Ever since Cook’s crew first described Hawaiians riding the waves, surfing has spread to the unlikeliest corners of the world, including my own small Liguria, the Italian Riviera.
Here, it was the kids of the 1980s who first caught the dream, watched at a distance with curious, admiring glances. Within a few years the sport had taken hold, and now, the moment the south-westerlies blow, the seafronts of certain coastal towns fill with surfers of every age, board under arm and wetsuit on, running for the water to spend the day riding the swell.
They come from all over northern Italy, and very often from Switzerland, chasing the waves via the webcams trained on the best beaches of the Riviera and the marine forecasts on the specialist Italian and local sites. A word before you paddle out: this is a cold-water, autumn-and-winter game here, so you will want a good wetsuit, and, as everywhere, respect the locals, the line-up and the conditions.
Where to surf on the Italian Riviera
From west to east:
- Le Calandre, east of Ventimiglia, at the top of the seafront. Crowded, and the waves are nothing special, but I always have fun here.
- Tre Ponti, in Sanremo, in front of the street of the same name. Always packed, but clean water and good waves make up for it.
- Bistrot, also in Sanremo, in front of the Giannino Bistrot it is named for. The waves break over rock, a right-hander reef that works on S and NW swells.
- Il Molo (the pier), Andora, east of the harbour. Fairly busy, the water not the cleanest because of the port, but the waves can be incredible.
- Il Pontile, Alassio, famous for its SE (Scirocco) swells.
- Pietra Ligure, at a rivermouth: a sandy-bottomed beach break, plus waves over rock on SE and W swells.
- Finanza, Finale Ligure, named for the Guardia di Finanza barracks behind it. Careful, it is a rock reef, and very crowded.
- Porto, also Finale Ligure, at the harbour mouth.
- Acque Calde (warm waters), between Zinola and Vado Ligure, right at the outflow in front of the power station. The water is warm but not very clean.
- Albissola Marina, at a rivermouth: waves over rock on S-SW swells.
- Celle Ligure, a right-hander reef over rock in front of the marina, on S to NW swells.
- Pool (Piscine), Varazze, sand and pebbles, needs a big S swell for the right; a crowded spot, not for beginners.
- Kursaal, Varazze, over a rocky, debris-strewn bottom. Warning: the experts and local lads paddle straight out from the pier.
- Backdoor, also Varazze, at the mouth of the Teiro: a right over a pebble bottom, for experienced surfers.
- Arenzano, near the football pitch: a right point break over bedrock on big S and NW swells, though the water is not the best.
- Voltri, with decent water.
- Capo Marina, in front of the Genoa lido: a right-hander reef over rock on SW swells, popular with bodyboarders and busy with swimmers.
- Multedo, Genoa, in front of the fire station: an A-frame reef over rock on S and NW swells.
- Recco, at the rivermouth by the pool: a reef (both right and left) over rock on S swells; the water is not very clean and it gets crowded.
- Bogliasco, the cradle of Ligurian surf. It even featured in the video for Maria Gadú’s Shimbalaiê, though filmed on a flat sea.
- Entella, Chiavari, at the rivermouth: the water is not clean, but it is a good spot for beginners.
- La Secca, Moneglia, well worth it, not least for the beauty of the village.
- Levanto, with a beach break on the left of the bay (opposite the promenade to La Pietra) and a rocky reef for the experienced on the right (opposite Bar Nadia). Clean water, and a big seafront car park.
- Il Castello, Lerici, a rocky reef on SW swells.
- La Venere, also Lerici, a rocky reef, this one a right. Both Lerici spots are worth it for the setting alone, and perfect when you have non-surfers in tow.
- Marinella, at the mouth of the Magra: good for beginners and rarely crowded, though the water is not the best.
Surf in Liguria: useful contacts
For real-time forecasts and local know-how, a few contacts by area (check current details before relying on them):
- Sanremo: Mare Sport, +39 0184 574331
- Varazze: Wankers Surf Club, +39 019 931818
- Arenzano: Local Surfshop, +39 010 9110849
- Genova: Surf Activity, +39 010 3770365
- Levanto: Brothers Surf Club, +39 393 1835417 (they also run weekly camps for children)
Frequently asked questions
Yes, and there is a real local surf scene. The Ligurian coast picks up rideable waves mainly in autumn and winter, when south-westerly winds generate swell, with dozens of spots from Ventimiglia in the west to the Gulf of Poets in the east. It is cold-water surfing, so a good wetsuit is essential.
Autumn and winter, when the south-westerly (Libeccio) and south-easterly (Scirocco) winds bring swell. Surfers watch the marine forecasts and the beach webcams closely, as good days are weather-dependent and can be short-lived. Summer is generally flat.
Some spots suit beginners better than others, for example Entella in Chiavari and Marinella near the Magra rivermouth. Many of the best waves, however, break over rock reefs and get crowded, which is not ideal for novices. Beginners should choose a gentle beach break, and ideally go with a local surf school.
Yes. Because the Ligurian surf season is autumn and winter, the water is cold, so a good winter wetsuit (with boots, and often gloves and a hood in the depths of winter) is essential. This is not warm-water surfing.
Further reading
- Where these waves break: the most beautiful beaches of the Italian Riviera
- My home stretch of coast: the Cinque Terre and Liguria
- The other way I love the Ligurian sea: under sail in the Gulf of Poets
