Month guide · December

Surfing in December

Short days, big storms and Christmas sessions

December is a month of extremes. The Atlantic storm track is in full swing, the swells are often big and the wind often wild, and the sun barely clears the horizon in Brittany for eight hours, in Thurso for six and a half, and not at all in Lofoten. On the right day, though, a cold, clear high-pressure spell brings offshore winds and long-period swell, and the coast can be perfect.

The approach is simple: go where the wind is offshore and the swell is the right size. On the biggest days that means the sheltered bays and city beaches; on moderate days the famous reefs and rivermouths. The giant swells wake up the big-wave spots, from Nazaré and Aileen's to Jardim do Mar on Madeira, and winter storms in the Mediterranean bring Varazze to life. And over Christmas, plenty of surfers swap the dinner table for a midday session.

At a glance

🌡️ Water: 6 °C Denmark – 20.5 °C Canaries
Averages are about 6 °C at Skagen, 6.5 °C in Lofoten, 9.5 °C in Orkney, 11 °C at Le Havre and Galway, 12 °C at Brest and off the Isles of Scilly, 13.5 °C at Biarritz and 14 °C at A Coruña. Lisbon is about 17 °C, the Azores 18 °C, Madeira 20 °C and Gran Canaria 20.5 °C.
🧥 Wetsuit: 5/4 mm + hood north · 3/2 islands
A 5/4 mm with boots is the norm from the Landes northwards, plus a hood in Brittany, the Channel, Britain and Ireland, and a 6/5 mm with gloves in Scandinavia. A 4/3 mm with boots is just about enough on the warmest days in Spain and Portugal. The Canaries and Madeira need a 3/2 or light 4/3 mm.
🌊 Swell: Big, stormy W–NW swells
Surf writers describe December and January as the stormy heart of the season on the Basque coast, with frequent onshore wind. Open beaches often max out, so size is rarely the problem and shape is the challenge. The same storms feed the big-wave spots of Portugal, Ireland and Madeira and the north shores of the Canaries, and Mediterranean storms bring south-west swells to Liguria.
🌬️ Wind: Often strong and onshore
Frontal systems bring strong westerly winds. Look for southerly winds, which blow offshore along the whole Spanish north coast, or a high-pressure spell with light easterlies for the French and Portuguese beaches.
☀️ Air: Highs 3–22.5 °C
Average highs are about 3 °C in Lofoten, 7 °C in Orkney, 8 °C on the Channel, 9 °C in Galway, 10 °C in Brest, 13 °C in Biarritz, 14 °C in A Coruña, 15 °C in Lisbon and 22.5 °C in Gran Canaria. In A Coruña about 15 days a month are rainy in winter.
👥 Crowds: Empty, apart from Christmas week
Most resorts are closed. The French Christmas holidays run from 19 December to 4 January in 2026–27, which brings surfers back to the coast for the last two weeks. The best reefs in the Canaries stay busy, and Varazze is the most crowded wave in Liguria when it fires.
🌅 Daylight: ~6.5 h north · ~10.5 h Canaries
Mid-month the sun rises around 08:30 in Biarritz and 09:00 in Brest and sets around 17:25–17:30. Thurso has about 6.5 hours of light, from 09:00 to 15:20, and Las Palmas about 10.5. In Lofoten the sun does not rise at all for about a month around the solstice.

Where to go

Gipuzkoa

San Sebastián's Zurriola picks up most swells and works at every tide, and on the biggest storms even the sheltered La Concha bay can break.

Bizkaia

Mundaka and the big-wave reefs of Sopela and Getxo are in season; on huge days the estuary beaches give a softer alternative.

Asturias

Rodiles and the other rivermouths want the big north-west swells of winter, which the regional tourism office recommends for experienced surfers.

Landes

Hossegor is hit and miss in onshore storms, but La Nord holds big swells and Capbreton's groynes give shelter.

Portugal Centro

Nazaré's giant-wave season is in full swing, and Supertubos near Peniche throws thick barrels on cleaner west to south-west swells.

Scotland

Thurso East gets solid winter groundswell, but the day is only about six and a half hours long, so plan around the tide and the light.

Ireland West

Aileen's below the Cliffs of Moher only breaks on large, long-period west swells, which makes winter its season. For elite big-wave surfers; watch from the cliff path.

Madeira

Jardim do Mar's long right point needs a large north-west swell at low tide, which December can bring. The water is about 20 °C.

Lanzarote and Fuerteventura

The winter north swells light up the volcanic reefs of La Santa and Fuerteventura's North Shore, in water around 20 °C.

North Italy

Winter storms in the Mediterranean send south-west swell to Liguria, where Varazze's reef is the best-known wave.

The 20 best spots in December

  1. Donostia – Zurriola

    Donostia / San Sebastián · Gipuzkoa · Beginner · Beach break · 3 live cams

    San Sebastián's city beach picks up most swells and works at every tide. Easy to reach, surrounded by cafés, and a reliable option on moderate December days with a southerly.

  2. Mundaka

    Bizkaia · Expert · River mouth

    Winter is Mundaka's season: a big north-west swell, a southerly wind and a falling low tide make the famous left run. Experts only.

