two 16" K4 Scorchers in the center. The waves are still big, but less challenging than the day before. The wind is still unstable in the inside, making the session more technical and physical than usual here. Catching waves on the way back is also not easy, because of the lack of thrust when approaching the beach. These days, the NE wind generated by the high pressure center just north of Galicia actually blows sideways, not side-off, over the spot. This, perhaps, is what causes the unusual wind instability near shore, due to the presence of a hill upwind, or because it bounces against the hills in the inland behind the beach. Furthermore, the sea is a bit choppy offshore, not smooth, as is usually the case with side-off winds.

Anyway, I manage to get out to sea several times, and the sessions are fun, even if physically demanding and technical. I'm also a bit tired from the morning surf session. I have to choose between the two sports to best enjoy my days in the water. At the spot, there are many local riders from the Ferrolvento club, as well as several foreigners, with a good number of Swiss, German, and a few French. I'm the only Italian. Jeremy, a Swiss guy from Bern, particularly stands out because he starts trying goiters, riding parallel to the waves at full speed.

 

 

 

Wednesday, July 1: Windsurfing in San Xurxo

The next day, I wisely forgo my morning wave surfing session at Doninos and instead take the opportunity to run a few errands (shopping, gas, and emptying/filling the camper's tanks).

In the afternoon, San Xurxo brings us unexpectedly good-sized waves (2 meters) and slightly stronger winds, though still a bit unstable in the inside. I head out to sea with the Ezzy Wave 4.7 2025 and have another fun, albeit still quite technical, session. I set up the Da Curve as a quad again, this time with two 16" K4 Leon fins in the middle. I want to try the board with different combinations. Moreover, this new Da Curve, compared to the 2020 version I had previously, has a single-concave hull instead of a double one (in short, flatter), which makes it feel a bit freer on the water (like a freestyle board). I spend two hours in the water and am completely done...

 

 

 

 

In the evening, I park my van to sleep at Playa de Penencia, in Doninos Bay, and enjoy the sun setting over the sea while I cook and eat with the hatch open... It's a spectacle for the eyes and the mind. A few others and I enjoy the peace and magic of the place.

 

 

 

 

Click here for the slide gallery of the session in San Xurxo on July 1st 

 

 

Thursday, July 2: Windsurfing in Doninos

 

On July 2nd, there's little hope of good wave conditions. The swell has almost completely died down. I'm also considering moving to Playa Traba, which always offers some waves, even if only from the windswell. But then I take the opportunity to go out to Playa Penencia in Doninos, which, from mid-day, has been hit by a strong north (side) wind, instead of the usual NE, side-off, that the spot works with. I go out to sea with the Guru X 4.2. Once out on the water, I find out the wind is really strong, and basically, a 3.7 would be better! Anyway, it turns out to be a fun session, in which I maneuver a lot, with beautiful jibes in flat water, in front of the waves, close to the beach, but also with nice tacks and jibes offshore. Every now and then, a few westerly swell waves come in, no more than 1 meter high, for some short, easy surfing. We ride in the middle of Doninos Bay. The view around is stunning..... I spend another night at Playa de Penencia, and I enjoy another memorable sunset.

 

 

Friday, July 3: Windsurfing in Traba

 

A trip to Traba is almost a must when I come to Galicia, for the beauty of this endless beach and the surrounding countryside. I've had some truly beautiful windsurfing sessions here in the past. But on July 3rd, Traba offers strong, yet super gusty, wind, which I try with the Ezzy Wave 4.7. The session, however, isn't very satisfying, and in the last times, if I'm not having fun, I don't stay out in the water too long.

After just under two hours of trying, despite stealing a few waveriding, I get out of the water to pack everything up and move on to another favorite spot of mine, Playa de Nemina, where I hope to do some surfing the next morning. Nemina welcomes me once again with its stunning scenery. So far, the temperature has remained very comfortable, with a low of 18-20 degrees Celsius and a high of 25-26 degrees Celsius.

 

 

Saturday, July 4: Trekking in Cabo Home (Vigo)

 

Unfortunately, on Saturday morning, Nemina doesn't offer waves high enough for a proper surfing session. The school instructors take the beginners into the water on soft boards, taking advantage of up to 30 cm waves and practicing pop-ups and take-offs.

I bid farewell to Nemina and begin the transfer to the Vigo area in the Rías Baixas, which I've always passed through, almost never stopping to explore, when heading south toward Portugal. I arrive in Donón, on the peninsula north of Vigo, in the early afternoon. Weather-wise, the conditions have completely changed: the temperature hovers around 35 degrees Celsius (on the highway, temperatures have reached 38 degrees Celsius). Without Nortada, the Rías Baixas, as I had guessed, are quite warm, and the ocean, whose temperature is only 15-16 degrees Celsius, cannot mitigate the heat from the inland.

Despite this, I take a nice circular hike from Donon to Cabo Home, and to Praia de Melide, facing the archipelago of the beautiful Cíes Islands. I walk bare-chested and in sandals, and after reaching the very scenic Cabo Home lighthouse, I head to the beach, where I take a much-needed and pleasant refreshing dip.

