Where to surf in Laredo?

SURFING IN LAREDO

Travel to Cantabria it is always a pleasure. The green and endless meadows, the valleys and villages anchored in an almost indecipherable past, the eternal snows of the Picos de Europa… And of course, the beaches, the surf! Today we talk about surfing in Laredo, one of the best destinations in northern Spain for this autumn and winter. Happy reading and happy waves.

Laredo is not only known for the famous and bloodless Battle of the Flowers that takes place on the last Fridays of August. In fact, Laredo is one of the main tourist destinations in Cantabria due to its Salvé beach, five kilometers of fine sand, with some dunes, and its old town, of singular beauty, with ancestral houses and small monumental gems such as the Church of the Assumption. But today we are going to talk about waves and surfing in Laredo. One of the best surf spots in Cantabria for surfing in winter.

LAREDO WEBCAM SURF

We leave you live with the webcam in Laredo.

WHEN TO GO TO LAREDO FOR SURFING

There is no doubt in this respect. The best season starts in autumn and reaches its peak in winter. The beach in Laredo is also the best shelter you can find in Cantabria on stormy days. However, we recommend that you make sure the forecast is good. We recommend you check the wave forecast in Laredo surf forecast and even check windguru. A simple search of windguru Laredo can save you a long walk.

LAREDO SURF FORECAST

And of course, there is also surfing, because as autumn arrives, the Salvé beach becomes one of the most consistent and magical spots in Cantabria. Suitable for all levels of surfing. Laredo can boast of having very good waves both right and left. The Espigón stands out, powerful right; La Playa, with variable peaks; and Los Pinos, a good right.

LAREDO SURF SPOT CHARACTERISTICS

• Bottom: Sand
• Necessary sea: Strong to very strong
• Optimal wind: S, SW, NW
• Tide: Rising
• Ideal size: Meter to meter and a half
• Level: all

OTHER BEACHES AND SPOTS FOR SURFING NEAR LAREDO

If the day is slow or the peaks are overflowing, remember that surfing in Cantabria does not end here. Near Laredo you have other options to spark your board.

BERRIA BEACH

Wild, beautiful beach. Located at the foot of Mount Buciero, in the municipality of Santoña, it has more than 2 kilometers of white sand and right and left peaks for all types of surfers. If the conditions are good, you will find fast and tubular waves. On days with little sea, it is a perfect place to start surfing.

If you plan to stay in Berria during your next surf trip, do not miss our recommendations on the best surf camps in Cantabria to stay.

LA FORTALEZA, IN SANTOÑA

La Fortaleza is one of the most amazing spots in Cantabria, but also one of the most whimsical and demanding from a physical point of view. It is located in the bay of Santoña, next to the mouth of the Asón River and in front of the San Carlos fortress, from which it takes its name. You have to be in very good shape to reach the peak: sometimes, more than forty minutes of paddling. However, when the perfect conditions are met, the effort is worth it. La Fortaleza is an extremely long and fast left, perfect for maneuvering and having a great time.

TRENGANDÍN BEACH, NOJA

In Noja, the good time begins when you leave behind the small urban cluster and reach Trengandín Beach. At low tide, a landscape of fine golden sand, dotted with black rocks, is revealed: a postcard completed by Mount Mijedo gently sloping toward the shore, like a vegetal carpet of pine trees.

Trengandín has one of the best waves in the Cantabrian Sea: El Brusco . It turns on in autumn and winter, and when conditions are good it can give you the surf of your life, a powerful and tubular session.

CUBERRIS BEACH, AJO

Located in Bareyo, less than thirty kilometers from Laredo and about forty from Santander. Surrounded by endless green tones that dye valleys and meadows, with fine golden sand, this beach stands out for the consistency of its waves, which change according to the sand bottoms. The west part receives more sea and usually offers fast and tubular lefts. In the east stands out La Cala, a fast wave, perfect to spark your imagination.

LANGRE BEACH, RIBAMONTÁN AL MAR

One of the most beautiful beaches in Cantabria. And that’s saying something. It is an imposing sandy and wild amphitheater surrounded by beautiful cliffs almost thirty meters high, where cows graze peacefully. Before, you had to descend to the sand by a steep path. Today there is a staircase that facilitates access.

Some say that Langre beach is a bite that the Cantabrian Sea took from the meadows. And truth be told, it looks like it. Its waves and landscape create an ideal setting to start surfing.

SANTA MARINA ISLAND, NEAR LOREDO

Santa Marina Island is a world-class spot only for experts. It is one of the most mythical waves in the Cantabrian Sea, a monumental, long and powerful right-hander that breaks over sand and rock and can reach five meters. Pure adrenaline.

SOMO BEACH, RIBAMONTÁN AL MAR

And we arrive at Somo, a perfect example of a beach with a view. In the background, on the horizon, you can see the Magdalena peninsula in Santander, where the majestic palace where Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia de Battenberg spent their summers stands. You can also see Mouro Island, with its lighthouse, and Santa Marina Island, with its outstanding wave.

But Somo beach , which at low tide becomes an almost infinite sandy area that extends to El Puntal, is not only a landscape. Somo is surfing, the cradle of surfing in Cantabria, one of the most beloved places by surfers in the region, an idyllic beachbreak. And this for one simple reason: waves every day of the year, suitable for all levels. Three peaks stand out: La Curva, long lefts and rights; El Camping, long and powerful left; and El Barco, the most variable.

LIENCRES BEACH

Very close to Santander, Canallave, in the heart of the Liencres Dunes Natural Park, is the beach to go when there are no waves in the rest of the Cantabrian Sea. Together with its neighbor Valdearenas, with which it joins at low tide, it is one of the most consistent spots on the entire northern peninsular coast, an ideal beach for surfing at any time of the year. It has different peaks, but also many rocks. So be especially careful with them to avoid getting hurt. El Madero stands out, a very fast right-hander; La Lastra, powerful and tubular lefts and rights; and “Entreplayas”, long lefts and rights with hollow sections.

LOS LOCOS BEACH, IN SUANCES

Suances has excellent beaches for surfing, but its most famous spot is located at Los Locos beach. It is another hot spot for surfing in Cantabria. A beach with very good waves, but with a somewhat stressful atmosphere. It is very common to see several surfers on the same wave and the locals jumping waves over each other. Thanks to its orientation, it has waves throughout the year. And almost any swell enters Los Locos regardless of how small it is.

SAN VICENTE DE LA BARQUERA

If Laredo was our favorite spot for winter, San Vicente de la Barquera It is for any time of the year. Too bad it needs very specific conditions to enjoy its long rights. Highlight The Lantern, very good right, long and perfect for maneuvering.

WHAT SURFBOARD SHOULD I BRING TO LAREDO TO SURF

Al Merrick CI Mid

The CI Mid by Al Merrick is the surfboard of the moment. An all-terrain surfboard that flies over the flattest and smallest waves. This design by Al Merrick arises from the collaboration of Channel Islands Surfboards with Devon Howard, a surfer from Southern California who has spent the last two decades riding and refining this type of mid-length boards .

The CI Mid by Al Merrick is inspired by egg and single fin surfboards. With a moderate medium length shape with low entry rocker and forward volume for easy paddling, the CI Mid slides, flows and turns thanks to its double concave, graduated rocker, and slightly tucked rails in the tail area.

BUY CI MID

✓ Lost Smooth Operator

The SMOOTH OPERATOR by Lost Surfboards   by Mayhem is a trimming and turning machine. High volume, low rails, and tons of fun. We have reinforced them with a 4+1 fin setup, which offers endless options and performance features.

BUY SMOOTH OPERATOR

✓ Pukas La Côte

The surfboard Pukas La Côte by Axel Lorentz is a board that will allow you to surf in all kinds of conditions.

Most of us progress when we stay still on a medium-length board but struggle to move it. That’s what inspired Axel Lorentz to shape a board with his daughter; both wanted a beautiful board that would allow them to surf together in all kinds of conditions. An ideal mid-length to get behind at Farolillo in San Vicente de la Barquera and catch a lot of waves.

