Beach
both
Level 4/10

Sopelana

Biscay, Spain
🌀Strong rips👥Crowded

Sopelana is Bilbao's go-to surf beach—a cliff-backed stretch of sand easily accessible by metro from the city, where multiple peaks offer options for surfers of varying abilities. The convenience of urban access means crowds, especially given the region's passionate surf culture, but the beach is long enough to find space. The dramatic cliff backdrop adds visual drama to every session, while nearby cafes and changing facilities provide creature comforts. For visitors to Bilbao seeking a surf fix, Sopelana delivers reliable waves within easy reach of the Guggenheim.

3-Day Forecast
Today
15
44
Poor
2.6m
@15s
23km/h
Mon
16
51
Fair
2.4m
@20s
8km/h
Tue
17
64
Fair
3.3m
@16s
14km/h
+7
Unlock

Today's Conditions

Swell
2.6m
NW(316°)
Score: 15/25
Period
15s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
23km/h
NNW(327°)
Score: 0/25
Weather
11°C
0.1mm58%
Windswell Component
0.7mNNW@3s
Secondary Swell
0.2mSW
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
afternoon

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
View in OpenStreetMap
Showing forecast for today

Tide Times

1:35 am
High tide - 0.56m
7:50 am
Low tide - -1.40m
2:05 pm
High tide - 0.52m
8:04 pm
Low tide - -1.49m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

44
Poor
Components
Swell Direction24/25
Swell Size15/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind0/25
Raw Score64/100
Adjustments
🤢 Wind History-10
⚠️ Weak Component-10
Adjusted Score44/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score44
🤢 Morning Sickness

Spot Details

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
NW (315°)
Direction range
285° - 350°
Size range
0.6m - 2.5m
Ideal size
1.9m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
S (180°)
Offshore range
140° - 220°
Best window
morning

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
low to mid
Optimal range
0.3m - 1.8m

Water temp

15°C

Wetsuit

4/3mm fullsuit

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

7/10

Access: Metro accessible from Bilbao.

Best Season

Peak: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Secondary: Apr, Sep

Winter best. Close to Bilbao.

Getting There

Airport
BIO
Drive time
20 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion