Northern Italy
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Positives
- Mistral driven windswell
- Biggest waves on the mainland
- Quality Ligurian reefs
- Occasional SE-S swells
Negatives
- Inconsistent
- Crowded main breaks
- Cold winter temperatures
- Private beach access issues
Northern Italy surf travel guide
The Mistral is the driving force for surf in Northern Italy as the W winds have enough fetch to build decent size swells that unload on the reefs of Liguria. Varazze and Levanto hold some of the biggest waves on the mainland, but consistency is not too high with about 120 rideable days a year and most of them are small and onshore. Flexibility is the key as it is necessary to follow the swell and wind patterns as they swing from SW round to NW. The Tuscany coast attracts surfers from far afield. Forte Dei Marmi, Viareggio, Livorno and Lillatro are all swell and people magnets. The Tuscan beachbreaks are often first to show the swell and Livorno’s exposed reefs are great in the post weather-front glass-off. Offshore, Elba Island presents an opportunity to ride some hollow, empty reefs in rare SE to SW swells. Like most of the more northern reaches of the Med, winter can suffer from cold, continental high pressure that produces snow not surf, so autumn and spring are often the best times. Water temps for all western Italy range from 12-26ºC.
Surf spots in Northern Italy
Research the 20 surf breaks in Northern Italy and discover what spots suit the current conditions.
Break lowdown
We’ve collated the wave data giving you a unique insight into the 20 breaks in Northern Italy.
When to go
Surf and weather statistics to help plan your surf trip to Northern Italy
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Travel Information
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Visas
Italy is a Schengen state and citizens of most European countries, USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand do not require visas. All others, including those planning to stay more than three months, must obtain a visa from the Italian consulate in their home country.
Getting There
LAZIO Shengen state, non-EU get 90 days without visa except South Africans. Fiumicino (FCO) is Rome’s main airport, with flights from just about anywhere in the world. Finding a flight during peak holiday times can be a nightmare. Alitalia is the national airline. Look for low cost flights within Europe. 7h drive from French border.
Getting Around
Fuel and highway tolls are quite expensive, but driving a car remains the most practical way to reach many of the spots. Italy has a good network of motorways, though many have a total of only four lanes, often leading to congestion. The busiest highways are the A1, linking Milan, Bologna, Florence and Rome and the Salerno Reggio-Calabria toll-free highway (a true nightmare even by Italian standards). The A12, coming from France gets packed during holidays. Tune to Isoradio (FM:103.30) for traffic updates in Italian and English. Southern regions rely more on national roads known as Strade Statali (marked SS on maps) that vary enormously in quality. There are two north to south “surfers trails”: the S.S.1 (known as Statale Aurelia) passes every west coast spot from the French border down to Rome and beyond while the SS16 (known as Statale Adriatica) does the same along the east coast from Venice through Ravenna to the extreme south tip of Puglia. All national roads are toll-free but slow. Try to avoid central areas of medieval towns where traffic is heavy and parking is nearly impossible. To visit towns like Florence, Venice, Rome, Genova, Naples, leave your car outside of town and use public transportation to reach the tourist attractions. Renting a car is quite expensive in Italy and should be booked in advance. Drivers must be over 21, and non-EU citizens require an international license (in theory). LAZIO Check for rental car at airport, economy car from $280/wk (over 21, non EU need International license). Fuel and tolls are quite expensive. SS1 (Statale Aurelia) and SS148 (Pontina) are the main roads. Heavy traffic during beach season. Ferry to Sardinia sails from Civitavecchia.