BUY PUKAS LA COTE

From a lightweight woman to a medium-heavy weight surfer, this board has been designed to be stylish and handled with the smoothness of an experienced surfer. La Côte is a very sensitive, incredibly versatile and fun board that turns on a dime. And it has the natural benefits of a medium length; plenty of volume to help with paddling and enjoy every part of your journey.

✓ Indio Midlength

The INDIO Midlength is the new mid-length board from the brand Indio Surfboards. A wave-catching machine for surfers looking for stability and paddling. This Indio surfboard is designed to maximize fun and progression. The shape is similar to a longboard but smaller and more maneuverable. You can walk on the board or just surf in the middle.

BUY INDIO MID

It will work wherever you are thanks to its flat half-point rocker and 60/40 rails. Recommended for all types of surfers from beginner to advanced level. For beach waves between 1/4 meter and 1.5m. Available in various colors and tinted resins.

The spot known as the lantern is one of the best places to surf with longboard.   If you’ve always wanted to get started in this style of surfing, this is the best place to take your first steps with a longboard. Visit our website and check out our surfboard recommender. Just indicate the type of board you are looking for: shortboard, twin fin, or longboard and complete a simple form.

For those who prefer short high-performance boards, we leave you our recommendation for surfing in San Vicente:

✓ Pyzelalien 2

The Pyzalien 2 is the perfect choice for those who only want to have one board in their quiver. The Pyzalien 2 is a new version of one of Pyzel Surfboards’ best-selling surfboards: the Pyzalien 1!

PZEL CATALOG

If you like the retro vibe , We leave you below 2 of our favorite surfboards for surfing at the Farolillo surf spot:

✓ Chilli Sugar

Surely you have seen me with it in the stories of our Instagram account . The Chilli Sugar is one of the latest twin fins that has come into my hands. A classic twin fin with a modern touch that has won my heart. Why? For its maneuverability and speed. It’s one of the fastest twin fins I’ve had.

Its price: 624 euros. Compra tu Chilli Sugar en Single Quiver. Official Surf Shop of Chilli Surfboards. ✓ Sharp Eye Maguro Surfshop oficial de Chilli Surfboards.

✓  Sharp Eye Maguro

MAGURO means ‘bluefin tuna’ in Japanese. One of the fastest fish in the ocean. And that’s precisely what the  nueva Sharp Eye Maguro. Un twinfin diseñado para olas pequeñas muy muy rápido.

✓ Softech Filipe Toledo Wildfire

If you like the soft-top style, the new Softech Filipe Toledo is the ideal board for surfing in Palmar. Don’t miss the comments and opinion about this board on our Blog.

Opinion Softech Filipe Toledo

SOFTECH DEALS

WICH WETSUIT SHOULD I WEAR FOR SURFING IN LAREDO

✓ Oneill Hyperfreak 4/3mm+ hood

From January to February the water temperature is around 12 degrees. During this time we recommend using a 5 mm thick wetsuit. That is, a 5/4/3 or a 4/3 with hood, booties, and gloves. Our recommendation: Oneill Hyperfreak 4/3mm+ with hood.

We also recommend good neoprene booties for winter surfing on the Cantabrian coast. Our recommendation: Solite 3mm booties . With these booties we assure you that you won’t get cold.

✓ Oneill Hyperfreak 3/2mm

From May to June, the water temperature rises to 15 degrees. This allows us to switch from the 4/3 mm to a 3/2. One of the best 3/2mm wetsuits on the market is the Oneill Hyperfreak 3/2 mm with chest zip . A wetsuit that has captivated us and whose full review you can read in our Wetsuits section or by clicking here .

BUY HYPERFREAK

✓ Hurley Advantage 3/2mm

If you prioritize comfort and elasticity over warmth, we recommend the new Hurley Advantage. The new Hurley wetsuit is super lightweight, comfortable, and elastic. With a price of 215 euros, we are confident that it will soon become the best-selling wetsuit model from the American brand.

HURLEY DEALS

This Hurley wetsuit is available in 2 colors. In Advantage and Advantage Plus versions. For spring, a 3/2mm Advantage is more than enough.

