Canelas
Sanxenxo · Galicia Sur · Spain
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Canelas is a small cove beach at Portonovo, in Sanxenxo, framed by dunes and low cliffs and facing south into the Ría de Pontevedra. It is a winter spot that only breaks when a big swell gets into the ría. At high tide, a fast, powerful left breaks off the rocks at one end, sometimes with tubes, and the backwash off the west end can throw up a wedge. The rest of the beach has shorter peaks both ways that change with the sand. Rocky points shelter it from northerly winds, so it is a backup when the open coast is blown out, and the local crew knows it well.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Break
- Beach break, sand
- Waves
- Lefts and rights
- Crowd
- Busy
- Season
- autumn, winter
- Boards
- A shortboard, or a bodyboard for the left.
When it works
✓ A large west or south-west swell of 2.5 m or more with a north wind, at mid to high tide.
When it doesn't
✕ Anything but a big swell leaves it flat, and southerly winds blow straight in.
Watch out for
- rocks
- localism
- crowds
Best months
January, February, March, October, November, December
Local tips
Local surfers and bodyboarders run the left, so be respectful to stay out of trouble. The sand peaks along the beach are friendlier.
Getting there
In the small village of Canelas near Portonovo, with parking nearby.
Travel notes
- How often it works
- It faces south, so it needs a fair-sized swell to break. That same shelter makes it a good winter choice when the open coast is too big or blown out by north wind.
- Crowd and vibe
- Usually 10 to 20 surfers, and busier on stormy winter days when it is the only option. The left by the rocks belongs to local surfers and bodyboarders, so the sand peaks are the better place for visitors. In summer the beach is packed with swimmers.
- Camping and vans
- Autocamper Sanxenxo, a paid área de autocaravanas open all year, is just 60 m from the beach. The nearest campsite for tents is Camping Cachadelos, about 4.5 km away (April to October). Nearest campsite about 4.5 km away.
- Facilities
- Lifeguards in summer, an accessible beach and parking nearby, with cafés and shops in Portonovo.
- Water quality
- Holds Bandera Azul for 2026, which needs excellent bathing-water results the season before.
Ideal conditions
- Swell
- WSW–W best, SW–WNW works
- Size
- 2.5–4 m offshore swell; starts at 1.5 m, holds to 5 m
- Period
- 11 s minimum, best from 14 s
- Wind
- Offshore NW–NE; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
- Tide
- mid, high best, avoid low
- Faces
- S (180°)
Live cam
No cam at this spot yet: the forecast and the guide are on the map.