Cantabria: a surfers paradise in north Spain

Cantabria is a place for surfers. Her 283 Kilometres of coastline with over 70 beaches makes Cantabria a unique Spanish surfing paradise. Her privileged geographical location , allowing for ridable waves for almost 300 days
a year, and her deep surfing roots combined with her pioneering character, have placed
Cantabria in an enviable position as a national and international reference within the world
wide surfing community.

Cantabria is home to great surfing champions of the likes of Pablo Gutierrez or Pablo Solar
amongst others, all of whom were groomed on these waves. The Cantarias surfing map
is littered with great and well known surf spots with a wide range of waves adequate for
surfers of all levels. Renowned surf spots such as Somo, Loredo, Langre, Liencres, Los
Locos, Noja or The Island of Santa Marina are commonly known to surfers throughout
Europe. These spots are surrounded by an ample net of dedicated specialised services
targeted to accommodate and supply learner to expert surfers with everything they may
need. Surf schools, surf shops, and surfer styled accommodation are all available to meet the
specific needs that come with those looking to learn or simply practice the sport of surfing.

Cantabria is a surfing pioneer.

It was a Cantabrian, Jesus Fiochi, who surfed the first wave ridden in Spain to the annals of
surfing history on Sardinero beach, Santander, in 1963. He is, and always will be, known as
the first Spanish surfer.

Cantabrians witnessed the birth of a surfing industry in Spain. It was in the seaside village
of Loredo, in 1973, that a small cottage industry under the name of ,”Casa Lola”, produced
the first locally made surfboards. One of the first surf shops in Spain,”Xpeedin”, opened
here in 1977. And it was here that one of the pioneering and most renowned surf schools
in Spain, “Escuela cántabra de Surf”, had its humble origins in a small surf shack on Somo
beach in 1982.

The State or Community of Cantabria has been awarded with the first competitive tourism
plan focused on and around the sport of surfing in Spain. It is a promotional plan based and
administered in and by the local council of Ribamontán al Mar with the support of regional
and central government. This plan has placed Ribamontán al Mar at the forefront and as an
international reference in dynamic tourism. Amongst its current projects is, the construction
of a skate park, an international surf centre (the first of its kind in Europe), a surf caravan
camping site and the creation of the first surfing nature reserve in Europe.