Buy Hurley Advantage 3/2mm

Between September and October you can continue with a 2/2 or if you feel colder switch to a 3/2 mm wetsuit. Our recommendation for elasticity, comfort, and price is the Hurley Advantage Plus 3/2mm.

And finally November and December it’s time to take out the 4/3 mm wetsuit from the closet.

MORE THAN SURF. WHAT TO VISIT NEAR LAREDO: FROM SANTOÑA TO SAN VICENTE DE LA BARQUERA

Some say that the greatest beauty of Cantabria lies in its interior. And it is true that the inland regions, with those oceans of fog that envelop the valleys and those winters that last for almost ten months, are perhaps the most genuine of Cantabria. But the coast and the marine villages are no less beautiful and seductive. Think, for example, of the capital, Santander, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. And what about San Vicente de la Barquera? There, from the beach itself, one can contemplate in the distance the Picos de Europa, snow-capped for most of the year.

Yes, the charm of the interior extends to the coast. Cliffs, beaches, crags… Such is the magic of the Cantabrian coastline that just a stone’s throw from Santander, the Altamira Caves appear to remind us of how the hunter-gatherer peoples of the Paleolithic era viewed the world, or Santillana del Mar, an astonishing growth emerged from the Middle Ages.

Next, we tell you about some essential visits to complete your surf trip to Laredo:

ESCALANTE

Located on the banks of the estuary that gives it its name, this village of no more than eight hundred inhabitants preserves a beautiful and evocative architectural heritage. In the Montehano convent lies the tomb of Doña Bárbara de Blomberg, mistress of Charles V and mother of Don Juan de Austria, who spent her last days in these lands with bucolic accents.

SANTOÑA

It is one of the fishing villages with the most tradition in Cantabria. It extends at the foot of Monte Buciero, in the heart of the Santoña, Victoria and Joyel Marshes Natural Park.

SANTANDER

Capital of the Green Mountain, a friendly, cosmopolitan and elegant city, Santander overlooks the fierce Cantabrian Sea from the gray cliffs and fine sandy beaches.

Josefina Molina once said that if she were the mayor, she would close the land entrances and would have people enter Santander from the sea, ‘The boats would arrive full of people and an edict would dictate that they sail at night, when its beauty impacts and overwhelms you’. I agree. Santander is a beautiful city day and night, but its true charm is at dusk.

Sightseeing at Santander

The Cathedral, Plaza Porticada, Azogues Street, Pereda Promenade, Queen Victoria Avenue, Sardinero Beaches, Magdalena Peninsula, and Piquío Gardens are, by themselves, essential reference points that endorse the beauty of the Cantabrian capital.

The Cathedral. From the 13th century in Gothic style. Azorín adored the simplicity of this temple. ‘The Cathedral of Santander,’ he wrote, ‘is simple and small; but in its very smallness and austerity, it has a powerful appeal that the sumptuous and wide ones do not possess’. Downstairs, in the crypt of Christ, you can also see the remains of the Roman baths.

Plaza Porticada. It was built after the horrific fire that, in 1941, ravaged most of the old town. Terraces, old and modern shops, the Town Hall clock, which seems to sing rather than give the time…

Paseo Pereda. It is named in memory of the 19th-century novelist José María Pereda. It is a high-category promenade that runs parallel to the bay. There is the Casino, built in 1913 to compete with the great European casinos, and also the central headquarters of Banco Santander, a cathedral-like building, with a triumphal arch in the middle that surpasses those in Rome.

Queen Victoria Avenue follows Pereda towards the Magdalena. Strolling here without haste, as evening falls, is one of the highlights of Santander.

And we arrive at the Magdalena Peninsula As García de Cortázar says, the Magdalena is many things. It is a beach; it is a tiny peninsula that peacefully enters the sea; a garden with memorable views; and an English-style palace that summarizes an entire era, the era of the summers of Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia of Battenberg. Today the palace is the headquarters of the Menéndez Pelayo International University.

Sardinero and Piquío Gardens. The Sardinero beaches are among the most traditional urban beaches in Spain. There we also find one of Santander’s most evocative places: the Piquío Gardens, with its towering palm trees and centuries-old elms.

