During the winter months, in fact, here it is possible to enjoy mild and sunny days, a characteristic which, combined with the strong storm surges that continuously beat the coast, has made this place one of the most suitable for surfing throughout the year.
If in Italy, in fact, it is unfortunately not possible to ride those gigantic waves that are found on the coasts of California or the Pacific islands, frequent coastal storms that relentlessly hit the Ligurian coast have made this region the ideal destination for lovers of this exciting sport.
Liguria hosts numerous spots throughout its territory where you can surf. Each of these destinations has waves and seabeds with different characteristics, on the basis of which more or less experienced surfers can base their choices.
The best surfing beaches, according to my friend Costanza who is a surfer, are: Levanto beach
Recco beach, Bogliasco beach and Varazze beach.
Also Lerici, west of Genoa, is full of surfers. The place is very convenient to reach with boards, given the presence of a large paid car park where you can leave your car, and which is just a few meters away on foot from the beach access. The small bay that protects the beach from the strongest storm surges allows surfers to ride the high waves in total safety.
Levanto is the Ligurian town where the most important sporting competitions related to the world of surfing take place. Its coast hosts five beaches, allowing you to practice this sport whether you are a beginner or a pro surfer. Here the waves, driven by the winds, are among the highest in the entire region, so much so that, in some cases, they even reach up to 4 meters in height.
Recco has its own spot right in front of the town and, in the Summer months, it hosts the Recco Surfestival, a festival in perfect Californian style which attracts tourists from all over the world and which sees the greatest Italian surfers compete. The beach where you can practice this sport has two peaks, that is, two particular points of the sea where the waves break, with very different characteristics: the one with the rocky seabed is more suitable for expert surfers, while the other, with the sandy seabed, is ideal for beginners.
In Recco, there is a historic surf school, which attracts large crowds to the small beach throughout all months of the year.
Bogliasco is one of the places that saw the birth of the surfing movement in Italy in the 70s.
The beach is located right in front of the small port that protects the town: its seabed, mainly sandy, makes the location ideal even for less experienced surfers. Here too, the presence of a historic surf school means that the town is quite crowded throughout the year.
In Varazze, surfing is so loved that the municipality is thinking of creating an artificial reef to defend the coast and capable of providing waves you can ride even out of season.
The waves that beat this stretch of coast are more suitable for expert surfers and my friend told me that there is a sort of hierarchy to follow to catch the waves: the pros go first, then the locals and then everyone else.
Our Liguria has been recently hit by the sea storm of the year: waves measuring well over 3 meters with extremely strong winds coming from the sea.
Some called it a spectacle of nature but such waves also left million of euros of damages to beach resorts and restaurants overlooking the sea.
Surfing in Liguria
