Surfing Gijón & Central Coast

Left Rivermouth · Best Sep-Apr · 2-8 ft · Crowd 4/5

Solid NW-W groundswell

Rodiles is a left at the mouth of the Ría de Villaviciosa and the best-known wave in Asturias. The river and the swell shape a sandbar that gives long, powerful lefts and holds a lot of size.

Because it's a rivermouth, it has more shape than the beaches nearby, and on good swells surfers come from all over the region. It's best on a solid north-west or west groundswell. On the outgoing tide the current at the river mouth is strong.

Rodiles depends on the sandbar, which comes and goes, so it can be excellent one season and much weaker the next. Autumn and winter swells are the best bet.

The beach is backed by a eucalyptus wood with a large car park, and Villaviciosa, the nearest town, is about fifteen minutes away. On a good swell expect a strong local crowd, and be careful with the current at the mouth of the river.

Beach Break · Best Year-round · 1-6 ft · Crowd 4/5

Clean swell, all tides

Salinas is a long beach near Avilés, about half an hour from Gijón, and one of the most surfed spots in Asturias. Its beach-break peaks hold up well across a range of sizes.

It faces the north-west and west swells that are common here, and the beach is wide enough for the crowd, which is often big, to spread out. Local surfers are in the water most days.

It works all year, but autumn and winter bring the best swells. The beach has a long promenade with bars and restaurants, and the Museo de las Anclas, an open-air display of ship anchors, at the far end. In summer the surf schools take over the inside.

Beach Break · Best Year-round · 1-5 ft · Crowd 2/5

Small-mod swell, low to mid tide

Xagó is a long, wide beach backed by dunes in Gozón, west of Gijón and close to Avilés, inside the Cabo Peñas protected landscape. The waves break over sand in soft, consistent peaks that are easier than Rodiles or Salinas on a good day.

It's usually less crowded than the beaches closer to town, and with no building behind it, it feels wild for somewhere so near two cities. Low to mid tide on a small to medium swell is easiest.

It's a good beach for learners and improvers, with surf schools in summer and very few people the rest of the year. There's a car park and a beach bar behind the dunes. Salinas, a few minutes away, has the shops and restaurants.

Beach Break · Best Sep-Apr · 2-6 ft · Crowd 2/5

Clean swell, mid tide

The Playón de Bayas is a long beach in Castrillón, west of Avilés, part of the sandy stretch that runs to Los Quebrantos and the mouth of the Nalón. It's a consistent beach break, usually best around low tide on a falling tide, with lefts and rights along the sand.

With Salinas, El Espartal and Los Quebrantos nearby, there's usually a beach working somewhere along this coast. It's less known than Salinas, so the peaks are often quieter.

It's a quiet, natural beach with few facilities and a car park behind the sand. Autumn and winter bring the best swells. If the peaks here aren't working, Salinas and Xagó are close by.

Beach Break · Best Sep-Apr · 2-6 ft · Crowd 1/5

NW swell, SE offshore wind, all tides; best early morning

El Espartal is the long beach between Salinas and the San Juan de Nieva jetty, at the mouth of the Avilés estuary. It picks up plenty of north-west swell, and near the jetty the waves tend to peel right.

It works at any tide. The wind is what decides it: a south-east wind is offshore, but the sea breeze often spoils it later in the day, so early mornings are usually best. The port is close by, but the dunes behind the beach keep it feeling open.

Beach Break · Best Sep-Apr · 2-6 ft · Crowd 1/5

Clean NW swell, mid tide

Los Quebrantos is the beach at San Juan de la Arena, at the western end of the long sandy stretch that runs from the Playón de Bayas to the mouth of the Nalón river. It's a beach break with peaks along the sand, usually best around mid tide on a clean north-west swell.

It's quieter than Salinas or Rodiles, and a couple of surf schools work here, so it suits improvers. Asturias airport is about five minutes away.

It's at its best in autumn and winter on a clean north-west swell. The river mouth brings currents, especially on the outgoing tide. San Juan de la Arena is a small fishing village with a few bars and restaurants.

Beach Break · Best Sep-Apr · 2-7 ft · Crowd 2/5

Clean NW-W swell

Ribadesella is a town east of Gijón, at the mouth of the Sella river, with its surf at Santa Marina beach. There are beach peaks along the sand, a point at the river mouth and lefts and rights, best from low tide on the push with a north-north-west swell.

The old town and the harbour are pretty, and the seafood is good. This part of eastern Asturias is one of the most consistent stretches of the Asturian coast.

It's busy in summer, when the town is full of visitors and the waves are often small. In autumn and winter it gets more swell. The town is known for the Descenso del Sella canoe race in August and for the Tito Bustillo cave, with prehistoric paintings, just above the river.

Beach Break · Best Sep-Apr · 1-6 ft · Crowd 4/5

NW swell, S offshore wind, low to mid tide

San Lorenzo is the city beach of Gijón, a curve of sand below the seafront promenade. The best-known peak is at La Escalerona, the big stairway in the middle of the beach.

It needs a north-west swell and a southerly wind. At high tide the water reaches the sea wall and the waves disappear, so it's a low to mid tide wave. It gets crowded after work and at weekends.

Water quality can be poor after heavy rain, as on most urban beaches.

In summer, at high tide, the beach almost disappears and surfing is restricted. From autumn to spring, on a north-west swell, it's the after-work spot for Gijón's surfers. If it's too small, Salinas and Rodiles are about half an hour away.