And since we are talking about landmarks, it is impossible not to mention the path that leads from Sardinero to the Faro de Cabo Mayor , a walk among beaches and cliffs that’s hard to forget. Next to the Lighthouse, a fabulous natural breakwater, there is a bar from which to end the day with a drink and sea views.

COVACHOS BEACH AND ARNÍA BEACH, THE BROKEN COAST

The Geological Park of the Broken Coast begins at Magdalena Beach in Santander and ends at Cuchía Beach in Miengo. Along the way, a marvel of landscapes where the sea has created a set of structures and forms that no one should miss. Just the name, Broken Coast, already announces the treasure that awaits the traveler: cliffs, dunes, islets, beaches with crystal clear waters… We recommend two stops: Covachos and Arnía.

Covachos Beach. Ten kilometers from Santander. It is a unique place, a splendid half moon of just 50 meters, with a stream that cascades down from the surrounding cliff and an island, Castro, that appears and disappears with the tide, as it is connected to the beach during low tide. Around it, meadows where cattle graze freely. And very close, the spectacular Liencres Dunes Natural Park, a landscape half wooded, half sandy, flanked by the rugged coast and the mouth of the Pas River.

Arnía Beach. It is a stone’s throw from Covachos, following CA 231 road. Cliffs battered by the waves, a small sandy area of 100 meters crossed by superb cliffs, crystal clear waters… There are few places in Europe like this beach. Especially when evening falls and the colors of twilight underline the mythical halo that envelops the sharp and vertical rocks that protrude from the sea.

SANTILLANA DEL MAR

Any description falls short of the beauty of this town popularly known as the village of the three lies, because Santillana del Mar is neither “saintly” nor “flat” nor does it have sea. About it, Jean Paul Sartre wrote: “A true relic of human life”.

And it’s true. Santillana del Mar envelops the traveler like a fog emerging from the time of the Crusades. Its medieval layout, its palaces and manor houses with old noble shields, its cobbled streets, the Parador Gil Blas, the Merino Tower, the Collegiate Church, the Borja Palace, with its magnificent ogival arch… Yes, one could think that they are really in the Middle Ages if it weren’t for the fact that the town is clean, doesn’t smell of manure, and dozens of shops display their wares at the ancient doors to attract tourists’ attention.

What to see in Santillana del Mar

The best of Santillana del Mar is to lazily explore the main street and its unequal arms bifurcation, the longest of which leads to the Collegiate Church . And of course, the stroll must be completed with a visit to this beautiful temple that preserves its original Romanesque structure.

Already the exterior is dazzling. But the jewel of this old abbey is in the cloister, an enchanted space of poetry, art, and meditation. The gaze must necessarily stop at the wonderful capitals of the columns that support the round arches. They are a wonder: scenes of the Calvary, martyrdoms, feasts and hunts, religious and profane affairs, flowers, birds, steeds, friars and warriors… A profound life escapes from them, as the poet and novelist Ricardo León said. Of the entire cloister, a magical place where death seems to have an expression of eternal life.

ALTAMIRA CAVES

Just two kilometers from Santillana, another surprise awaits us, another tunnel through time: the Sistine Chapel of the Paleolithic, a cave where the bison, deer, and wild boars from fifteen thousand years ago are still grazing grass, the cave paintings of Altamira.

Access to the original cave is restricted to scholars to prevent the deterioration of the paintings, but a visit to the Neocave, an accurate reproduction that can be seen in the National Museum and Research Center of Altamira, is worth the detour.

Like in some novels, there one is immersed in two very distant temporal planes that end up constituting a single plot. The first of them lasts, astonishingly, about fifteen thousand years, and corresponds to the moment when those vigorously traced bisons were painted on the rocky wall. The second story is much closer: it begins in 1789, when a girl accompanying her father in the exploration of a cave looks towards the ceiling and sees something that the father has not noticed, some figures of reddish bisons. They say she exclaimed, ‘Look, cows!’

QUOTES

Very close to Santillana del Mar, less than 20 kilometers away, is the beautiful and stately Comillas. Known as the ‘villa of the archbishops’, as up to five prelates were born there, However, Comillas owes its fame to the whim of an ‘Indiano’, Don Antonio López y López, who dedicated his fortune amassed in Cuba to beautify it.