  3. Nazaré – Praia do Norte

    Nazaré · Portugal Centro · Expert · Beach break · 5 live cams

    The Nazaré canyon focuses winter swell into some of the biggest surfed waves on Earth, and December is in the heart of the season. Giant days are pros only; on smaller, clean days there is normal surf at low to mid tide.

  4. Thurso East

    Thurso · Scotland · Advanced · Reef break

    A long, powerful right with barrel sections in front of Thurso Castle, at its best in solid winter north-west groundswell with a south-easterly. Advanced; the days are very short, so time it around a rising mid tide.

  5. Rodiles – river left

    Villaviciosa · Asturias · Advanced · River mouth · live cam

    The Villaviciosa rivermouth needs a two-to-three-metre north-west swell and a light southerly. Advanced surfers, with a well-established local pecking order.

  6. Supertubos

    Peniche · Portugal Centro · Expert · Beach break · live cam

    One of Europe's heaviest beach breaks, where the harbour breakwater shapes thick, fast barrels on a west to south-west swell with a north-east wind. Clean days between winter storms are the ones to watch; experts only.

  7. Guéthary – Parlementia

    Guéthary · Pays Basque · Advanced · Reef break · live cam

    The Basque big-wave reef needs a long-period swell of two to four metres with a light south-east wind. Advanced surfers, on bigger boards.

  8. Jardim do Mar

    Calheta · Madeira · Expert · Point break · live cam

    The world-class right point that put Madeira on the surf map, with walls up to about 300 m over boulders. It needs a large north-west swell at low tide, and since the seawall was built it works for a shorter window. Experts only.

  9. Hossegor – La Nord

    Soorts-Hossegor · Landes · Expert · Beach break

    The bank that holds Hossegor's biggest winter swells over the Gouf canyon. Heavy and powerful, for experts only.

  10. Aileens

    Liscannor · Ireland West · Expert · Reef break

    A giant, hollow right below the Cliffs of Moher that only breaks on a large, long-period west swell with an east wind. Winter is its season; for elite big-wave surfers only.

  11. El Hierro

    Majanicho · Lanzarote and Fuerteventura · Advanced · Reef break

    Fuerteventura's most famous spot, with a fast, hollow left and a shorter right over volcanic reef. Winter north swells and a southerly wind around high tide; advanced, busy at weekends.

  12. Getxo – Punta Galea

    Getxo · Bizkaia · Expert · Reef break

    A big-wave right below the cliffs at the mouth of the Bilbao estuary, among the most powerful waves in Europe. It hosted a World Surf League Big Wave Tour event on 11 December 2014. Experts only.

  13. La Izquierda (Spanish Left)

    Playa de Las Américas · Western Canaries · Advanced · Reef break

    Tenerife's most famous wave, a long left over volcanic rock in the middle of Las Américas, works on winter's west and north-west swells. Good intermediates on small days, experts on big ones; the local standard is very high.

  14. Capbreton – Le Prévent

    Capbreton · Landes · Beginner · Beach break

    Boxed in by jetties, Le Prévent is relatively sheltered and becomes a good winter option when the open Landes beaches are out of control.

  15. Rabo de Peixe

    Ribeira Grande · Azores · Advanced · Reef break

    A reef by the harbour of a fishing town on São Miguel's north coast, with a hollow, fast left on winter north swells. Advanced; few surfers, but be humble and respectful.

  16. Saint-Jean-de-Luz – Sainte-Barbe

    Saint-Jean-de-Luz · Pays Basque · Advanced · Jetty · live cam

    A right along the breakwater that comes alive when the open coast is maxed out. High tide and a south to east wind; advanced surfers.

  17. Varazze – La Secca

    Varazze · North Italy · Advanced · Reef break

    One of Italy's best-known waves, an A-frame over a man-made rocky bottom that gets hollow on a good winter south to south-west swell as the libeccio drops. The most crowded wave in Liguria; be patient.

  18. Santander – El Sardinero

    Santander · Cantabria · Advanced · Beach break · live cam

    Santander's city beach needs a strong north-west swell to wrap in, so it shines in the stormy months. Peaks can be hollow; advanced surfers.

  19. Matosinhos

    Portugal Norte · Beginner · Beach break · 3 live cams

    Porto's city beach, sheltered by the Leixões breakwater, so it stays gentle when the open coast is huge. Full of surf schools all year; a good place for a short winter session.

  20. Donostia – La Concha

    Donostia / San Sebastián · Gipuzkoa · Beginner · Beach break · 2 live cams

    Flat almost all year, but during the biggest storms swell sneaks into San Sebastián's famous bay and makes soft, rolling peaks. A rare, special session when everything else is too big.

Tips from the line-up

  1. Follow the shelter. When the swell is huge, the city bays and estuary beaches may be the only surfable places, and they can be special.
  2. Change fast and stay warm: a changing coat, a flask of something hot and a towel in the car make winter sessions far nicer.
  3. Expect fewer lifeguards and closed facilities. Surf with a friend, especially at reefs and rivermouths.
  4. Christmas week brings surfers back to the famous spots. The day after a storm, the less famous banks are often just as good.
  5. Check the wind forecast hourly: a short spell of offshore wind behind a front can be the best two hours of the week.
  6. In Lofoten the sun does not rise for about a month around the solstice. The light is soft twilight for a few hours at midday, so plan any Arctic session for then.

Sources