Gipuzkoa · Spain
Surfing Zarautz
A beach break in Gipuzkoa, Spain, for beginner, intermediate and advanced surfers.
Zarautz is one of the longest beaches on the Basque coast, with peaks spread along most of its length. It handles most swell sizes and directions, which makes it the main beach for learning in the area, and it's popular with both longboarders and shortboarders.
What you get depends a lot on the sandbanks and the tide. It usually works on both high and low tide, but the surf changes a lot as the tide moves, so a peak that's good now can be gone an hour later. It needs a south wind, which blows offshore here. On weekday mornings it's usually quiet. San Sebastián is about 25 minutes away.
When to surf
Zarautz
Zarautz is at its best from year-round. Conditions it likes: NW swell, S wind, both tides.
October to March: Prime
Consistent, powerful NW-W swell, cold but firing
April to June: Good
Reliable swell, milder crowds
July to August: Quiet
Smaller swell, packed beaches and high season prices
The year across Basque Country
Waves near Zarautz
Gaztetape
4 kmGipuzkoa · Beach Break · Intermediate
Orio
4 kmGipuzkoa · Beach Break · Intermediate
Orrua
6 kmGipuzkoa · Right Reef · Advanced
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: Zarautz has the long beach, the biggest choice of surf schools and plenty of apartments and campsites. San Sebastián has the city, the food and Zurriola's beach breaks, but rooms are expensive, especially in summer. Orio and Getaria, between the two, are smaller and cheaper.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Gipuzkoa guide.
Gipuzkoa surf guideSurf it often and something here is wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.