Gijón & Central Coast · Spain
Surfing El Espartal
A beach break in Gijón & Central Coast, Spain, for intermediate surfers.
El Espartal is the long beach between Salinas and the San Juan de Nieva jetty, at the mouth of the Avilés estuary. It picks up plenty of north-west swell, and near the jetty the waves tend to peel right.
It works at any tide. The wind is what decides it: a south-east wind is offshore, but the sea breeze often spoils it later in the day, so early mornings are usually best. The port is close by, but the dunes behind the beach keep it feeling open.
When to surf
El Espartal
El Espartal is at its best from September to April. Conditions it likes: NW swell, SE offshore wind, all tides; best early morning.
October to March: Prime
Consistent NW-W swell, cold but reliable
April to June: Good
Reliable swell, milder crowds
July to August: Quiet
Smaller swell, busiest domestic-tourism season
The year across Asturias
Waves near El Espartal
Playa de Xago
2 kmGijón & Central Coast · Beach Break · Beginner / Intermediate
Salinas
3 kmGijón & Central Coast · Beach Break · Beginner / Intermediate
Playón de Bayas
10 kmGijón & Central Coast · Beach Break · Intermediate
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: Gijón is the easiest base, with city beaches, the most places to stay and good food. Villaviciosa is a small town closer to Rodiles, with rural houses in the countryside around it. Salinas, near Avilés, has apartments right on the beach and suits a stay focused on surf.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Gijón & Central Coast guide.
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