Where to surf in July in Europe and Latin America

Now most of surfers in Europe are about to turn their gaze towards the long-awaited and anticipated summer holidays.

We are going to be honest with you — summer and surf in Europe is a tough combo since there is less atmospheric movement in the North Atlantic Ocean. It means weaker storms and an unpredictable surf. But still summer is a great time to enjoy smaller swells and master longboards.

Hence, we have picked out the most surfable beaches with the most consistent swell in July in Europe and decided to throw in a few spots in Latin America as well for those who don’t mind spending a day on the trip to chase some sick waves in the faraway lands.

Surf spots in France in July

For the most consistent swell, we recommend you choose the Basque Country between France and Spain. The Atlantic coast is where all the actions sit — many breaks to surf. We recommend you head to the Silver Coast, also known as Côte d’Argent, for world-famous spots like Lacanau, Hossegor, and Biarritz. When the swell is good, the whole coast is on fire. That obviously means crowd so be ready to wait for your turn and respect the locals. Sea temperatures peak in the range of 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F) so a spring suit and a rest vest and board shorts should be just fine.

Reasons to travel to France:

Culture
Food and wine
Long-board friendly waves
World-class breaks

Best spots for surfing in France in July:

Best beginner beach: Hossegor
Best intermediate beach: Bayonne
Most famous beach: Biarritz

Best surf spots in Spain in July

We know that you surfers are mostly only about surfing but what if you could combine incredible surfing with the most delicious food invented? Yes, the answer lies in a little town on the Bay of Biscay – San Sebastian - where surfing is a must on one of the three beaches (Zurriola, Ondaretta and Pico del Oro). If you are keen to experience a more tranquillo vibe, head to Galicia to enjoy the best beaches in the region for riding longboards. Make sure to check out Salinas International Longboard Surf Festival taking place in the last week of July at Salinas.

Reasons to travel to Spain:

Relatively cheap
Food and wine
Nightlife
Abundance of sightseeing

Best spots for surfing in Spain in July:

Best beginner beach: Santander
Best intermediate beach: Zarautz
Most famous beach: Mundaka

Best surf spots in Portugal in July

Winter, summer — Portugal is a year-round destination for surfing since it picks up north, west and south swells. The trick is to pick the right spot for the summer months. Usually, the safe bet would be to head to the Peniche area or head down south to the picturesque Algarve area. Make sure to look for morning breeze as the wind tends to be offshore then. Water tends to be cold in the region (especially Central Portugal) so make sure to pack your 3/2mm spring suit.

Reasons to travel to Portugal:

Surf culture
Cheap
Short distance between spots
Nature

Best spots for surfing in Portugal in July:

Best beginner beach: Lisbon
Best intermediate beach: Peniche
Most famous beach: Nazare

Tatonomusic / Unsplash

Best surf spots in Mexico in July

Did someone say sick waves? Yes, welcome to the land of an epic surf. No matter where you look, Mexico has something for everyone. Yes, it’s hot and moist but the waves... the waves are most rich in size. We recommend your head to Oaxaca to check amazing spots like Barra de la Cruz, Barra de Colotepec and Zipolite. When you’re around, make sure to check the big boys’ league — the famous Zicatela “The Mexican Pipeline”. Paddle out only if you’re ready to take the heat.

Reasons to travel to Mexico:

Rich surf culture
Laid back vibe
Cuisine
Nightlife

Best spots for surfing in Mexico:

Best beginner beach: Sayulita
Best intermediate beach: La Saladita
Most famous beach: Puerto Escondido

Best surf spots in Costa Rica in July

The Costa Rican lifestyle is an embodiment of surfing and the culture that surrounds it. Pure vida, which means “simple life”, is a phrase you will hear a lot in Costa Rica. We recommend you head to the Pacific side of Costa Rica (even though the Caribbean side also has some great surf) to check out beaches like Playa Tamarindo, Playa Hermosa and Playa Santa Teresa. Costa Rica is a land of point breaks and it truly offers the best of the best to the very beginners all the way to some incredible breaks.

Reasons to travel to Costa Rica:

Rich culture
Laid back vibe
Cuisine
Nightlife

Best spots for surging in Costa Rica in July:

Best beginner beach: Tamarindo
Best intermediate beach: Santa Teresa
Most famous beach: Witch’s Rock

Best surf spots in Brazil in July

Summer in the Northern Hemisphere means winter in the Southern Hemisphere, which in turn means big waves. One of the best places to surf year-round in South America is Brazil. Yes, the flight here will take maximum time from the U.S. and even more from Europe, but believe us, it is worth it. One of the main advantages of Brazil is that it has many spots spots for different levels of surfing along the entire coast of the country. Many of them are located right in Rio de Janeiro, which will certainly be the start of your journey. Or, there are roughly 50 beaches on the island of Santa Catarina surrounding Florianópolis alone. Plus, Brazil offers exotic culture and almost always good weather that goes along with surfing.

Reasons to travel to Brazil:

Many spots
Almost always good weather
Food and wine
Nightlife

Best spots for surging in Brazil in July:

Best beginner beach: Barra da Lagoa
Best intermediate beach: Praia Mole
Most famous beach: Florianópolis

This post was originally published on the Windy.app blog on July 2, 2019.

Learn more about how to read the surf / swell forecast in a special Windy.app presentation with examples and tips from professional surfers with many years of experience of riding the biggest and best waves on the planet.

Text: Windy.app team. Ivan Kuznetsov contributed to this article

Cover photo: Elizeu Dias / Unsplash