SPAIN & CANARIES TRAVEL GUIDE
Sun, sea, sangria, surf – and, of course, wind! Just a few reasons to make a short hop over to mainland Spain or the Canary Islands for a great break and soak up the legendary laid-back Spanish culture while catching some well-deserved wind, waves and sun.
If you’re looking for a sneaky winter getaway or looking ahead to the spring, here’s our guide to some ripe destination picks for a memorable holiday, alone or with family and friends. Vamos al viento!
Words Brian McDowell
YEAR-ROUND FUN
Of course the Canaries are known for their year-round sun and favourable winter wind stats, but southern Spain’s Andalucía region also scores a lot of off-season wind when the crowds are lower and prices keener. Further north in the Med the season gets going early as well with Costa Brava often posting good temperatures from May onwards while the Tramontane wind is still flying down from the Pyrenees.
REACHING THE SPOTS
Will you need to rent a car to score some action? Not necessarily. In El Medano, Tenerife, you’ve got easy access just a short walk from rental apartments, the town centre and nearby hotels to the three main sailing areas, two of which are wavesailing spots, including PWA venue Cabezo. Similarly, in Sotavento, on Fuerteventura, you can stay on the beach and walk to the local centres or catch a shuttle from nearby Costa Calma if you’re renting with Rene Egli. If you do rent a vehicle, Rene Egli allow you to travel with hired equipment to the multitude of wavesailing and other spots on the island.
CATALUÑA
The Gulf of Roses area offers excellent flat water freeriding in a stunning rural location. With a host of nearby campsites, boutique guest houses and private villa and apartment rentals this is a gem for Easter-Sept sailing away from crowds and the shortest flight time from the UK. Girona airport is probably the largest low-cost airline hub in the world and with nearby attractions such as cultural Barcelona, the Pyrenees and outstanding regional cuisine Cataluña is a smart pick for a value break in the sun. The tramontane can blow up to gale force as late as June (cross off from the left) and then thermal winds take over during the warmest months (cross-on from right).
TARIFA
Tarifa is a world famous venue for both windsurfing and kitesurfing, often referred to as the “Wind Capital of Europe.” With it’s constant winds, over 7 miles of white sandy beaches, deep blue water and three thousand hours of sunlight per year, it makes a great all year round destination. Bring your own kit to make use of the different spots, or hire from one of the many windsurf schools, which are based at Valdevaqueros (Las Dunas). There are two prevailing winds. The ‘Levante’ (Easterly), is a stronger warmer wind, which blows cross offshore from the left creating flatter water conditions. The ‘Poniente’ blows cross on shore from the Atlantic Ocean producing waves and is more predominant in autumn and spring. The wind is generally strongest in the afternoons. As the beach is so long you can pick and choose your spot depending on the wind direction.
There are many low cost airlines flying to Malaga (1 hour 45 mins away) from many regional airports, so getting there is cheap, easy and the flight time is just over 2 hours. Gibraltar is the closest airport (45 minutes drive from Tarifa). There is a great selection of apartment accommodation so you can take a few friends to reduce costs. Having a kitchen means you can save money by eating in a few nights, if you wish, and breakfast is easy with the great supermarkets /bakeries and selection of food you can find in Spain.
There are so many great things to do in Tarifa from whale watching, Mountain biking, horse riding, climbing, walking, to bird watching and National parks. The White Villages of Andalucia are beautiful and are worth a visit to wander around the narrow streets and enjoy a relaxed lunch. Morocco is a short ferry ride away and is a cultural day trip. You could drive to Ronda for a night and see the spectacular El Tajo Gorge. Or simply stroll around Tarifa old town and soak up the chilled atmosphere and café culture vibe. Tarifa is great for the independent travelers as you can hire a car and make your way along the coast – perfect for a short stay trip too. Due to the long sandy beach there is plenty of space for everyone. July and August are the busiest months.
CANARY ISLANDS
Countless PWA World Cups have proven the wind reliability of this island chain that sits inside the North East trade wind belt. There’s so many spots to choose from on the major islands of Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. Freeriders love the mix of open ocean swell and flat lagoons of Fuerteventura’s southern Sotavento and Risco del Paso resorts as well as Gran Canaria’s Bahia Feliz. Wavesailors will need no reminder of the powerful breaks on Fuerteventura’s north shore or the jumping paradises of Pozo Izquierdo on GC or Tenerife’s El Cabezo. Mellow riding is also available at Harbour Wall in El Medano, Tenerife. Even the slightly longer flight times this far south don’t prevent many independent travellers heading out on a good forecast and all the major operators can cater for either full packages or just rental for self-catering visitors. Hiring is a strong option to consider if you consider the cost and hassle of travelling with your own gear. You can pick from the latest gear from nearly all the main centres that now often use lighter masts and board constructions than in seasons past or choose the opportunity of a trip test out a range of the latest equipment before making your own purchases at home at a non brand affiliated centre such as Tenerife Windsurf Solution.
We recommend bookings with:
sportif.travel
Have a great holiday!