Beach

both

Level 4/10

Sopelana

Biscay, Spain

🌀Strong rips👥Crowded

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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.

Sopelana surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Fair

1.1mN@8s

8km/h

1.1m@8s

8km/h

Thu5

Good

0.6mNW@14s

10km/h

0.6m@14s

10km/h

Fri6

Good

0.6mNW@12s

11km/h

0.6m@12s

11km/h

Sat7

Poor

0.5mNW@11s

18km/h

0.5m@11s

18km/h

Sun8

Poor

0.4mNW@12s

15km/h

0.4m@12s

15km/h

Mon9

Poor

0.2mNW@10s

22km/h

0.2m@10s

22km/h

Tue10

Poor

0.1mWNW@9s

17km/h

0.1m@9s

17km/h

Wed11

Poor

0.5mN@9s

22km/h

0.5m@9s

22km/h

Thu12

Good

0.8mWNW@11s

14km/h

0.8m@11s

14km/h

Fri13

Fair

0.9mNNW@8s

4km/h

0.9m@8s

4km/h

Groomed 5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: AfternoonAM 10 km/h · PM 5 km/h · Low tide at 6pm (0.3m)

Swell

1.1m

N(5°)

Score: 18/25

Period

Short period

Score: 6/25

Wind

8km/h

ESE(121°)

Score: 18/25

Weather

10°C

0.1mm57%

First light 7:20amSunrise 7:50amSunset 5:59pmLast light 6:29pm

Windswell

—

Secondary

0.3m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.1m @8s N outside window

Wind8 km/h ESE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 7:20–9:14am · risingStrike window: 3:06–6:29pm · droppingIdeal tide: 0.3–1.8m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

8°

10°

13°

12°

7°

9°

14°

16°

13°

4°

13°

18°

13°

10°

13°

15°

17°

16°

11°

13°

16°

18°

15°

16°

19°

18°

20°

22°

20°

18°

19°

21°

18°

14°

15°

18°

16°

12°

14°

18°

14°

2m1.0

sec

15s

14s

12s

11s

12s

10s

11s

swell

windkm/h

9g15

12g20

6g17

1g9

10g19

16g23

15g24

9g24

5g10

6g13

13g15

11g19

8g18

10g21

13g22

18g31

20g36

16g30

20g35

17g32

18g38

18g43

11g40

12g28

22g43

22g47

21g49

22g45

20g43

18g44

18g46

16g53

15g52

18g48

24g49

24g56

24g63

20g62

12g57

15g37

15g38

14g37

13g37

10g37

6g33

2g26

6g21

5g24

2g31

tidem

5:49am0.6m

12:19pm2.9m

6:34pm0.3m

12:56am2.8m

6:49am0.4m

1:14pm3.0m

7:21pm0.1m

1:44am2.9m

7:38am0.2m

2:01pm3.1m

8:03pm0.0m

2:28am3.1m

8:20am0.1m

2:44pm3.2m

8:41pm0.0m

3:03am3.2m

8:59am0.0m

3:21pm3.3m

9:17pm0.1m

3:37am3.3m

9:36am0.1m

3:55pm3.3m

9:53pm0.1m

4:10am3.3m

10:10am0.1m

4:30pm3.3m

10:25pm0.3m

4:39am3.3m

10:48am0.2m

5:00pm3.2m

5:10am3.2m

11:23am0.3m

5:32pm3.0m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

5:49 am

Low · 0.60m

12:19 pm

High · 2.90m

6:34 pm

Low · 0.32m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Fair

Components

Swell Direction4/25

Swell Size18/25

Swell Period6/25

Wind18/25

Raw Score46/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+1

Adjusted Score47/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score47

🌊 Partly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to BIO, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.1m @8s N outside window

Wind8 km/h ESE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: NW (315°)
Direction range: 285° - 350°
Size range: 0.6m - 2.5m
Ideal size: 1.5m - 2m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: S (180°)
Offshore range: 140° - 220°

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Sopelana?

Sopelana is a beach break in Biscay, Spain, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Sopelana?

Sopelana picks up swell from the WNW round to the N, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NW. It starts working at around 0.6m and handles up to about 2.5m, with the sweet spot around 1.5 to 2m. Period matters too: aim for 12s or longer, as anything under 8s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Sopelana?

A S wind is dead offshore at Sopelana, and anything from the SE round to the SW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Sopelana?

Sopelana is at its best around the low to mid tide, roughly 0.3m to 1.8m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Sopelana?

The most reliable run of swell at Sopelana comes Oct to Mar. There's a second window in Apr and Sep too. Winter best. Close to Bilbao.

How cold is the water at Sopelana?

The water at Sopelana averages around 15°C, so you'll want a 4/3mm fullsuit. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Sopelana good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 4/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. It gets busy (crowd 7/10), so mind the pecking order. Rips near cliffs.