 

 

Sunday, July 5: Vigo tour, wave surfing in Penarronda

 

At 9:30 in the morning, to take advantage of the cooler hours of the day, I head to Vigo, first reaching the fortress that dominates the city from above, and then strolling through the streets of the city center. The city has many charming spots, and in the evenings it must be very lively (there are many bars and pubs). But then, when around 11:00, the temperature rises well above 30 degrees again, I decide to escape and head back north.

Considering the surfing spots I'd noted, I decide to head to Playa de Penarronda in Asturias and make another wonderful discovery. The countryside setting behind it is extremely pleasant and relaxing. The beach, as often happens here, is immense and characterized by a central arched sea stack that almost completely emerges at low tide. There are even a few small waves (0.5 - 1 meter), and I decide to go for a surf session, if only to burn off the heat accumulated in Vigo and during the driving here. And the surf session turns out to be really fun.

I head out to the eastern end of the beach, where the waves are a bit higher, where there are no swimmers, and where there's also a nice rip curl that easily leads to the peak. I catch a lot of waves, and I also figure out the best position to put my hands on the board to pop up, maintaining good balance during the maneuver. While surfing, I notice a van parked at the top of the rising cliff, on the eastern side of the bay. Back at the car, I consult Google Maps, with the satellite image in the background, and notice an interesting "parcamiento" (parking lot). There are also some parking lots here. I then head to Santa Gadea, also characterized by picturesque rural buildings, and find a beautiful parking lot on grass, and one on paved surface, where there are several other vans and campers parked. I set up camp here for dinner and the night, and spend another evening enjoying a beautiful sunset over the ocean. I sleep with a blanket...

 

 

 

Monday, July 6: Surfing in Penarronda and transfer to Covadonga

 

On the 6th morning, I wake up and have another good surf session in Penarronda, although not as good as the night before. Then, calmly, I prepare to begin the journey to Covadonga, in the Picos de Europa National Park, where I plan to hike to the lakes the next day. Unfortunately, moving away from the ocean, the heat nightmare returns, and when I reach Covadonga, the thermometer reads 41 degrees! Sleeping in a van in these conditions is unthinkable, even if I camp with all the doors open. I should get a room with air conditioning. Furthermore, the road from Covadonga to the lakes is closed to traffic and only accessible by pre-booked shuttle. But there are no places available for the next day until 11:00. I decide to head back to the ocean and reach the area of ​​San Vicente de la Barquera.

 

Tuesday, July 7: Comillas and Gaudí's El Capricho

 

The long journey home is almost upon me. The end of the holiday is all about culture. The night before, I'd passed through Comillas and noticed a beautiful historic center. Consulting Google, I also discovered that the town is home to a patrician villa called "El Capricio," designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, the same architect who also designed the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, and Park Güell in Barcelona. I book a tour for 11:45 a.m. and reach the villa after a stroll through the beautiful city center. El Capricio offers me a truly interesting and enjoyable visit. Gaudí has ​​a cheerful, nature-inspired style, and some of his design solutions are also highly functional (in 1880, he had already considered double-glazing, and had placed a greenhouse in the center of the house to harness the heat for the rest of the building). The visit is very enriching. After the visit, I offer myself to lunch in the center at a restaurant, and I try the local cuisine, which is interesting, even if the cod with tomatoes remains a bit on my stomach....

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, July 8: San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

 

I begin my return journey, but I allow myself one last stop, near Bilbao, at another tourist site I'd long ago marked: the scenic chapel of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, also made famous by the fact that it was the setting for Games of Thrones. The visit is free but requires reservation, which I had already done at the beginning of my holiday. On the website where you book the visit, they warn about the challenging hike, not suitable for everyone, and recommend suitable footwear. The hike, in reality, is nothing special for those, like me, accustomed to hiking on much more serious mountain trails. It's hot and humid, a bit oppressive.

Along the route, of course, there are also people in flip-flops and even barefoot.

The place, however, is charming, if a bit touristy. The rocky island on top of which the chapel stands is full of arches and caves, and can be reached via a long walkway, offering fascinating views, especially at the beginning of the final uphill stretch. The place has a vaguely Irish look, but to fully appreciate its magic, perhaps you should visit outside of the summer months. In any case, it's worth a visit if you're in the area.

 

 

 

 

Thursday, July 9: return

 

With this last step completed, I begin the return journey seriously. France will welcome me with another heatwave. In Briançon, at the foot of Montgenèvre pass, the temperature will still be 34 degrees... (and 24 at the pass).

After another long drive, I arrive at home. It was another trip to Spain filled with beautiful days on the water, magnificent discoveries, and images and emotions that remain etched in my mind and soul. In short, this time too, it was worth it!

 

Hasta lluego. Fabio

 

 

Click here, for the slide gallery of the sessions in San Xurxo on 29 and 30 June.

Click here for the slide gallery of the session in San Xurxo on July 1st 

Click here for the slide gallery of the holiday's surf sessions

Click here for a collection of photos taken during the trip  

 

The video of the session at San Xurxo