What is to see in Comillas

The Sobrellano Palace, the Chapel-Mausoleum of the Marquises of Comillas and the Pontifical University are the most representative places of the efforts of the first marquis to beautify his hometown.

To these modernist buildings must be added, of course, the Whim , a colorful mansion that Gaudí built for Don Máximo Díaz de Quijano, whose fondness for the piano inspired the name of the residence.

To finish the modernist route proposed by Comillas, you must visit the cemetery , beautiful as few, guarded by a sculpture of the Exterminating Angel by Josep Llimona, and overlooking the sea.

THE GREEN RAY AND CURVE OF OYAMBRE

Before turning inland, towards the Cabuérniga valley, there are two unavoidable visits. The first one is the Green Ray, a hill located in Comillas, unique for its views of the Oyambre Natural Park and the beaches of San Vicente de la Barquera, with its castle and the Picos de Europa as a backdrop. The second one is the famous Oyambre Curve, at the mouth of the sinuous Rabia estuary.

CABUÉRNIGA VALLEY AND BARCENA LA MAYOR

The Cabuérniga Valley, less steep than the Liébana Valley and without its monumental peaks, is a true paradise full of beech and oak forests where deer and roe deer graze, and where birds of prey fly high and solemn. Here, as in general throughout the Mountains, the villages are particularly fortunate in terms of the preservation of their folk architecture.

Cabezón de la Sal, Carrejo, and Ruente are the endearing prelude to one of the most famous villages in Cantabria, Barcena Mayor, a place that sheltered Carlos V and his entourage in the year 1517. It is rare to find a list of the most beautiful villages in Spain where this historic complex of clear mountain wisdom does not appear. Cobbled streets, balconies full of flowers, wide stone gateways… Yes, Barcena Mayor is a prodigy of rural architecture where time seems to have stopped.

TUDANCA

Less than fifty kilometers separate Barcena Mayor from another historic village in the Mountains, Tudanca, hidden among green meadows, full of literary memories. And it is there that the house of Don Celso, the character from Peñas Arriba , the novel by José María Pereda, is located: an 18th-century mansion that belonged to José María Cossío in real life and where, in the first half of the 20th century, the great writers of ’98 and ’27 passed by.

Here, in Tudanca, the Mountains are, more than ever, ungraspable and beautiful. The meadows awaken amidst static waves of mist. And dusk arrives, like dawn, amid a symphony of cowbells that cows shake when going up and down all kinds of slopes.

SAN VICENTE DE LA BARQUERA

The path we choose to go from Tudanca to San Vicente de la Barquera passes through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the Nansa River Basin. Cossío, adorned with noble stories and Indian mansions; Puentenansa, crossroads from where you can access the Carmona Valley; the Cueva del Soplao, cave and mine that can be accessed by an evocative mining train; and Pesués, with the extraordinary view of the Tina Menor estuary, the mouth of the Nansa.

What is to see in San Vicente de la Barquera

San Vicente de la Barquera is less than 10 kilometers from Pesués. San Vicente de la Barquera is a delightful seaside town that is hard to leave, such is the charm of its streets and its magnificent arcaded square, the spell of its beaches and marshes, the quality of its restaurants, the majestic shadow of its castle, and the beauty of the church of Our Lady of the Angels . There is one of the most impressive tombs in Spain, the tomb of the inquisitor don Antonio del Corro, in Renaissance style.

WHAT TO EAT IN CANTABRIA

The gastronomy of this land is already mentioned in the Book of Good Love, by the renowned Archpriest of Hita: ‘From Santander came the vermilion lobsters’. It is not in vain that fish is one of the strong points of the cuisine of this route: hake in green sauce, bocartes in casserole, baked sea bream or bass, seafood, fried calamari… But of course, we are in the Mountains, and here meats and products from the garden are not lacking, with a special preference for beans, white or colored. And for dessert, two delights at odds with the diet: «quesada» (cheesecake) and «sobaos» (sponge cakes).

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